Pacific City was called Ocean Park until 1909 when, because it was getting mixed up with another Ocean Park in the state of Washington, the name was changed to Pacific City. By the turn of the century Ocean Park/Pacific City was becoming a popular beach resort for families from McMinnville, Sheridan and Salem. Families would either stay in the Edmunds Hotel or one of the campgrounds, one of which was located at the bottom of Hill Street.

In the early 1900’s Willamette Vally residents began to build beach houses along the Oregon coast. Hill Street had so many cottages built by McMinnville families, it was often referred to as McMinnville Heights. Gale Vinton, his father W. T. (Billy) Vinton, and an uncle who worked as a carpenter traveled to Pacific City from McMinnville to build this house during 1915 and 1916. It was a two-day trip from the valley by horse and carriage with a stop, dividing the two-day journey, at the Dolph Hotel in the Coast mountain range. The hotel had a nearby stable to accommodate the horses and the following day, after a refreshing night’s sleep, the Vintons and their horses came on to Pacific City.

This cottage was one of many built around 1916 along the ridge or “hogback” which was Hill Street. Gale Vinton told of his father’s pleasure in the protection the ridge would provide in case of a “tidal wave” or tsunami. Cottages or campgrounds in the area were located on higher ground on the East side of the Nestucca River. The West side was nothing but sand dunes which constantly shifted; the land there was believed to be unbuildable and Billy Vinton is said to have turned down offers to purchase acreage on the spit for 25 cents an acre.

This cottage was originally built as a one-room dwelling with an attached sleeping porch. The sleeping porch was entirely screened in and housed several beds. The “front room” of the house was heated by a wood stove which was also used to cook food. The outhouse was located outside among the large fir trees dotting the area. There may have been a board walk on what is now the road. The fireplace, electric stove, shower and toilet were added later. The basement was originally an open space with a sandy floor and was used to store wood.

By mid-century, many families including the Vinton family stayed at the coast the whole summer. Gale Vinton and his wife Saima would bring their three children, Mary, Alice and Will, to the coast at the beginning of the summer and return to McMinnville at the end of the summer. Gale would work in McMinnville during the week and then join his family on the weekends at the beach.  We children spent our days at the beach, fishing for crawdads in nearby creeks, picking wild huckleberries for our Mom’s pies, and playing with neighboring children of  other families from Salem or McMinnville.

During World War II the house was inhabited by a service man and his family, part of the defense of this country against possible Japanese invasions. Beach patrols dotted the West Coast and the Pacific City station on top of Cape Kiwanda was manned 24/7.

During the next few decades, other upgrades took place with the additions of insulation, drywall, furniture upgrades and a more modern kitchen. Upgrades occurred in 2016-2017 with a heated tile floor, an outdoor shower, a bathroom, and bedroom upgrades in the basement space, and in Winter of 2023-24 an upgrade of the former sleeping porch bedroom into an insulated single bedroom and bathroom. 

~ Mary Vinton Folberg   2017