Last updated: May 21, 2018
Place
Look--Out on Cape Foulweather
Photograph by Chrissy Curran, courtesy of Oregon State Historic Preservation Office
Quick Facts
Location:
4905 Otter Crest Loop, Otter Rock, Oregon
Significance:
Commerce, Military, Entertainment/Recreation
Designation:
Listed in the National Register – Reference number 14001159
MANAGED BY:
The Look-Out on Cape Foulweather (The Look-Out) is historically significant for its association with the growth of the tourism industry along the Oregon Coast during 1937-1963. Built and operated by Wilbur “Buck” and Anna Badley, the business began briefly as the Foulweather Coffee Shop, but soon shifted into a very successful gift shop when the Badleys realized people were most interested in purchasing souvenirs of their visit to the coast. Upon the completion of the Roosevelt Coast Military Highway (U.S. 101) in 1932 and completion of the essential associated bridges in 1936, tourists could more easily travel and visit sites along the Pacific Ocean. The Look-Out is an excellent example of an isolated entrepreneurial venture along the central coast that capitalized on the public investment based upon the urging and support of the citizens of Oregon. The Look-Out is also significant for its association with the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary Beach Patrol, which operated in Oregon from 1942 to 1944. After the attack on Pearl Harbor, the coastline was considered vulnerable to attack and constant surveillance was considered vital to protect the U.S. from further attacks. The Look-Out was a strategic vantage point from which to watch for enemy invasion. Six men from the Coast Guard resided in The Look-Out to help defend the coast during this period of time.