Ecola State Park is located off U. S. Highway 101, along the Pacific Ocean, adjoining the northern boundary of the city of Cannon Beach in Clatsop County. The park extends along the ocean shore line a distance of approximately six miles. It includes the most westerly promontory in Clatsop County, known as Tillamook Head, and two other view points—Ecola and Indian Points.

The first land acquired for this park was 451.18 acres in 1932 from Ecola Point and Indian Beach Corporation. Rodney Glisan, Florence Minott, Caroline W. and Louise Flanders donated their one-half interest in the property. The other one-half interest was purchased from Allen Lewis at a price of $17,500. Land for a trail over Tillamook Head was acquired, without cost, in December, 1947, by three easements as follows: 7.05 acres from Ida Fleming, 15 acres from Angora Club of Astoria and 1.95 acres from A. W. Kendall. A tract, containing 109.39 acres was acquired from the U. S. Government Land Office on July 20, 1942, at a cost of $1.25 per acre. Another tract of 80.62 acres, including the summit of Tillamook Head, was purchased from the government for $2,195, only 50% of the appraised value. Clatsop County presented 112.80 acres to the state in 1948, and three parcels of land totaling 329 acres were purchased from Crown Zellerbach Corporation in 1940, 1948 and 1954, respectively, making an aggregate of 1,106.99 acres in the park as of the close of 1963.

The land is covered with a heavy growth of timber and brush indigenous to the Oregon country. Tillamook Head contains a heavy stand of old growth fir trees.

The terrain is generally rolling to steep. Land fronting on the ocean is steep and shows signs of slides. The portion on which the use area was located moved oceanward in early 1961, causing loss of facilities roads and parking area.

The name Ecola is a part of the name of the corporation owning the land comprising the first acquisition for the park—Ecola Point and Indian Beach Corporation. However, Lewis A. McArthur in Oregon Geographic Names says, Captain William Clark on January 8, 1806, called the stream, now known as Elk Creek at Cannon Beach, Ecola or Whale Creek, but both names fell into disuse. Sometime prior to 1900 a promontory at the south edge of the park was named Ecola Point. He also states that a post office located at the mouth of Elk Creek was named Ecola in 1910, but the name was changed to Cannon Beach in 1922 because of confusion with Eola. The name Ecola came from the Chinook Indian word ekoli meaning whale. These reasons suggested the name Ecola, therefore the name Ecola was adopted for the park.

For many years a herd of Roosevelt elk as well as many deer have roamed through the park and the surrounding country with little fear.

Tillamook Head is one of the outstanding promontories of the Oregon coast line. Ocean views from several points in the park are superb. Sea Lion Rock, one of the many jagged rocks to dot the shoreline, is located one-half mile offshore and is a natural resting place for sea lions and shore birds. It is sometimes referred to as Arch Rock because of its shape. The setting sun lends an atmosphere of enchantment for the evening visitor.

The first real work in improving the park for public use was by the Civilian Conservation Corps. Starting in October, 1934, a camp for 200 men was established. The men located property lines and constructed roads, trails, car parking area, fire guards, camp buildings, caretaker's cottage and viewpoints. This was followed by a project under SERA doing similar work. Later, the roads were widened, car parking areas extended, picnic area enlarged and the water system improved to supply additional water.

The timber on the 1961 slide area was sold and the land drained. Because of the slide, the park was closed. It was opened for partial use in 1963.

A plaque was installed in Ecola Park to honor the donors of the land first acquired. However, the slide of 1961 damaged the base but the plaque itself was saved and is now in storage waiting to be relocated in the park. A rustic type sign giving information about Ecola and Oregon history was placed along Highway 101 about 300 feet south of the Cannon Beach junction. Still another rustic sign and a likeness of the cannon to which it has reference are located along Highway 101 at mile post 34.4.

Tillamook Lighthouse, located on an offshore rock, can be seen from the several viewpoints. The Corps of Engineers built a temporary road to Tillamook Head in 1944 and leased 25 acres on Tillamook Head for radar purposes during the war.

The boys from MacLaren School at Woodburn did cleanup jobs in the park, built trails to the beach at Indian Creek and improved existing trails. They started work in 1953 and continued till 1956.

A new road from the park use area to Indian Creek was constructed in 1954 after abandoning the old road. This project made a direct route from the park use area to Indian Creek and Tillamook Head.

A small overnight camp was placed in the park in 1953 but was abandoned in 1954 because of the objection by the donors, the Flander sisters, who thought it was not in accordance with their gift.

Day use at Ecola in 1963 was 177,052 visitors."


Source:    Chester H. Armstrong (compiler), 1965, "History of the Oregon State Parks: 1917-1963, published by Oregon State Parks.