Lincoln City, OR. – A few of the residents of Lincoln City are seen only when they want to be. They appear from another time or another dimension. Some say ghosts frequent this coastal area because of its rich and lengthy history. Some say they are attracted to water. Whatever the enticement, a number of ghosts and phantoms are regular “visitors” to or residents of Lincoln City. Ghost hunters, psychics, and just regular folks report seeing phantoms and phantom images throughout the area. In addition to those who “haunt” private homes, ghosts have been detected in the North Lincoln County Historical Museum, in Siletz Bay, at the North Lincoln Fire and Rescue station and at the Wildflower Grill.

The curator for the North Lincoln County Historical Museum frequently heard footsteps, doors and other sounds of objects moving. But it was after hours, and she was the only one there. Ghost hunters and psychics brought to the scene determined that there were several ghosts that call the museum home, and they even gather around the conference room table in the upstairs meeting room. Occasionally someone rides the elevator.

In past years a number of sailing ships have wrecked in Siletz Bay on the south end of Lincoln City. A few long-term residents report that the ribs of one sailing vessel could be seen for years, most recently about 1993, when the tide went out after a distant earthquake and waters were low in the bay. Since then others have reported seeing a huge three-masted sailing vessel driving bow first into the bay, only to vanish before their eyes. The most recent sighting was in the summer of 2001.

If you visit the fire station in north Lincoln City, staff and volunteers may be willing to show you the old fire trucks now retired and stored in the back bay. Though the trucks are retired, one still has a rider; they call him “Bob.” Bob may have been a volunteer firefighter or just a regular guy aspiring to be a firefighter. Whatever his intent, Bob has been “felt” in the shotgun seat of an old fire engine and seen relaxing on the couch upstairs. Some of the present-day firefighters believe that Bob still rides along with them on some of their calls.

Recently a home in north Lincoln City was renovated to create an indoor and outdoor restaurant, the Wildflower Grill. The renovation stirred up more than dust. Since the restaurant opened, the staff has gotten accustomed to seeing its kindly apparition, an elderly woman who roams the building and wishes them prosperity and success.

When your walk on the beach is over but your sense of adventure is not, you might seek out the Coast’s ghostly apparitions. You can obtain more information about how and where to find them in the Lincoln City Visitor and Convention Bureau’s film, “The Oregon Ghost Explorer,” the Eeeeeko Tourism itinerary, or by consulting A Haunted Tour Guide to the Pacific Northwest by Jefferson Davis.

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Lincoln City, located on the central Oregon Coast, is a scenic two-hour drive from the Portland International Airport through Oregon's premium wine country. For free visitor information, contact the Lincoln City Visitor and Convention Bureau at (800) 452-2151, (541) 996-1274, FAX (541) 994-2408, visit our website at www.oregoncoast.org or email us at events@lincolncity.org. The Lincoln City Visitor Center is located at 540 NE Highway 101.