This Sitka spruce, spared by early loggers, stood over Water Street in the township of West Yaquina, now a ghost town. The community was platted in the 1800s after the Oregon Pacific Railroad terminated across the bay in Yaquina City. With a railroad and seaport, Yaquina Bay competed with Portland for San Francisco’s shipping commerce. This tree witnessed the boom and bust of Oregon’s early shipping industry.
The West Yaquina Sitka spruce is located at the Yakona Nature Preserve. It can be accessed at the end of SE 40th/ Harborton Road in Newport by hiking 2.4 miles past the locked gate or arranging a private tour by contacting staff through the website. Private tours are free and part of the Preserve’s mission.