A few times we have pulled in to camp and Melissa has stated, “It’s creepy here, this place has a funny vibe!”. The first was Suwanee River where after swimming in the spring we discovered the site was an old chain gang prison where all sorts of abuse, and murders took place.
On yesterday’s hike on the 804 Trail in Yachats, M states, “It’s creepy here!”, so this morning I checked out the history.
Yachats, as the sign states, is the gem of the Oregon coast. It is a cool, artsy, eclectic, old hippy community with beautiful views and amazing hikes along the coast, but a number of years back, it was also the northern terminus of Oregon coast’s version of the Trail of Tears. Coastal native tribes were force marched, bare footed to prevent running away, to a reservation near present day Yachats. Once there, starvation and disease killed most.
While building the first roads, including Route 101, and putting foundations in, massive numbers of Native American burial remains were discovered. The remains were looted and paved over where they lay. It has all the makings of a horror movie: A quiet coastal town cut off from everyone built atop an ancient Indian burial ground.
Yachats is a beautiful gem, with the old buildings, the coastline, and river, but unfortunately, given one walks over the unmarked graves of tortured souls, it’s a bit creepy here.
Tidbit: The hike on the Amanda Trail was beautiful and sad.
Joseph’s Pregunta
