Shore Acres State Park: 2005
Perched on a scenic bluff high above the Pacific Ocean, Shore Acres began as a private estate with luxurious gardens featuring trees, shrubs, and flowering plants brought from around the world aboard the sailing ships of pioneer lumberman and shipbuilder Louis B. Simpson. Simpson developed his summer home into a showplace 3-story mansion complete with a heated, indoor swimming pool and a large ballroom. The grounds contained 5 acres of formal gardens, including a Japanese-style garden built around a 100-foot lily pond. When fire destroyed the mansion in 1921, Simpson began to build an even larger replacement - two stories high and 224 feet long. However, financial losses in the 1930's caused both house and grounds to fall into disrepair. In 1942, Simpson's beloved Shore Acres was purchased by the State of Oregon for use as a public park.
