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Platted in 1925 by J.E. Glenn of Copalis Rocks and Otis Chabot from Moclips, their vision for Ocean City was to create a great resort town.  This included plans for a country club but the depression put a stop to that idea.  Ocean City was known as a "shack" town.  There was no electricity, water supply or road - everything had to be transported via the beach.  Ocean City became a clam cannery town with the Bode Cannery as its first business.  Ocean City is known for its excellent razor clam beach.  It is also known for its three famous women residents:

Dorothy Anderson came to the United States from Norway when she was nineteen.  She worked in several hotels in Seattle and Spokane before coming to Ocean City in 1926.  She collected driftwood along the beach and built several cabins with the help of one carpenter.  This resort was called, "Dorothy Anderson's Tourist Harbor".  Her cabin, built in 1926, was deminishing with time and had to be removed from its original location.  The cabin was moved to Seabrook, north of its original location on State Route 109, where it has been restored.

Nina Rutherford came from Everett to work in the canneries including the one in Taholah.  In 1938 she became the postmaster at Ocean City.  In 1939, she opened a small grocery store and gas station, "Nina Rutherford's General Store" which also included the post office in the rear of the building.  Together, Nina and Dorothy Anderson cleared the land.  Nina's building is also still standing; it is the yellow one just to the south of the Sunrise Market.

Norah Berg came to Ocean City from Seattle with her new husband Sarge in 1942.  She learned very quickly that life on the beach was difficult but rewarding.  In 1952, she wrote a book, "LADY ON THE BEACH" which is highly sought after (especially an autographed first edition).  In her book, she details her and Sarge's life on the beach at Ocean City.  Norah's 1912 typewriter that she used to write the book, copies of Lady on the Beach and photos of Norah and Sarge are on display in the museum.

Copalis Beach Oyehut

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