SOUTH COAST • OREGON COAST CITY GUIDE
North Bend, Oregon
North Bend curves around the upper reaches of Coos Bay, a South Coast city with deep timber history, a landmark bridge and quick access to dunes, beaches and bay viewpoints.
HISTORY & CHARACTER
A little North Bend history
North Bend’s roots reach to the 1850s, but the community expanded dramatically in the early 20th century under lumberman Louis Simpson. Sawmills and wood-products industries drove growth, joined by shipyards, machine shops and other manufacturing tied to the bay.
The city incorporated in 1903 and developed alongside neighboring Marshfield, now Coos Bay. Timber remained central through much of the 20th century before the regional economy diversified.
The Conde B. McCullough Memorial Bridge opened in 1936, carrying Highway 101 across the bay north of town. Its long steel span and decorative approaches became one of the major engineering landmarks that completed the coastal highway.
DID YOU KNOW?
The bridge changed the South Coast road trip
Before the McCullough Bridge opened, north-south highway traffic depended on a ferry across Coos Bay. The 1936 bridge turned the bay crossing into one of the Oregon Coast’s most dramatic roadway landmarks.
LANDMARKS • SCENERY • EXPERIENCES
Things to see & do in North Bend
North Bend is a useful gateway to both the bay and the southern end of Oregon’s giant dune field.
01
McCullough Memorial Bridge
See the graceful 1936 bridge from viewpoints around the bay and notice the distinctive decorative details associated with engineer Conde McCullough.
02
North Spit & Horsfall area
North of town, public recreation areas provide access to dunes, forest, lakes and broad Pacific beaches.
03
Bayfront viewpoints
Watch tides, fishing activity, birds and shifting weather over the protected waters shared by North Bend and Coos Bay.
04
Historic downtown
Older masonry buildings and the compact street grid preserve pieces of the early 20th-century city built during North Bend’s timber boom.
Around North Bend
Coos Bay waterfront in North Bend, Oregon. Photo by Gary Halvorson, Oregon State Archives via Wikimedia Commons (Attribution).
Conde B. McCullough Memorial Bridge at North Bend, Oregon. Photo by Gary Halvorson, Oregon State Archives via Wikimedia Commons (Attribution).
NATURE & WILDLIFE
Wildlife to watch for
Bald eagles, great blue herons, ducks and shorebirds use the upper bay and wetlands. Harbor seals and sea lions occur elsewhere in the bay system. Roosevelt elk and deer live in nearby dune and forest habitat, while gray whales and seabirds can be seen from ocean viewpoints west of town.
SEASONAL WEATHER
What the weather feels like
Typical daytime high / overnight low ranges. Coastal weather can change quickly, so treat these as seasonal guideposts rather than a forecast.
Spring
Highs about 56–63°F • lows 41–47°F
Summer
Highs about 64–70°F • lows 50–54°F
Fall
Highs about 59–68°F • lows 45–52°F
Winter
Highs about 51–56°F • lows 39–44°F
SOUTH COAST ON SCREEN
North Bend on Screen
The 1982 horror film Blood Song used locations in North Bend, Coos Bay and Coquille. The McCullough Memorial Bridge also appears among the south-coast locations highlighted in Good Luck.
Even without a camera crew, the 1936 bridge is North Bend’s visual signature and one of the grand engineering landmarks on Highway 101.
Photo: Orbiter7, CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons.
GOOD TO KNOW
Practical tips for North Bend
Bridge wind can be strong
High-profile vehicles, cyclists and pedestrians should be prepared for gusty conditions on the McCullough Bridge, especially during storms.
Dunes require route planning
The North Spit includes different recreation and habitat zones. Check current maps and closures before leaving paved roads.
Think regionally
Many ‘North Bend’ outings actually cross into Coos Bay, Charleston or state recreation lands. Plan by destination rather than city boundary.
LOCAL HISTORY • CULTURE • STRANGE & TRUE STORIES
Stories from North Bend
Fresh stories connected to North Bend appear here automatically when they are tagged North Bend-blog.
LOCAL STORY
Before North Bend Was North Bend: Yarrow, L.J. Simpson and a City on Coos Bay | North Bend Blog
THE COAST KEEPS GOING
Explore more of the Oregon Coast
Keep traveling town by town for more local history, viewpoints, beaches, wildlife and stories from communities up and down the coast.