Lincoln City, Oregon: Statue of Joe the Sea Lion
Joe unexpectedly came from the sea in 1936 and quickly became the town's unofficial mascot. A jealous neighbor-town conspired to force Joe away, but his memory lingered, and in 2014 the town dedicated a life-size statue of Joe in his honor.
- Address:
- SW 35th St., Lincoln City, OR
- Directions:
- South end of town. From US Hwy 101 turn west onto SW 35th St. (Look for signs for the Overlook Motel and Lovin' Spoonful restaurant). Drive west on SW 35th St. until it ends at the beach. The statue is there.
- Admission:
- Free
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According to a plaque on the base of the statue, Joe first appeared at this very spot in March 1936, in what was then the village of Nelscott. He quickly became a local celebrity, and made the front page of the Oregonian newspaper. Thousands came to visit Joe, who liked to go into houses along the waterfront, be splashed with a hose, and have his back scratched with a broom. But according to the plaque, "envious" residents of "a neighboring town" complained to a game warden, who forced Joe back into the ocean and made him swim away. Years later, a dead sea lion with the same markings as Joe was found in the Sea Lion Caves at Florence. The statue was unveiled August 20, 2014, a gift from long-time local resident Suzanne Allen, who never forgot Joe.
[Roadsideamerica.com Team, 09/24/2014]Nearby Offbeat Places
Easter Island Totem Poles, Lincoln City, OR - 2 mi.
The D River - Shortest in the World, Lincoln City, OR - 2 mi.
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