Taste of Newport
Outside of photographing some amazing landscapes, one of the fun things about traveling somewhere new is getting to know a little about the communities and the people in the area. We spent the first three days of our Oregon workshop in the coastal town of Newport, located a little over a hundred miles southwest of Portland. Newport is a pleasant town, with friendly people and plenty of beautiful scenery around for photos. When we weren't out enjoying some of the surrounding areas, we spent a little time downtown, taking in some of the sites and sounds of Newport. One of the most prominent features, and the most recognizable of the US Highway 101 bridges, is the Yaquina Bay Bridge. The bridge was constructed in 1936 and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Yaquina Bay Bridge
Under the Bridge
Newport is home to a U.S. Coast Guard air station and is recognized as a Coast Guard City. The community gives special acknowledgement to those who serve in the Coast Guard through special festivals and celebrations throughout the year.
Coast Guard Station
Coast Guard City
Another very noticeable feature of the downtown Newport area are the many murals that are painted on the sides of buildings. These murals are huge and some actually cover an entire building wall. The murals are extremely detailed and mostly depict various sea scapes or the perils of navigating stormy waters. Most of the murals are signed by the same artist, Rick Chambers, who must have spent many many hours on scaffolding with a paint brush to create these works of art.
Newport is certainly an interesting place, and one I'd like to visit again. There are certainly more than a few interesting characters there...