Otter Rock was first established by Ben Jones who purchased the land from the Siletz Indians in the early 1900’s. He laid out a town plan that consisted of 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th streets and A, B and C Avenues. He named three streets after his wife and two daughters, Ellie, Nellie and Gladys.
Bill and Barb Erickson, from Vancouver, WA wanted to have a summer vacation home on the Oregon coast so in the early 1950’s they purchased some property next to Banfield-by-the-Sea Resort (which is now the Inn at Otter Crest) in Otter Rock.
It had an old 1917 house on the property where the caretaker for the neighboring resort used to live. They did some remodeling of the ‘Red House’ with the help of Bill’s brother, Lawrence. Every summer Bill, Barb and Lawrence would spend hours fishing off the rocks of the Marine Gardens and enjoying the fresh cool ocean weather. Otter Rock, during the 20-30’s, consisted of a few vacation rentals, some full time residents, a post office, community hall, general store and Devils’ Punchbowl Cafe.
In the 60’s, Dan Hagstrom, a well know potter on the coast, and his wife Doris established their pottery shop, “Pottery West” in the Shavers Cottage building and when Dan retired, the pottery shop was sold to the Flying Dutchman Winery. In the early 70’s the Devils’ Punchbowl Cafe changed hands and is now Mo’s West. The Community Hall, where Otter Rock residents hold special events like garage sales and town meetings, has been rebuilt, but is in the same location on Gladys Street.
The original ‘Red House’, since it was mostly used only in the summer, had no insulation, two chimneys (one a fireplace, one for a cook stove and later a furnace), and no decks. In the 1980’s the Levenspiels who had purchased the 1917 house on the property in the 60’s, purchased the Red House from Bill and Barb when the Ericksons retired to Vancouver, WA.
The Red House has since then been a single family rental, but in 2016 was updated, remodeled and is for now, a rental.
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