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ABOUT US

Meet Our Team

About Us

The Bandon Historical Society was founded in 1976 and is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization with the mission of preserving and presenting historical material and artifacts related to the history of the Bandon area.

The Society operates a museum at the corner of Highway 101 and Fillmore Avenue open six days a week (seven days a week in the summer), eleven months a year.  Housed in a former Bandon City Hall, it was the second building constructed after the disastrous 1936 fire. Before moving into the current location, the museum was located in a historic bank building (currently the Masonic Temple) and the old Coast Guard building, now the home of the Port of Bandon.   Bandon’s history museum shares the story of a town blessed by water and cursed by fire. Be sure the kids take our History Detective’s challenge.

The Museum has a paid director, a twelve-person board of directors, about 40 active volunteers and an annual paid membership of over 350.

The average annual visitor count is over 4500. During the school year, approximately 400 students come on classroom visits.

In addition to housing the Historical Society’s collection, the Museum generates articles for the local newspaper, provides speakers for clubs and organizations, fosters publications, hosts classroom visits and sends educators into classrooms, aids family research, generates educational materials and serves as a source of information about its past for the community.

The financial support of the Society comes primarily from membership dues, museum admissions, gift shop revenue, as well as memorial and other donations. We also hold fund raisers from time to time during the year.

"We are looking forward to your visit to the Museum. Stop in to see what the Bandon area was like in the past and meet our volunteers and staff."

Gayle Hankwitz, Executive Director

Board Members
Staff
Board Meetings

 Gayle Hankwitz

Executive Director

Elaine Stohler

Elaine Stohler

President, Board of Directors

Mary Schamehorn

Vice President, Board of Directors