What I loved most about Newport Oregon is the architecture and the overwhelming look which suggests so highly the era of modernity that was the Art Deco Period. Art Deco came out of France and the design elements, according to Wikipedia, were “often characterized by rich colors, Bold geometric shapes, and lavish ornamentation.” It flourished in America during the late 20s and the 30s mostly but it carried somewhat into the 40s as well.

Maybe my love for the style came from my intro to Erté. And my appreciation of it certainly showed when I was in San Diego.

The coast of Oregon, especially Newport, embraced this style wholeheartedly. It shows in the bridges and public spaces. 

With my love of the road it gladdens me to consider too how the build up of Newport coincided

so closely with the advent of road trips and automobile travel. It was all so modern and ready for the future!

“The Oregon Coast has a special history of art deco style due to the six major bridges built by Conde B. McCullough in the late 1930s.  These bridges did more than connect the coast highway and open the door to modern transportation, they left a unique artistic legacy on the coast.

As the new highway-oriented culture took root, the modern progressive design of the bridges influenced new construction nearby. When the the Yaquina Bay Bridge opened for traffic on Labor Day in 1936, it was the final link in the highway. The new automobile age reoriented Newport’s City Center business district and resulted in a distinct pocket of art deco style, one with its own unique history and culture.”

(From www.citycenternewport.com)