History of the Cannons and the Schooner Shark

The schooner Shark was constructed in Washington DC and launched May 17, 1821. The Shark had two masts, weighted 198 tons, and was 86 feet long. She carried 12 guns, 10 of which were 18-pound carronades, and 2 were 9-pounder "Long Tom" guns. The Shark sailed off the coast of Africa, the West Indies, and New England.

The Shark was transferred to the Pacific Squadron in 1833 and was the first U.S. war vessel to pass through the Straits of Magellan from east to west. The Shark assisted in protecting American interests in South American and along the North American coast.

The Shark sailed up the Columbia River and visited Fort Vancouver during July and August of 1846 on a mission to gather information on the region. On September 10, 1846 the Shark attempted to cross the Columbia Bar on a return to sea. Due to wave, current, and wind conditions the Shark was lost in that attempt. In an attempt to free the ship from the south spit the crew chopped down the masts and jettisoned the cannons. The crew was forced to take to the life boats. The crew survived but the ship was lost.

Lieutenant Howison received word from Native Americans that part of the hull had washed ashore twenty or thirty miles down the coast. Midshipman Simes was dispatched to visit the spot. Wreckage was found near the mouth of Shark Creek in present day Arch Cape. He reported that three of the carronades (short light iron cannons) were adhered to a portion of the wreckage. He moved one of the cannons above what he thought was the high water mark, the other two could not be moved due to the surf.

Midshipman Simes determined that transportation of the heavy cannon over the rough mountain trail was impractical and the cannon was left on the beach where it sank into the sand.

On January 28, 1898 mail carrier Bill Luce found one of the cannons in Shark Creek in front of the Austin house in Arch Cape. John and Mary Gerritse's team of horses dragged the cannon out of the sand and John placed it on timber blocks in front of the Austin house.

In 1945 Mel Goodin purchased and platted the land known as Cannon View Park. To make way for home sites the cannon needed to be moved. George Van Vleet, of Van Vleet Logging donated one acre of land to the state on which to place the cannon. The Oregon State Department of Highways prepared a site on the east side of Highway 101. Mr. Goodin, the owner of the cannon donated it to the public and the cannon was moved to this new location.

As reported by the Daily Astorian on April 12, 1989, the Clatsop County Historical Society and the Heritage Museum in Astoria wished to display the cannon under cover and in a secure environment. On April 13, Director John Cooper and Steve Kann moved the original cannon and capstan from the Oregon State Highway site to the Heritage Museum.

An Arch Cape Community Club Committee, chaired by Barbara Shaw, with committee members Mamie Markham and Irene Tyrrell, established and agreement with the Clatsop County Historical Society that an exact replica of the cannon be put in the originals place.

At the May 19, 1989, Arch Cape and Falcon Cove Community Club meeting, Mr. Cooper said he would guarantee the return of the cannon to the community. A sign was placed at the bottom of the State's Historical Marker explaining the terms of the agreement between the Community Club and the Historical Society. "At such time as the community of Arch Cape has a suitable, secure, and accessible public building, it is the intent of the Clatsop County Historical Society to place these items again in the area where they washed ashore."

The replica is now in place on the east side of highway 101 in Arch Cape. The cannon found in 1898 is presently at the Cannon Beach Historical Society building, 1387 South Spruce Street, Cannon Beach, Oregon.

Two additional cannons were found on the Arch Cape beach February 16 and February 18, 2008.  These are presently located at the Nehalem Bay State Park. The intent, as stated by the State Parks Department is that the cannons will be restored. That process will take over a year.