Celebrating the glass of 25

North Lincoln County Historical Museum will celebrate the history and magic of glass fishing floats on the Oregon Coast when it presents “25 Years of Finders Keepers” this Saturday, Nov. 16.

Historically, the Oregon Coast has been one of the best places to find unique glass fishing floats. The ocean currents would bring in the most unusual and unique shapes, attracting visitors from all over to treasure hunt. The museum is proud to have one of the largest collections of original glass floats, which have inspired collectors and glass artists for over 100 years.

Once the Japanese fishing industry started replacing their hempen rope with plastic, fewer and fewer floats washed up, until it was nearly impossible to find any in the late 1990s. In 2000, a group of artists and community organizations worked together to celebrate the new millennium and renew the joy of finding floats on the beach. Lincoln City’s Finders Keepers program has kept that tradition alive for 25 years and has inspired, supported and brought together phenomenal glass artists from all over the Pacific Northwest.

The exhibit will walk visitors through the history and development of the program, show a unique example from each year since 2000, and celebrate the glass art community that has developed around Finders Keepers. The exhibit will be on display on the second floor of the museum for a full year. On display will be 25 different floats, original posters from each year, glass-making tools and instruments, videos showing the glass-making process, interviews and photos of artists who have been involved in the program and photos that have been shared by people who have found these treasures.

Saturday’s opening reception will run from 1 to 3 pm at North Lincoln County Historical Museum, located at 4907 SW Hwy. 101 in Lincoln City. The museum is open Wednesday through Saturday from 11 am to 4 pm. For more information, go to nlchm.org or call 541-996-6614.