House Full Of History
The Tower Flanagan House is located in the Empire District of Coos Bay, Oregon. The Empire Area was the original site of the county seat of Coos County. The courthouse was located on the corner of Newmark Avenue and Empire Boulevard.
In 1868 Doctor Charles Tower purchased the land and located his medical practice here. In 1872, he relocated his medical practice one block north and built the Tower House in the Gothic Revival style.
Dr. Tower was born in Massachusetts in 1842, and was educated at Harvard University he studied medicine at the College of Physicians and Surgeons in New York City as well as at the Harvard Medical school. He settled in Coos Bay in 1868, and engaged in additional study at the medical department of Williamette University.
In 1872, he married Minnie Burrell of San Francisco, California and built the Tower House. Dr Tower lived here until 1874, at that time he moved his medical practice to Marshfield Oregon and sold the house to Patrick Flanagan. Dr Tower lived in Coos Bay (Marshfield) until his death in 1920.
Patrick Flanagan was a pioneer coal miner and one of the founders (In 1889) of the Flanagan and Bennett Bank of Marshfield. Patrick Flanagan was one of the first white settlers on the South Oregon Coast. He came here in 1854, aboard the U.S. Transport "The Captain Lincoln" which was shipwrecked about two miles North of the Coos Bay Bar. The site where they came aboard was named "Camp Castaway" this was the first settlement of white men in the Coos Bay area. In 1885, he added to the Tower House a Kitchen and two bed rooms. One can still see his signature on the stairwell in the down stairs toilet.
In 1920, the house was purchased by Edward Scogg a Sea Captain and his sister Alpha Peterson from Florence, Oregon. He was noted as being the youngest Sea Captain to take a ship through the Panama Canal. During his time at the Tower Flanagan house he installed two port holes on the second floor from a ship which had wrecked in the bay. He added a fire place and enlarged the parlor. He married Leah V. Leach she died in the house in 1958 and Captain Scogg died in 1963 and both are buried in South Coos Bay. Almore Pederson Captain Scogg"s half brother continued to live here until his death in 1980.
Upon his death he willed the property to his friend Bob and Ivene Pittam.
The Pittams owned the house until 1983, at that time they donated it to the Historical Society, they had hoped to renovate it and open it to the public; however because of financial problems they were unable to do so. In 1984, the property was placed on the National Register of Historical Places.
In 1987, Joe and Jackie Cortez purchased the property and they in turn sold it in 1990, to Don and Julia Spangler. In 1992, they completely restored the house and grounds to their original condition and it is now a Bed and Breakfast. All restoration work has been approved by both the United States Department of the Interior and the Oregon State Historical Preservation Office.
Other points of interest on the property are the three (3) Apple Trees, which were picked up on the bay from the wreck of the Steam Ship the Santa Maria out of San Francisco in 1908, the original Carriage House and Tack Room (Small Cottage) which are located on the back of the property.
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