[1] Resorts grew up around the beaches at Seaside, Newport, and Rockaway, and the newly completed railroads brought tourists from the population centers of the Willamette Valley for weekend vacations.
[2] Oregon's public lands claim was challenged in 1966, when Cannon Beach motel owner William Hay fenced some dry sands above the high tide line and reserved it for private use.
[1][4] In response, Republican Governor Tom McCall staged a dramatic media event on May 13, 1967, flying two helicopters to the beach with a team of surveyors and scientists.
[1][3] The Beach Bill declares that all "wet sand" within sixteen vertical feet of the low tide line belongs to the state of Oregon.
[6] While some parts of the beach remain privately owned, state and federal courts have upheld Oregon’s right to regulate development of those lands and preserve public access.