Breakers station facts for kids
Breakers Station was a special stop for trains on the Ilwaco Railway and Navigation Company line. It was a place where people could get on or off the train, and where mail was handled. This station was located on the Long Beach Peninsula in Washington.
It was first known as Tioga. In 1917, it was considered a small town about 5 miles north of Long Beach, Washington.
What Was Breakers Station?
Breakers Station was more than just a train stop. It was part of a popular resort area in the late 1800s and early 1900s. The station was located right at the northern edge of Long Beach, Washington.
The area was a fun place for vacations. The beach nearby had many small cottages and tents where people stayed. The name "Tioga" comes from an Iroquois word meaning "where it forks."
The Breakers Hotels
The main attraction near Breakers Station was the Tioga Hotel. This hotel was so important that it gave the train station its first name. Later, a man named Joseph M. Arthur, who owned the Tioga Hotel, built another hotel nearby. He called it the Breakers Hotel.
There were actually two hotels named the Breakers Hotel built by Mr. Arthur. The first Breakers Hotel was built in 1901. Sadly, it burned down in 1904. But Mr. Arthur quickly built a second one to replace it. This second hotel is the one you can see in old pictures.
Life at the Hotel
The second Breakers Hotel was a very popular spot. It was built right behind a sand dune, and the train tracks ran between the hotel and the trees. A postcard promoting the hotel called it the "social center of the summer season."
Guests could enjoy a "large dancing pavilion" and listen to the "best ladies' orchestra." The hotel also advertised itself as "practically fire-proof" after the first one burned down. People could buy their train tickets directly to Breakers Station from any O.R.& N Co. (Oregon Railroad and Navigation Company) ticket office.
Today, both the old hotels and the train station are gone. The area where Tioga and Breakers Station once stood is now part of the city of Long Beach, Washington. As of 2017, a fourth hotel stands in the same location.