During World War II, several signs were raised around Seaside that illustrated the global conflict raging around the world. The sign pictured here stood at the Turnaround (right in front of the Shore Coffee Shop sign by The Hotel Seaside) and pointedly states that “Seaside has EVERYTHING but war. . .” The mileage to the major theaters of war speaks volumes about Seaside’s relative distance from the major conflicts rocking the world at the time.
Despite the 4,777 miles between Tokyo and Seaside, the distance was suddenly minimized when Fort Stevens was shelled by a Japanese submarine in 1942. Since the beach front of Fort Stevens is only around 12 miles north, the residents of Seaside could hear the explosions and feel the ground rumble with the concussion from the bombs.
During this period of global turmoil, signs were posted all around town that required all vehicles to dim their headlights at night. Complete blackouts were common and many Seaside residents remember the pensive dark nights. Streetlights were covered at night to discourage air attacks; curtains in homes were sealed tight and taped around the perimeter to keep light from leaking out. It was true that Seaside had “everything but war”, but nobody knew for how long.
