It’s been more than 90 years since the last run of the peninsula’s narrow-gauge railway — once America’s farthest-west passenger train — and yet many of us continue to regret its loss. There are quite a few lingering reminders of it, if you know where to look.

The recent sale of The Depot restaurant in Seaview brought it to mind, as its building was one of the original stops along the route of the Ilwaco Railway & Navigation Company. Thanks to IR&N-related photos and its relatively original-appearing exterior, entering The Depot is still evocative of the steam-engine era. Another of the old depots, much more heavily restored, serves as a sort of community building in Long Beach near the Dennis Company store.

Although it isn’t 100% identical, U.S. Highway 101/103 from near the Astoria-Megler Bridge landing is very close to being the railway’s original path, as is Bay Avenue between Ocean Park and Nahcotta. Passing through the tunnel under Fort Columbia must have been amazing in a smoke-belching locomotive. Occasionally, excavations at places like Ilwaco’s main intersection will reveal old railroad ties, or even rails. (Most of the railroad’s metal components were recycled long ago, particularly for scrap-metal drives during World War II. I’m lucky to have one of a handful of surviving cast-iron passenger seats — most went into the smelter.)

I’ve got lots of other IR&N stuff, but never have managed to lay hands on a ticket or annual pass. Although there must have been tens of thousands printed between the late-1880s and 1930, one of the few tickets I’ve ever seen belonged to Verna Oller. It’s pictured here. Verna was the nice lady who left a large bequest in hopes of funding a community swimming pool. When that was determined to be impractical, the funds largely went to the Ocean Beach Education Foundation — definitely a worthy cause.

Wayne O’Neil, my predecessor as Chinook Observer editor and publisher, was an 8-year-old schoolboy when he and his classmates were given rides on that last IR&N train trip on Sept. 9, 1930. Our newspaper is deeply woven into the DNA of this magical place.

We’ll have plenty of the latest news in this week’s edition, including more on the now-certain closure of Naselle Youth Camp and an analysis of the tax implications of the proposed school construction bond, which goes before voters this month.

If you’re not already a subscriber, I’d appreciate it if you’ll become one. Our ongoing project in safeguarding community memory depends on you.