The Full Story
John D. Gray
John Gray, the brilliant mind behind our community here at Salishan was a very detail-oriented guy, especially when he and his wife Betty built their beautiful home here in 1963.
With a keen ability to choose the right people with the right skills to do their work, John Gray executed the design of our community with both its natural elements but a careful layout. Architects like Barbara Feely, Van Evera Bailey and John Storrs shared their vision with John Gray and gave Salishan the feel it has today.
The Gray legacy continues here in our community with the Gray children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren actively staying here at the original home over these last 62 years, maintaining many of the original furnishings as well. The home is as much functional as it is art.
Early Years
During 1960 Russ Colwell, Paul Hebb, Donald Drake and John Gray negotiated several months with a family in Lake Oswego to develop land but were unsuccessful in coming to an agreement.
John Gray suggested that the group might be interested in developing some land he had hiked over several times on and around Siletz Bay; he thought various parcels might be acquired.
The key piece of 116 acres was owned by Miss Emily Sijota who was the postmistress of Gleneden Beach. It was an old dairy farm with an old two-story farmhouse located at the bend of the 18th fairway- an old barn was near the 18th green.
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In March of 1961 John Gray wrote to the owner of 165.61 acres of land lying north of the Sijota dairy farm running north on the spit all the way to the current parking lot at the end of Salishan Drive. Eventually an agreement was reached and the group was able to acquire this parcel as well.
Sometime in 1961 the group was able to purchase the remaining part of the Salishan spit from the parking lot to the mouth of the Siletz.
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On December 15th, 1961 Salishan Properties, Inc. was formed to handle the orderly development of the various properties and the land and purchase contracts were transferred to the corporation.
Betty & John Gray Home c. 1964
By January 31st , 1963 41 homesites were leased by Salishan Properties so far; a year later another 28 had been leased. The first nine holes and driving range of the golf course (the current 'back-nine') was cleared and being shaped by March 1962.
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Eventually two of the original partners had departed the organization leaving Russ Colwell and John Gray as the owners. The years 1964 & 1965 were especially busy construction and planning times- the 2nd nine holes, the Lodge, a new pro shop, driving range, Longhouse condos and the planning of the first phase of the Marketplace.
In June of 1969 a status report sent to all Leaseholders advising that 303 homesites had been leased and 112 homes and condos were built or under construction. At this point many of the community responsibilities were being transferred to the Leaseholder Board.
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Key Salishan Dates
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1961, First parcels purchased
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1962 "Salishan" name adopted
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1962, First parcels of the west side of Highway 101 purchased
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1965 Second nine completed on east side of Highway 101
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1965 Salishan Lodge opens with 110 rooms
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1969 - 75% of Salishan's development completed
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1975 John Gray purchased last partner's interest in Salishan
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​1977 Salishan Hills project started
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1996 Lodge & Marketplace sold by John Gray