Florence Inspirations 2 LbNA #28004

Classic “Dune”, the most beloved novel in the annals of science fiction, was created by Frank Herbert (1920-1986). His magnum opus stands as one of the most complex, multi-layered novels ever written in any genre. It is a saga, which deals with themes such as human survival, evolution, ecology, and the intersection of religion, politics and power. It has been translated into dozens of languages, has sold almost 20 million copies and been adapted for the screen.

Frank was a scientist, in fact if not in degree. Well known as a short story writer, he studied such diverse subjects as undersea geology, marine architecture, navigation, semantics, psychology, jungle botany, and oriental religions. He worked as an accredited U.S. Navy photographer, a newspaper journalist, oyster-diver, judo instructor, TV cameraman, radio news commentator, jungle survival instructor, ecologist and conservationist. Herbert's acreage on the Olympic Peninsula in Washington State was turned into a self-supporting ecology and demonstration project.

Herbert related in an interview “I went to Florence, Oregon in 1958 to write a magazine article about United States Department of Agriculture's ecological experiments there. The USDA was seeking ways to control coastal sand dunes and found that they could prevent the sand from washing over the highways simply by planting barriers of grass!” Flying over the area in a single-engine Cessna he watched the dunes roll by below. He was suddenly seized by a powerful emotional surge. He realized that "...A sand dune is just a kind of fluid, only it takes longer for it to move. It creates waves that, when you see them from the air, are analogous to waves in a sea. While this concept was still fresh in my mind, the project fed my interest in how we inflict ourselves upon our planet. I could begin to see the shape of a global problem, no part of it separated from any other. Social ecology, political ecology, and economic ecology, it's an open-ended list.” Although his article, “They Stopped the Moving Sands”, was never published it did serve as the seed he would nurture into Dune.

DUNE

The Frank Herbert Memorial Literary Scholarship: In 1995 Brian Herbert and his sister Penny started a scholarship award in their father’s memory. It seemed fitting to offer this award in the Florence, Oregon area to students who expressed a desire to further their careers in the literary field. After all, Frank Herbert’s idea for the epic novel, DUNE, sprang from the dunes of the Oregon Coast near Florence. Each year Penny receives as many as 8 to 10 applications for this scholarship, of which one is selected to receive the cash award.

“We have been honored to award thirteen scholarships in Frank Herbert’s memory to deserving and aspiring young men and women. Their names are engraved on a plaque displayed in the FRANK HERBERT ROOM of the Siuslaw Public Library at 1460 9th Street in Florence. This dedicated room is full of memorabilia donated by Penny, and contains many books from her father’s personal research library, pictures, awards, original DUNE movie posters, DUNE art work, etc. The room is open to the public during library hours. You can visit the library’s website http://www.siuslawlibrary.org/FrankHerbertCollection.asp for more information."
--Penny

If you visit the Frank Herbert Room in person you can find “Dune” There is a key to getting the book within a box but keep it under the table. This room doubles as a conference room so please be respectful if there’s a meeting at the time you visit.

SANDWORM

2/15/08 REPLACED in new location.
Once again there have been “Sandworm” sightings in the Florence Dunes. Drive south from Florence on Hwy 101 across the bridge and shortly make a right turn toward the South Jetty Dunes. Park on the wide area just before the Pay Station (if you park in the one parking space provided for the pay station it might upset the park officials). The trail begins directly beside the information board. All decisions you make on this search should be right ones! Ascend and follow the footprints in the sand along the ridge of the dune keeping along the ridge as it curves. Shortly you will find yourself amidst a bunch of bleached deadwood “Sandworm” skeletons. Rumor has it that one of these creatures is sheltering a baby worm inside. If you survive your encounter with the Sandworms be sure to stop at the highest point, look out and envision for yourself the “World of Dune”.
Points of Interest from the Ridge: Osprey Nest - 40° Radio Tower - 85° Camp Lane Flag Pole 130°