History

In days gone by, treasure hunters searching Oregon’s coastline would find treasures from the far East—blown glass Japanese fishing floats in gleaming shades of green and blue. These floats were used to float fishing nets and ranged in size from two inches to two feet. They were collected, admired, polished and the ultimate find for a dedicated beachcomber.

These days, the world’s fishing vessels use buoyant plastic, making glass floats rare—except here in Lincoln City. Year-round, gorgeous Finders Keepers floats are hidden along our seven miles of beach.

The Finders Keepers project began in 1997, when a local artist first thought of glass floats as an intriguing way to launch the new millennium. Lincoln City sponsored the project, hosting the inaugural season in 1999-2000. Tourists came from around the country to search for their own brilliantly-colored, signed and numbered glass float.

For Lincoln City, the Millennium Float project was a perfect combination of art and the outdoors. Those who came in search of a float often found their way to area galleries where unnumbered floats were available for sale, along with a dizzying array of fine art glass from around the world.