Incorporated in 1951, the town of Brookings was all about lumber and mills. It all started when a certain Mr. Brookings moved his lumber business to the ocean from the San Bernardino Mountains back in the early 1900s. To learn more of the history of Brookings please visit:Since that time Brookings has grown slowly. Though the lumber industry has fallen short in recent years South Coast Lumber is in business today providing jobs to the residents of Brookings.
Commercial fishing has been active but in recent years the industry has taken a bit of a turn. Just to the south of Brookings is Smith River, California, the Lily Capital of the USA. All the bulbs grown in North America are produced in that area.
Tourism has not been a major contributor to the economy of Brookings but this, too, is changing. With incredible open shores, mountains, biking and hiking trails, charter and river fishing, just to mention a few attractive reasons to visit, Brookings is bound to be a much sought after destination in the new millennium.