<p>South of the mouth of the Columbia River, the coastal communities centered around Nehalem Bay and the Nehalem River, fronting the Pacific Ocean represent a small but consequential maritime cultural landscape. The landscape encompasses indigenous sites dating back thousands of years, and the archaeological remains of the oldest known shipwreck on the Oregon coast, <i>Santo Cristo de Burgos</i>, a Manila galleon that wrecked there in late 1693 or early 1694. While the galleon, known popularly as the “Beeswax Wreck,” has garnered significant public and scholarly attention, a focused examination of this region demonstrates how land, sea and river have influenced human settlement and activity. This maritime cultural landscape encompasses a range of archaeological sites, including shipwrecks, marine infrastructure, and traditions, including an ongoing indigenous presence, and a sense of local pride invested in the unique history of this coastal community. This study argues for shifting the dialogue from a “treasure galleon” to that of an area and a region shaped by their interactions with the sea and the waters that flow into that ocean.</p>