Jerry Sutherland first started researching Oregon history in 2012 when his father, Art Sutherland, asked him to look up something about Calvin Tibbets at the Oregon Historical Society. What he learned during that first visit, and the process itself, fascinated him. Subsequent visits, then journeys to other archival institutions across Oregon, the United States, and Canada, eventually led to his writing Calvin Tibbets: Oregon's First Pioneer (https://www.calvintibbets.com). First published as a two-part series in the Fall 2014 and Winter 2015 issues of the Cumtux (the Clatsop County Historical Society quarterly), it was converted to a standalone book in September 2016. Public presentations followed until Covid shut things down.

When not researching and writing, Sutherland enjoys exploring the great outdoors. In the fall of 2014, he learned that Bayocean - a pristine landscape he had hiked - hosted a resort town during the first half of the twentieth century. Resulting curiosity led him to spend the next eight years applying the skills acquired researching Calvin Tibbets to expand on what others had written. He created https://www.bayocean.net to share some of what he was learning with the public. In 2015, Grant McOmie asked him to coordinate a day on the spit in order to produce a Grant's Getaway about Bayocean for KGW-TV. Four years later, Jule Gilfillan consulted him while creating an extended Oregon Field Guide episode on OPB-TV. Continued interest prompted Sutherland bring everything together in Bayocean: Atlantis of Oregon. It was published by Beaver State Press in February 2023.

Editorial Reviews:

"Events in the book are especially well documented. And if the discussion of litigation early seems overly complex, subsequent events involving the Bayocean development and spit erosion are more straight forward and extremely interesting to follow...In short, Bayocean: Atlantis of Oregon provides a unique opportunity to observe the birth and demise of an entire community within the timeline of approximately 50 years." -David Krogh, Southeast Examiner, August 2023

"Bayocean: Atlantis of Oregon offers a comprehensive examination of a massive real estate development in one of the Northwest's most scenic and pristine ocean beaches. The many tales of speculation, promotion, and determination are interwoven with extensive research of original sources to tell the tales of a long-ago age. Jerry Sutherland teaches us history and also engages in storytelling at its best. At times, this reads like a thriller and mystery, becoming a page-turner and a biography of dreamers and adventurers, as well as many who were driven by greed and speculation. He brings speculators and pioneering residents to life, with a work that is abundantly supplemented with maps, photos, and helpful discussions of the times and the dreams of many...He manages to craft a resource of entrepreneurial spirit, natural dynamics, and tales of the lives of intriguing characters of our past. His efforts bring a much-needed reference and storybook for a land that is a fundamental part of the Oregon story." -Neal Lemery, Tillamook County Pioneer, March 26, 2023