Astoria - a Pretty Coastal Town in Oregon

The Astoria Column

Think Astoria and you usually add Waldorf in front of it – as in the Waldorf Astoria Hotel.   And this town was named for the fur trader John Jacob Astor.  At first glance from the cruise ship it looked like a collection of pretty coloured dolls houses decorating the hillside.  Interspersed with the deep green of pine trees. 

The first recorded visitors to this area were the American explorers Lewis and Clark and their party of explorers who built Fort Clatsop (named for the local Clatsop Indian Tribe) as somewhere to spend the winter of 1805/6.  The reason for their visit was because President Thomas Jefferson wanted to know if there was a river route to the Pacific Ocean.  The group left Pittsburgh on 31 August 1803 and reached the Pacific in November 1805 by following the Columbia River.   

A replica of the fort is situated just outside the town - a wooden structure with hand-hewn wooden bunks – which look most uncomfortable – tables, benches and chairs.  To add to the atmosphere park rangers are appropriately costumed and re-enact the life of the Corps of Discovery.

In 1811 John Jacob Astor, the New York financier, sent fur traders to the same area to set up a trading post.  It was they who built Fort Astoria.  Since then the town has grown around it and, literally, climbed the hills where, on top of Coxcomb Hill, is the Astoria Column.  All 38 metres of it. It was built in 1926 and is decorated with scenes showing the history of the area.

The views from the top of the hill are breathtaking.  Green hills and fields, trees of various shades from the almost black of the fir trees to the paler greens of deciduous trees.  And, winding through the landscape, the mighty Columbia River. The really strong of leg can get even better views by climbing up the 164 steps inside the column to the viewing platform at the top.

Along River Walk are shops and restaurants, Pier 11 (once a warehouse) now has shops and restaurants inside.  The 14^th Street Ferry Dock has displays about the river, especially of the Columbia Bar which, long ago, was a dangerous place for shipping and, of course, there are some museums.

Don’t be surprised if Astoria looks familiar.  This is a photogenic town that has been used in many films.  ‘Kindergarten Cop’, ‘Teenage Ninja Turtles III’, ‘The Ring II’ and ‘Free Willy’ (Parts I and II) were all filmed here.

Astoria is a stop for cruise liners when relocating to or from Alaska, but if you want to spend some time here, there are some hotels.