Astoria is aport city in and thecounty seat ofClatsop County, Oregon, United States. Founded in 1811, Astoria is the oldest city in the state and was the first permanent American settlement west of theRocky Mountains.[7] The county is the northwest corner ofOregon, and Astoria is located on the south shore of theColumbia River, near where the river flows into the Pacific Ocean. The city is named forJohn Jacob Astor, an investor and entrepreneur from New York City, whoseAmerican Fur Company foundedFort Astoria at the site and established a monopoly in the fur trade in the early 19th century. Astoria was incorporated by theOregon Legislative Assembly on October 20, 1856.[1] The population was 10,181 at the2020 census.[8]
TheLewis and Clark Expedition spent the winter of 1805–1806 atFort Clatsop, a small log structure southwest of modern-day Astoria. The expedition had hoped a ship would come by that could take them back east, but instead, they endured a torturous winter of rain and cold. They later returned overland and by internal rivers, the way they had traveled west.[12] During archeological excavations in Astoria and Fort Clatsop in 2012, trading items from American settlers with Native Americans were found, including Austrian glass beads and falconry bells. Today, the fort has been recreated and is part ofLewis and Clark National Historical Park.[13]
In 1811, British explorerDavid Thompson, the first person known to have navigated theentire length of the Columbia River, reached the partially constructedFort Astoria near the mouth of the river. He arrived two months after thePacific Fur Company's ship, theTonquin.[14] The fort constructed by theTonquin party established Astoria as a U.S., rather than a British, settlement[14] and became a vital post for American exploration of the continent. It was later used as an American claim in theOregon boundary dispute with European nations.
The Pacific Fur Company, a subsidiary of John Jacob Astor's American Fur Company, was created to begin fur trading in theOregon Country.[15] During theWar of 1812, in 1813, the company's officers sold its assets to their Canadian rivals, theNorth West Company, which renamed the site Fort George. The fur trade remained under British control until U.S. pioneers following theOregon Trail began filtering into the town in the mid-1840s. TheTreaty of 1818 established joint U.S. – British occupancy of the Oregon Country.[16][17]
Astoria in 1882, looking east towards Tongue Point
Washington Irving, a prominent American writer with a European reputation, was approached by John Jacob Astor to mythologize the three-year reign of his Pacific Fur Company.Astoria (1835), written while Irving was Astor's guest, promoted the importance of the region in the American psyche.[18] In Irving's words, the fur traders were "Sinbads of the wilderness", and their venture was a staging point for the spread of American economic power into both the continental interior and outward in Pacific trade.[19]
As theOregon Territory grew and became increasingly more colonized by Americans, Astoria likewise grew as aport city near the mouth of the great river that provided the easiest access to the interior. The first U.S. post office west of the Rocky Mountains was established in Astoria in 1847[21] and official state incorporation in 1876.[1]
An Astoria salmon cannery
Astoria attracted a host of immigrants beginning in the late 19th century:Nordic settlers, primarilySwedes, Swedish-speakingFinns, andChinese soon became larger parts of the population. The Nordic settlers mostly lived in Uniontown, near the present-day end of the Astoria–Megler Bridge, and took fishing jobs; the Chinese tended to docannery work, and usually lived either downtown or inbunkhouses near the canneries. By the late 1800s, 22% of Astoria's population was Chinese.[22][23][24] Astoria also had a significant population ofIndians, especially Sikhs from Punjab; theGhadar Party, a political movement among Indians on the West Coast of the U.S. and Canada to overthrow British rule in India, was officially founded on July 15, 1913, in Astoria.[25]
In 1883, and again in1922, downtown Astoria was devastated by fire, partly because the buildings were constructed mostly of wood, a readily available material. The buildings were entirely raised off the marshy ground on wooden pilings. Even after the first fire, the same building format was used. In the second fire, flames spread quickly again, and the collapsing streets took out the water system. Frantic citizens resorted todynamite, blowing up entire buildings to create fire stops.[26][27]
Panoramic views of Astoria in the early 20th century
Astoria has served as a port of entry for over a century and remains the trading center for the lower Columbia basin. In the early 1900s, theCallendar Navigation Company was an important transportation and maritime concern based in the city.[28] It has long since been eclipsed in importance byPortland, Oregon, andSeattle, Washington, as economic hubs on the coast of thePacific Northwest. Astoria's economy centered on fishing, fish processing, and lumber. In 1945, about 30 canneries could be found along the Columbia River.
In the early 20th century, the North Pacific Brewing Company contributed substantially to the economic well-being of the town.[29] Before 1902, the company was owned by John Kopp, who sold the firm to a group of five men, one of whom was Charles Robinson, who became the company's president in 1907.[30][31] The main plant for the brewery was located on East Exchange Street.[32]
As thePacific salmon resource diminished, canneries were closed. In 1974, theBumble Bee Seafoods corporation moved its headquarters out of Astoria and gradually reduced its presence until closing its last Astoria cannery in 1980.[33] Thelumber industry likewise declined in the late 20th century. Astoria Plywood Mill, the city's largest employer, closed in 1989. TheBurlington Northern and Santa Fe Railway discontinued service to Astoria in 1996, as it did not provide a large enough market.[34]
Today, tourism, Astoria's growing art scene, and light manufacturing are the main economic activities of the city. Logging and fishing persist, but at a fraction of their former levels.[36] Since 1982 it has been a port of call forcruise ships, after the city and port authority spent $10 million in pier improvements to accommodate these larger ships.[37]
To avoidMexican ports of call during theswine flu outbreak of 2009, many cruises were rerouted to include Astoria. The floating residential communityMSThe World visited Astoria in June 2009.[38]
The town's seasonal sport fishing tourism has been active for several decades.[39][40][41] Visitors attracted by heritage tourism and the historic elements of the city have supplanted fishing in the economy. Since the early 21st century, themicrobrewery/brewpub scene[42] and a weekly street market[43] have helped popularize the area as a destination.
The Astoria Column
In addition to the replicated Fort Clatsop, another point of interest is theAstoria Column, a tower 125 feet (38 m) high, built atop Coxcomb Hill above the town. Its inner circular staircase allows visitors to climb to see a panoramic view of the town, the surrounding lands, and the Columbia flowing into the Pacific. The tower was built in 1926. Financing was provided by theGreat Northern Railway, seeking to encourage tourists, andVincent Astor, a great-grandson of John Jacob Astor, in commemoration of the city's role in the family's business history and the region's early history.[44][45]
Since 1998, artistically inclined fishermen and women fromAlaska and the Pacific Northwest have traveled to Astoria for theFisher Poets Gathering, where poets and singers tell their tales to honor the fishing industry and lifestyle.[46]
Another popular annual event is the Dark Arts Festival, which features music, art, dance, and demonstrations of craft such as blacksmithing and glassblowing, in combination with offerings of a large array of dark craft brews. Dark Arts Festival began as a small gathering at a community arts space. Now Fort George Brewery hosts the event, which draws hundreds of visitors and tour buses from Seattle.[47]
According to theUnited States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 10.11 square miles (26.18 km2), of which 3.95 square miles (10.23 km2) are covered by water.[51]
Astoria lies within theMediterranean climate zone (KöppenCsb), with cool winters and mild summers, although short heat waves can occur. Rainfall is most abundant in late fall and winter and is lightest in July and August, averaging about 67 inches (1,700 mm) of rain each year.[52] Snowfall is relatively rare, averaging under 5 inches (13 cm) a year and frequently having none.[53] Nevertheless, when conditions are ripe, significant snowfalls can occur.
Astoria's monthly average humidity is always over 80% throughout the year, with average monthly humidity reaching a high of 84% from November to March, with a low of 81% during May.[54] The average relative humidity in Astoria is 89% in the morning and 73% in the afternoon.[55]
Astoria city view
Annually, an average of only 4.2 afternoons have temperatures reaching 80 °F (26.7 °C) or higher, and 90 °F or 32.2 °C readings are rare. Normally, only one or two nights per year occur when the temperature remains at or above 60 °F or 15.6 °C.[56] An average of 31 mornings have minimum temperatures at or below the freezing mark. The record high temperature was 101 °F (38.3 °C) on July 1, 1942, and June 27, 2021. The record low temperature was 6 °F (−14.4 °C) on December 8, 1972, and on December 21, 1990. Even with such a cold record low, afternoons usually remain mild in winter. On average, the coldest daytime high is 36 °F (2 °C) whereas the lowest daytime maximum on record is 19 °F (−7 °C).[57] Even during brief heat spikes, nights remain cool. The warmest overnight low is 63 °F (17 °C) set in May 2008.[57] Nights close to that record are common with the normally warmest night of the year being at 61 °F (16 °C).[57]
On average, 191 days have measurable precipitation. The wettest "water year", defined as October 1 through September 30 of the next year, was from 1915 to 1916 with 108.04 in (2,744 mm) and the driest from 2000 to 2001 with 44.50 in (1,130 mm). The most rainfall in one month was 36.07 inches (916.2 mm) in December 1933, and the most in 24 hours was 5.56 inches (141.2 mm) on November 25, 1998.[57] The most snowfall in one month was 26.9 in (68 cm) in January 1950,[58][59] and the most snow in 24 hours was 12.5 in (32 cm) on December 11, 1922.[57]
As of the 2010 census,[66] 9,477 people, 4,288 households, and 2,274 families were residing in the city. The population density was 1,538.5 inhabitants per square mile (594.0/km2). The 4,980 housing units had an average density of 808.4 per square mile (312.1/km2). Theracial makeup of the city was 89.2% White, 0.6% African American, 1.1% Native American, 1.8% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 3.9% from other races, and 3.3% from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 9.8% of the population.
Of the 4,288 households, 24.6% had children under 18 living with them, 37.9% were married couples living together, 10.8% had a female householder with no husband present, 4.3% had a male householder with no wife present, and 47.0% were not families. About 38.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 15.1% had someone living alone who was 65 or older. The average household size was 2.15, and the average family size was 2.86.
The median age in the city was 41.9 years; 20.3% of residents were under 18; 8.6% were between 18 and 24; 24.3% were from 25 to 44; 29.9% were from 45 to 64; and 17.1% were 65 or older. The gender makeup of the city was 48.4% male and 51.6% female.
As of the 2000 census,[6] 9,813 people, 4,235 households, and 2,469 families resided in the city. The population density was 1,597.6 people per square mile (616.8 people/km2). The 4,858 housing units had an average density of 790.9 per square mile (305.4/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 91.08% White, 0.52% Black or African American, 1.14% Native American, 1.94% Asian, 0.19% Pacific Islander, 2.67% from other races, and 2.46% from two or more races. About 5.98% of the population were Hispanics or Latinos of any race.
Of the 4,235 households, 28.8% had children under 18 living with them, 43.5% were married couples living together, 11.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 41.7% were not families. About 35.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.6% had someone living alone who was 65 or older. The average household size was 2.26, and the average family size was 2.93.
In the city the age distribution was 24.0% under 18, 9.1% from 18 to 24, 26.4% from 25 to 44, 24.5% from 45 to 64, and 15.9% were 65 or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 92.3 males. For every 100 females 18 and over, there were 89.9 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $33,011, and for a family was $41,446. Males had a median income of $29,813 versus $22,121 for females. The per capita income for the city was $18,759. About 11.6% of families and 15.9% of the population were below thepoverty line, including 22.0% of those under 18 and 9.6% of those 65 or over.
Astoria operates under acouncil–manager form of city government. Voters elect four councilors byward and a mayor, who each serve four-year terms.[68] The mayor and council appoint acity manager to conduct the ordinary business of the city.[68] The current mayor is Sean Fitzpatrick, who took office in January 2023. His predecessor, Bruce Jones, served from 2019 to 2022.
TheAstoria School District has four primary and secondary schools, includingAstoria High School.Clatsop Community College is the city's two-year college. The city also has a library and many parks with historical significance, plus the second oldestJob Corps facility (Tongue Point Job Corps) in the nation. Tongue Point Job Corps center is the only such location in the country which providesseamanship training.[69]
The Astorian (formerlyThe Daily Astorian) is the main newspaper serving Astoria. It was established 153 years ago, in 1873,[70] and has been in continuous publication since that time.[71] TheCoast River Business Journal is a monthly business magazine covering Astoria, Clatsop County, and the Northwest Oregon coast. It, along withThe Astorian, is part of the EO Media Group (formerly theEast Oregonian Publishing Company) family of Oregon and Washington newspapers.[72] The localNPR station isKMUN 91.9, andKAST 1370 is a localnews-talk radio station.
Astoria is at the intersection ofU.S. Route 101, the primary coastal highway in Oregon, andU.S. Route 30, which follows the Columbia River inland to Portland and into Eastern Oregon.[78] The 4.1-mile (6.6 km)Astoria–Megler Bridge carries U.S. Route 101 across the Columbia River into neighboring Washington state. It opened in 1966 and carries an average of 7,000 vehicles per day.[79] Public transit service within the city is provided by theSunset Empire Transportation District, which was established in 1993 by the county government.[80] It also operates intercity service that connects to neighboring parts of Northwestern Oregon; other intercity connections include thePacific Transit System, which runs a bus from Astoria toIlwaco, Washington.[81]
Bobby Anet, college basketball guard who helped guide the University of Oregon to win the inaugural NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament championship in 1938–1939 attended Astoria High school[84]
Alexander G. Barry, American attorney Republican member of the Oregon House of Representatives
Jona Bechtolt, Grammy nominated electronic musician and multimedia artist raised in Astoria
Rosa Lemberg, a Namibian-born Finnish American teacher, choral conductor and socialist[91]
Armand Lohikoski, American born – Finnish movie director and writer
Robert Lundeen, American businessperson, most notable for his association with the College of Engineering at Oregon State University (OSU) and Tektronix Inc.[92]
Ranald MacDonald, first man to teach the English language in Japan and one of the interpreters between theTokugawa shogunate andCommodore Perry when the latter made his trips to Japan on behalf of the U.S. government in the early 1850s
Petra Mathers, a German-born American writer and illustrator of children's picture books
George H. Merryman, a doctor who made house calls by horse and buggy then later built the first modern hospital inKlamath Falls. Served in both the Oregon House of Representatives & Oregon Senate
Royal Nebeker, American painter and print maker. Lived and worked in Astoria for 30 years
Gene Nelson, American dancer, actor, screenwriter, and director, starred as Will Parker inOklahoma! (1955)
Albin W. Norblad, Attorney in the U.S. state of Oregon, and a judge of the Oregon Circuit Court for the 3rd judicial district
ActorClark Gable is claimed to have begun his career at the Astoria Theatre in 1922.[100]
Leroy E. "Ed" Parsons, called the "Father of Cable Television", developed one of the first community antenna television stations (CATV) in the United States in Astoria starting in 1948.[101]
The fourth album of the pop punk bandThe Ataris was titledSo Long, Astoria as an allusion toThe Goonies. A song of the same title is the album's first track. The album's back cover features news clippings from Astoria, including a picture of the port's water tower from a 2002 article on its demolition.[102]
The pop punk bandMarianas Trench has an album titledAstoria. The band states the album was inspired by 1980sfantasy andadventure films, andThe Goonies in particular. That film inspired the title, as it was set in Astoria, the album's artwork, as well as the title of their accompanying US tour (Hey You Guys!!).[103]
Walldorf, Germany, which is the birthplace of Astoria's namesake, John Jacob Astor, who was born in Walldorf nearHeidelberg on July 17, 1763. The sistercityship was founded on Astor's 200th birthday in 1963 in Walldorf by Walldorf's mayor Wilhelm Willinger and Astoria's mayor Harry Steinbock.[108]
^Mean monthly maxima and minima (i.e. the highest and lowest temperature readings during an entire month or year) calculated based on data at said location from 1991 to 2020.
^abcLeeds, W. H. (1899)."Special Laws".The State of Oregon General and Special Laws and Joint Resolutions and Memorials Enacted and Adopted by the Twentieth Regular Session of the Legislative Assembly. Salem, Oregon: State Printer: 747.
^Galm, Jerry R., (1989), Prehistoric Trade and Exchange in the Columbia Plateau, Paper presented at the 42nd Annual Northwest Anthropological Conference, Spokane, Washington. Retrieved April 29, 2021.
^In his introduction to the rambling work, Irving reports that Astor explicitly "expressed a regret that the true nature and extent of his enterprizeand its national character and importance had never been understood."
^"Working and Repairing".The Morning Astorian. March 28, 1908. p. 5. RetrievedMay 21, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
^"3".South Tongue Point Land Exchange and Marine Industrial Park Development Project, Clatsop County: Environmental Impact Statement. US Dept of Interior: Fish & Wildlife Service. 1992. p. 53. RetrievedNovember 21, 2021.
^Rosemont, Franklin (2003).Joe Hill: The IWW & The Making of a Revolutionary Working Class Counterculture. Chicago, Illinois: Charles H Kerr.ISBN978-088-28626-4-4.
Ebeling, Herbert C.:Johann Jakob Astor. Walldorf, Germany: Astor-Stiftung, 1998.ISBN3-00-003749-7.
Leedom, Karen L.:Astoria: An Oregon History. Astoria, Oregon: Rivertide Publishing, 2008.ISBN978-0-9826252-1-7.
MacGibbon, Elma (1904).Leaves of knowledge. Shaw & Borden Co. Elma MacGibbons reminiscences about her travels in the United States starting in 1898, which were mainly in Oregon and Washington. Includes chapter "Astoria and the Columbia River".
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