Some Quick Historical Facts About Astoria & Warrenton, Oregon

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  • Lewis & Clark stayed near present day Astoria during the winter of 1805-06, and built Fort Clatsop for shelter.
  • Astoria is the oldest U.S. settlement west of the Rocky Mountains.
  • Members of the Pacific Fur Company, owned by John Jacob Astor, arrived in March of 1811 and established Fort Astoria.
  • In 1847, the first post office west of the Rockies was established in Astoria by James Shively.
  • The first U.S. Customs house was established in 1849.
  • In the late 1800’s, Astoria’s salmon canneries, forest and shipping industries turned the area into the liveliest boom town between Seattle and San Francisco.
  • Immigrants came from Finland, Scandinavia and China, expanding the area’s culture as well as its economy.
  • Captain George Flavel was one of the first licensed Columbia River Bar Pilots and Astoria’s first millionaire. He built the Flavel Mansion in 1885, now open to the public as the Flavel House Museum.
  • Downtown businesses were first built on pilings over the Columbia River’s edge. Nearly all of the downtown area burned to the “ground” in 1922. Fill was added before downtown was rebuilt. Any flat land you see in Astoria is most likely fill.
  • The Astoria Column was dedicated in 1926. It is a 125 foot high memorial depicting the history of the area in a mural.
  • Major employers are the U.S. Coast Guard, Georgia-Pacific and Weyerhaeuser. Other industries include fishing, logging and tourism.
  • The population of Astoria is approximately 10,000.
  • Average precipitation is 75 inches per year.
  • In 1854, Astoria became the Clatsop County seat.
  • Astoria & Warrenton each is governed by an elected five member council. The mayor serves as the political head of the government while the city manager is the chief administrator.
  • Movies made in the Astoria area include The Goonies, Benji the Hunted, Short Circuit, Come See the Paradise, Kindergarten Cop, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III and Free Willy.
  • The Astoria-Megler Bridge, which was formally dedicated August 27, 1966, is 4.1 miles long and is considered the longest three-span truss bridge in the world.
  • The English sailing vessel the Peter Iredale ran aground on the beach at Fort Stevens during a storm in 1906 and its remains are still visible there.
  • Fort Stevens Military Reservation guarded the mouth of the Columbia River during the Civil War and World Wars I and II.