Astoria - Oregon - Culture

Astoria offers other fun discoveries, such as historic Victorian homes, the beautiful 4.1 mile long Astoria Bridge, cruise ships, and fishing charters offering the thrill of landing your own salmon, sturgeon, or crab. A walk to explore the city's waterfront should include stops at the 6th Street Viewing Dock, the 14th Street River Park with its interpretive panels of river activity, and the 17th Street Pier where there's a chance to tour visiting ships

New York architect Electus D. Litchfield designed the column, patterning it after the Trojan Column erected in Rome by Emperor Trojan in 114 A.D. It was decorated by Attilio Pusterla, an Italian-born artist, using a graffito technique developed during the Italian Renaissance. In 1926, it cost $27,133.96 to build and decorate the Column. Thanks to the efforts of the Friends of Astoria Column and countless others, restoration of the column began in April 1995. The finished project was unveiled in November 1995. The cost to repair it was approximately $750,000.

If you were sailing in a boat down the mighty Columbia River, just before you washed into the Pacific Ocean you would see Astoria. Where we live we can see and smell the ocean, and every day we watch ships from all over the world passing by. And Astor School overlooks the Columbia.
A lot of things make Astoria unique. Because it is the oldest American city west of the Rocky Mountains, here you will find old houses, museums, Clatsop Community College, fishing stories, and stories about famous explorers.

Many years ago, fishing for salmon and tuna were the main jobs in our town. But now, for many reasons, the salmon and tuna are almost all gone. Fifty years ago there were 23 salmon canneries along the Astoria waterfront. Now there are only a few processing plants. Because some runs of salmon in the Columbia River are endangered species, salmon fishing is now limited

Astoria celebrates its Scandinavian heritage with the Scandinavian Midsummer Festival, held in mid-June. Local Icelanders, Finns, Danes, Norwegians and Swedes join together to celebrate their heritage. Come celebrate and enjoy the costumed local townspeople dance the midsummer pole dance, see the bonfire burn to destroy evil spirits, and the tugs-of-war pitting Scandinavian nationalities against each other. The festival features authentic Scandinavian musicians, a smorgasbord of old world delicacies, ethnic entertainment, dancing, crafts and a parade.

Local area attractions include: Astoria Column, Flavel Mansion Museum, Upper town Firefighters Museum, Victorian homes, Galleries, Beaches, Lewis and Clark Expedition Salt Cairn, Fort Clatsop, Fort Stevens, Scandinavian Midsummer Festival, Astoria Regatta, Tillamook State Forest, Clatsop State Forest, Columbia River Maritime Museum, Clatsop County Heritage Museum, Astoria Parks and Recreation Programs, Children's Museum, Columbia River Parks and River walk, Astoria-Warrenton Crab & Seafood Festival