Astoria, Oregon

We are now heading south down the Oregon coast.  We will use Cannon Beach, Oregon as a base to explore to the north and south of this area. 

Our first day trip was north to Astoria, Oregon.  This is a seaside port town located at the mouth of the Columbia River where the river meets the Pacific Ocean.  The Astoria Bridge connects Oregon and Washington.   The Astoria bridge is very tall and long.

They were painting the bridge that day and had these white covers on parts of the span being painted.

 

You can see part of the bridge in distance .

While in Astoria, we drove up to the "Astoria Column" that is located on the highest hill overlooking the town.  It was built in 1926, stands 125 feet high and has 164 steps spiraling to the top.   There are scenes and messages painted on the column commemorating the history of Astoria. You can take the stairs to the top for breathtaking views of the surrounding waterways and the city.

 

Checking out the views.

We drove through the older historic area of town to see the old homes located on very steep streets that lead down to the waterfront. 

Look at the cars at the very end of this very steep street compared to the size of the ship in the water.

Some of the older homes in the historic district.

 Such beautiful gardens!

 

 

 

 

 

 

We rode out to the Jetty and saw a ship coming down the river to port.

 

 

No fog and the sun is shining......I could take my jacket off. 

 

 

 

Somewhere along this route we saw this Lighthouse on a rock out in the ocean.

 

 

 

 

 

Fort Clatsop:

 

After leaving Astoria, we stopped at Fort Clatsop.  This is where Lewis and Clark spent the winter months before starting the journey back across the country. 

The Corps of Discovery reached the Pacific Ocean in November of 1805, after having found "the most practicable and navigable passage across the Continent of North America", the mission was complete.  The fort housed 32 men, 1 woman, a baby, and a dog. 

The journey home began on March 23, 1806.  The fort that had been their home for four months was given to Clatsop Chief Coboway in return for his being kind and hospitable. 

A replica of the fort was built where it is thought to have originally been located.

It is run by the National Park Service.  You exit the visitor center and follow a short path to the fort where there are men dressed in period costume.  One of the men tells stories about life at the fort over those winter months during Lewis and Clark's stay and then they have a gun firing demonstration.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Telling stories.

 

 

 

 Gun firing demonstration.