Cloud Hands: Astoria, Oregon

Tuesday, May 03, 2022

Astoria, Oregon

Finished reading the book "Astoria: Astor and Jefferson's Lost Pacific Empire; A Tale of Ambition and Survival on the Early American Frontier." By Peter, Stark. Eco, 2015, 400 pages.

From 1804-1814, John Jacob Astor sent an overland party to the Columbia River form St. Louis. They developed a new route from the upper Snake (Mad) river overland through the Blue Mountains of Oregon. It later became part of the Oregon Trail from 1840-1870. He also sent three ships from New York down and around the tip of South American and up to Hawaii and then to a new settlement for trading furs at a port in Astoria at the mouth of the Columbia River.

Fascinating account of this business venture to take furs from the Northwest Pacific Coast to sell for a high markup in profit in Canton, China. Nearly half of the men that signed on for this "Astoria" adventure died in the dangerous quest.

Astoria

Astoria Northwest Oregon Coastal town and Port on the Columbia River.

Population 9,500 A small town with many tourist attractions. There are many motels, restaurants, cafes, grocery, museums, theaters, historical sights, marina, docks, hospital, gas, stores, services, supplies.

Clatsop County Population 38,000 The Clatsop County Courthouse is in Astoria. Astoria is the largest city in Clatsop County.

Astoria Images

"Astoria is a port city and the seat of Clatsop County, Oregon, United States. Founded in 1811, Astoria is the oldest city in the state of Oregon and was the first American settlement west of the Rocky Mountains.[7] The county is the northwest corner of Oregon, and Astoria is located on the south shore of the Columbia River, where the river flows into the Pacific Ocean. The city is named for John Jacob Astor, an investor and entrepreneur from New York City, whose American Fur Company founded Fort Astoria at the site and established a monopoly in the fur trade in the early nineteenth century. Astoria was incorporated by the Oregon Legislative Assembly on October 20, 1876. he city is served by the deepwater Port of Astoria. Transportation includes the Astoria Regional Airport. U.S. Route 30 and U.S. Route 101 are the main highways, and the 4.1-mile (6.6 km) Astoria–Megler Bridge connects to neighboring Washington across the river."