Astoria, Oregon

Today, I traveled from Portland to Astoria via Oregon Highway 26, 47, and 202.  This route took me through the forested areas of the Clatsop State Forest.  There are few people living in this area of northwest Oregon.  

In Astoria, I visited the port area, Godfather's Books, and lunched at the Bridgewater Bistro.  There were many Asians walking around Astoria today because a huge Cruise Ship, the Ruby Princess, had docked in Astoria.  A cold, damp, and foggy day along the Columbia River.  

Then, over the bridge to Ilwaco, WA, and my campsite at Cape Disappointment State Park, Yurt 88.  

Astoria   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."

Columbia River Maritime Museum

Museums in Astoria

Astoria Lodging

Fort Astoria (1811-1825) History

Astoria Food 

Astoria   History1    History2

Astoria Column Historical Tower

Charter Boat Services in Astoria 

Lower Columbia River: Astoria to Portland, Ilwaco to Vancouver

Long Beach Peninsula  

Lewis and Clark Historic Sites

Clatsop County, Oregon  Population 38,000 

Fort Clatsop  Camp of Lewis and Clark in the Winter of 1805.  Video: Winter Story

Fort Steven's State Park  A World War II military base defending the Columbia River. 

Northwest Coastal Oregon Travel Guide: Astoria to Cape Lookout.  By Mike Garofalo. 

Clatsop People

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."

Columbia River Maritime Museum

Museums in Astoria

Astoria Lodging

Fort Astoria (1811-1825) History

Astoria Food 

Astoria   History1    History2

Astoria Column Historical Tower

Charter Boat Services in Astoria 

Lower Columbia River: Astoria to Portland, Ilwaco to Vancouver

Long Beach Peninsula  

Lewis and Clark Historic Sites

Clatsop County, Oregon  Population 38,000 

Fort Clatsop  Camp of Lewis and Clark in the Winter of 1805.  Video: Winter Story

Fort Steven's State Park  A World War II military base defending the Columbia River. 

Northwest Coastal Oregon Travel Guide: Astoria to Cape Lookout.  By Mike Garofalo. 

Clatsop People

 

Astoria, Oregon

Today, I left my cozy yurt and said goodbye to Manzanita.  I drove home to Vancouver.  

I visited Fort Clatsop near Warrenton for the very first time.  This is one part of the Lewis and Clark National Park and National Wildlife Refuge.  Fort Clatsop is a recreation of the camp of the Lewis and Clark expedition crew in the Winter of 1805.  Video: Winter Story.  There is a very nice visitor center with excellent exhibits and a nice gift shop.  I walked around the small log cabins inside the small fort.  It was raining when I toured the recreated fort camp.  

The highway from Astoria to Ranier, Oregon 30, is very good.  It follows along the Columbia River in many places and then inland over hills and valleys.  I take the bridge from Ranier to Longview, then down Interstate 5 to Vancouver.  

Astoria, Oregon - Information

Astoria   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. 

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."

Columbia River Maritime Museum

Museums in Astoria

Astoria Lodging

Fort Astoria (1811-1825) History

Astoria Food 

Astoria   History1    History2

Astoria Column Historical Tower

Charter Boat Services in Astoria 

Lower Columbia River: Astoria to Portland, Ilwaco to Vancouver

Long Beach Peninsula  

Lewis and Clark Historic Sites

Clatsop County, Oregon  Population 38,000 

Fort Clatsop  Camp of Lewis and Clark in the Winter of 1805.  Video: Winter Story

Fort Steven's State Park  A World War II military base defending the Columbia River. 

Clatsop People

 

The following photographs were obtained on the Internet:

Astoria Column

Astoria and Bridge at the Columbia River 

Astoria Downtown

Longview and Ranier

Columbia River Near Clatskanie

Columbia River Near Clatskanie

Lewis and Clark History

We went to Powell's Bookstore on Monday of this week.  I purchased books on travel in the Columbia River Gorge, northwest coast, and Lewis and Clark.

When Federal employees are back to work, very soon I hope, we plan to visit Fort Clatsop, where the Lewis and Clark Expedition spent the winter of 1805-1806, near the current city of Astoria, Oregon.

Shame on Democrats, Republicans and the President in 2019 for "shutting down" our federal government services.  Compromise, give in, move on, stop arguing.

I am now reading two books about United States history during the period from 1800-1810.  Jefferson was President.  The Louisana Purchase was finalized in 1803.  Captain Lewis Meriwether and Captain William Clark led the Corps of Discovery expedition from Washington to the Pacific Ocean at the mouth of the Columbia River, and back, from 1803 to 1806.  They where the first American expedition to explore uncharted territory up the Missouri River from St. Louis and all the way to the Pacific Ocean.  

A few decades after 1805, people were moving into the area of the Willamette Valley and to take advantage of the Columbia River commerce opportunities.  The town of Astoria, Oregon, was founded in 1811; Portland, Oregon, emerged as a city from 1843 to 1851; and Vancouver, Washington, a suburb north of Portland, where I live now, grew from a fur trading post in 1825 to an incorporated city in 1857.  

In 1870, the population of Vancouver was 1,722; Portland, 8,293; and Astoria, 639.  In 1890, Vancouver had a population of 3,545, Portland, 45,385; and Astoria, 6,184.  In 2019, the population of Portland is about 647,000; Vancouver is 175,000; and Astoria, 9,862.  

The Portland (Vancouver and Hillsboro) Metropolitan StatisticalArea (MSA), the 23rd largest in the United States, has a population of 2,226,009 (2010 Census). Of them, 1,789,580 live in Oregon (46.7% of the state's population) while the remaining 436,429 live in Washington (6.7% of state's population).

California became a U.S. State in 1850; Oregon in 1859; Washington in 1889; and Idaho in 1890.    


Undaunted Courage:  Meriwether Lewis, Thomas Jefferson, and the Opening of the American West.  By Stephen E. Ambrose.  Simon and Schuster, Touchstone, 1996.  521 pages.  Paperbound book.


The Lewis and Clark Journals: An American Epic of Discovery.  The Abridgment of the Definitive Nebraska Edition.  Edited with an introduction by Gary E. Moulton.  Lincoln, University of Nebraska Press, 2003.  EBook.

I need to investigate using the Clark County Library System ebook options.

Travel in the Northwest
Bibliography, Notes, Links, Information, History, Nature
Washington, Oregon, Northern California, British Columbia
Prepared by Michael P. Garofalo

Lower Columbia River, Washington

Today, I'm going to Nehalem Bay State Park in coastal northwest Oregon.  I will be camping in a Yurt.

I will drive to Longview on Interstate 5, then drive west on WA4 to Naselle and then Chinook.  I will detour off WA4 and drive around roads leading to Altoona, Pillar Rock, and Miller Point.  Three rivers meet the Columbia River in this small Bay area: Grays River, Deep River, and Crooked Creek.  

I plan to walk around Middle Village Station Camp on the Columbia River near Chinook.  All  of the islands in the Columbia River from Chinook to Skamokawa are part of the Lewis and Clark National Park and Wildlife Refuge.  There are many historical sites in this area, like Middle Village.  

Then, over the Megler-Astoria Bridge (4 miles long, built in 1966), then south on US Highway 101 to Nehalem Bay and the town of Manzanita.  Yurt check in time of 3:30 pm.  

A stop in Seaside at the Carousel Mall for Asian lunch and shell shopping.  

Weather reports indicate this week's weather to be 45-50F, little wind, fog, low clouds, misting, drizzling rain, and intermittent light rain showers day and night.  I am prepared for wet weather with suitable clothing, shoes, and gear.  Weather was decent for a January Winter day!  

Picture of me in rain gear for walking the shore pine forest trails, sand dunes, and intertidal seashore or just sitting at a picnic table or chair outdoors at Nehalem Bay State Park in the misty, drizzling, sprinkling wet world of coastal Manzanita.  

The Tsunami warning has been lifted after last weeks volcanic eruption in the Pacific.  More people probably came to the beach last week, to see some big waves, which never, thankfully, arrived.  

The surf at Neahakanie Beach near Manzanita was mild at low tide this afternoon.  Shorebreak waves 1-3' on the sandy seaside.  

You can park along the road below Manzanita, elevated maybe 30' above the sea, and stare out your open car window as the mist, fog, and drizzling rain keeps everything wet wet wet.  

North of Manzanita all the way to Seaside are forested higher mountains, hills, tight river valleys, and dramatic cliffside views from Highway 101.  The dramatic rocky cliffs facing the pounding surf are memorable.  

All photographs below were obtained from images on the Internet:

Pillar Rock

Altoona-Pillar Rock-Miller Point Bay Area

Altoona-Pillar Rock-Miller Point Bay Area

Middle Village Station Camp

Middle Village Station Camp

Megler-Astoria Bridge

Chinook - Wikipedia   Population 450.    Images

Chinook County Park

Chinook:  Travel    Port   Port-Estuary

Chinook: Baker's Bay    Gray's Bay

Middle Village Station Camp

Chinook Tribal Nation

Chinook   Dock   Boat Launch 

Naselle:  Naselle River  Images   Store  Gas  Inland from the Columbia River.  The Naselle River flows into the south end of Willapa Bay

Naselle River  Images 

Naselle Library TRLS

Naselle is about six miles east of the junction of US101 and WA4.    Junction of US101 and WA4.  Johnston's Landing.  Along the wide Naselle River valley, and near the bridge over the Naselle River.  The Naselle River flows into the south end of Willapa Bay.  Parking near the bridge.  62 miles east of Exit 39/I5. 

Fort Columbia Historical State Park    South of Naselle

Megler-Astoria Bridge   South of Naselle 

Chinook Village

Junction of US101 and WA4.  Johnston's Landing.  Along the wide Naselle River valley, and near the bridge over the Naselle River. 
The Naselle River flows into the south end of Willapa Bay.  Parking near the bridge.  62 miles east of Exit 39/I5. 

Junction of WA4 and WA401.  Head south on WA401 if you want to get to the Ilwaco/Astoria Bridge. 

Index to Four Days in Grayland

 

Four Days in Grayland
By Michael P. Garofalo
Traveling in Southwestern Coastal Washington and Northwestern Coastal Oregon
Information, Activities, Tips, Seasons, Natural History, Notes, Photos, Camping

Alphabetical Index

Website:  Four Days in Grayland

 

Aberdeen, WA

Astoria, OR 

Bay Center, WA  

Boating, Charter Boats for Fishing or Tours 
(Westport, Ilwaco, Aberdeen, Astoria)

Agate Hunting, Coastal Geology, Rock Hounding  

Beach Camping in Yurts

Beachcombing

Beach Driving  

Beach Picnics

Berries, Cranberries, Wild Berries, Berry Foraging 

Beverly Beach State Park, Depoe Bay, OR: Yurt Camping

Bibliography - General Information for Traveler's and Campers

Bibliography, Information, Reading, Resources

Bicycling  

Bird Watching 

Blog Reports of Monthly Yurt Camping Trips

Boat Usage, Kayaking, Canoeing

Books, Suggested Reading, Best Books

Bullards Beach State Park, Bandon, OR: Yurt Camping

Cannon Beach, OR

Camas, WA

Camping in Yurts

Camping Notebooks

Canoeing and Kayaking 

Cape Disappointment, WA

Cape Disappointment State Park, WA: Yurt Camping 

Cape Lookout, OR

Castle Rock, WA 

Centralia, WA 

Charter Boats for Fishing and Tours  (Westport, Ilwaco, Aberdeen, Astoria)

Chelais, WA 

Chinook

Chinook Indians

Clam Digging

Clark County, WA    Population 425,000     Cities: Vancouver, Camas, Washougal, Ridgefield, Battle Ground

Cloud Hands Blog  By Michael P. Garofalo.  Blogging since 2005. 

Columbia River from Ilwaco to Vancouver, WA

Columbia River Gorge, WA and OR

Counties in Southwestern Washington

Cowlitz County, WA     Population 102,000     Cities: Longview, Kelso; Columbia River, Mt. St. Helens, Cowlitz River, Cascades

Cowlitz Indian Peoples

Cowlitz River, WA

Cranberries, Wild Berries, Berry Foraging 

Day Picnics and Day Camping at the Beach  

Driftwood Gathering, Beachcombing, Agate Hunting, Sea Shell Gathering

Driving on the Beach in Washington

Facebook of Michael P. Garofalo

Fishing

Food and Seafood

Foraging, Beachcombing, Walking

Fort Stevens State Park, WA: Yurt Camping

Fort Vancouver, Hudson Bay Company, 1825-1850, History, WA

Four Days in Grayland Homepage   

Four Days in Grayland Photographs and Blog Posts (Most Recent First) 

Geology Coastal, Rock Hounding, Agate Hunting

Glamping: Camping in Yurts or Small Cabins, Camping Comforts

Good Books, Reading Lists, Bibliography

Gorge of the Columbia River, WA and OR

Grays Harbor, WA

Grayland Beach, WA

Grayland Beach State Park, WA: Yurt Camping 

Grayland Beach Yurt Camping

Grays Harbor County, WA    Population 74,000     Cities: Aberdeen, Hoquiam, Westport, Montesano

Green Way Research Hypertext Notebooks of Michael P. Garofalo 

Hiking Quotations, Sayings, Poems

Hiking Trails

Hoquiam, WA

Ilwaco, WA

Indians, Native Peoples in the Area

Information, Bibliography, Reading, Resources

Interstate 5 Travel Corridor from Olympia to Vancouver, Driving South, WA

Inter-tidal Ocean Shores

Jetty Fishing

Kalama, WA  

Kayaking and Canoeing 

Kelso, WA  

Kite Flying

Lewis County, WA    Population 75,000     Cities: Centralia, Chelais

Lewis River, WA

Libraries

Long Beach City, WA

Logging and Timber Mills Industry, WA and OR

Long Beach Peninsula, WA

Longview, WA 

Lower Columbia River from Ilwaco East to Washougal, WA

Manzanita, OR

Marinas and Docks, WA: Westport, Tokeland, South Bend, and Ilwaco

Michael P. Garofalo Biography

Months and Seasons Activities

Mushrooms Foraging  

Naselle River, WA 

Native Peoples in the Area

Native Peoples, Lower Columbia River, North Side. WA - Bibliography

Native Peoples Northwest - Bibliography

Nehalem Bay, OR 

Nehalem Bay State Park, WA: Yurt Camping

Netarts Bay, OR

South Beach State Park, Newport, OR: Yurt Camping

Ocean Park, WA

Ocean Shores, WA

Olympia, WA

Olympia south to Vancouver, Interstate 5 Travel Corridor, WA

Oregon - Northwest Coast, From Astoria to Cape Lookout

Oysters

Pacific Beach State Park, WA: Yurt Camping

Pacific County, WA    Population 23,000     Cities: Raymond, South Bend, Long Beach, Ilwaco

Photographs of Monthly Yurt Camping Trips

Photography

Pier Fishing

Raymond, WA

Reading, Information, Bibliography, Resources

Reading, Bibliography - General Information

Reports of Monthly Yurt Camping Trips

Ridgefield, WA 

Rock Hounding, Agate Hunting, Coastal Geology 

Seafood and Food

Sea Shell Gathering, Beachcombing, Agate Hunting

Seaside Nature Studies

Seaside, Oregon

Seaside Picnics and Day Camps

Seasonal Events

Seasons and Months Activities

Shellfish (Clams, Mussels, Oysters) and Seaweed

South Beach State Park, OR: Yurt Camping

South Bend, WA

Southwestern Washington - Notebooks, Studies, Travel

State Park Yurt Camping

String Figures, String Games and Play (he he)

Surf Fishing

Studies in Southwestern Washington 

Swimming, Boogie Boarding, and Surfing  

Tillamook, OR

Timber Industry

Toledo, WA

Trails and Paths

Twin Harbors State Park, WA: Yurt Camping 

Vancouver, WA

Videos from some Yurt Camping Trips

Wahkiakum County, WA     Population 4,000     Cities: Cathlamet, Skamokawa

Walking Trails

Walking Quotations, Sayings, Poems

Washington - Southwestern - Travel  

Washougal, WA

Westport, WA

Wild Berries, Berry Foraging, Cranberries 

Willapa Bay, WA

Willapa Bay WA - Bibliography, Resources, Reading

Woodland, WA

Yurt Camping

Yurt Camping Reports

Updated on March 1, 2022