
Astoria - A City That Rose from the Ashes
Posted by:
Volcanoguy
N 46° 11.388 W 123° 49.475
10T E 436369 N 5115466
This sign is located Astoria River Walk near the Maritime Museum.
Waymark Code: WM129Z
Location: Oregon, United States
Date Posted: 12/23/2006
Views: 23
This is one of three signs located along the Astoria River Walk near the Maritime Museum. The other two signs are general information about visiting Astoria.
Marker Name: Astoria - A City That Rose from the Ashes
Marker Text: Downtown Astoria was first built on wooden piers over the Columbia River, a hub of transportation and commerce. As the town grew, the piers became more elaborate, supporting large buildings and streets. You could fish through the sidewalk while waiting for the streetcar.
Leveled by fire in 1883, the town was rebuilt. Disaster struck the wooden city again in December 1922 when a huge fire destroyed the business district. Before downtown Astoria rose again from the ashes, the area around its burned-out piers was filled in with dredgings from the river bottom, creating the flat lank on which you stand. The active downtown you see today is a National Histroic District, a reflection of America of the early 1920s. It was built from 1923 to 1925, and stands in contrast to the older Victorian and Craftsman-style houses that cover the hills overlooking the Columbia River.
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