Trip to Alaska and West Coast

October 6, 2013 – 46 F and Sunny.  We went on a tour of the area. Astoria (pop 9500) is a really neat town. It was established in 1811. It is the oldest city west of the Mississippi River. Many of the old homes are still there going up the hill from the Columbia River. We visited the Columbia Maritime Museum, saw the Lightship Columbia, and visited the bar where the Columbia River meets the Pacific Ocean. There have been more than 45 shipwrecks on the bar. They have a column at the top of the hill behind the city. It is a great view from the column and the column is decorated with the story of the Lewis and Clark expedition. We have been along a lot of their trail. We have visited St Louis, Sioux City, Great Falls and now Astoria, OR. Years ago Astoria was the salmon packing capital of the US. The industry has moved on; the only cannery left is a museum on pier 39.

Salmon Cannery Museum

Astoria Column

Inside Maritime Museum

Lightship Columbia

Columbia Maritime Museum

Looking toward the bar where the Columbia meets the Pacific

Sea Lions on dock at Astoria, OR

Up the hill in AStoria, OR

Columbia River with bridge to Washington State across it.

Looking down the street to the Columbia River.