February 12, 2007
Updated February 23 with photos of the Lightship Columbia, Astoria Column, and Dismal Nitch.
The Boyfriend and I began the day with a lovely walk along the beach. We started in the rain; the weather cleared up a little later.
[cpg_album:198,3]
After grabbing espresso to go from Long Beach Coffee Roasters, we drove into Astoria, OR. We didn’t have any particular destinations in mind, but we’d been to Astoria before and wanted to explore the city.
We stopped first at Flavel House; we’d noticed it on a previous trip, when it happened to be closed. A San Francisco architect designed the house circa 1884 for George Flavel. Flavel was one of the first licensed bar pilots on the Columbia River and, through various business ventures, became Astoria’s first millionaire.
We began our visit in the old carriage house (now a gift shop) and watched a short video presentation about the history of the Flavel family and the house. Then we toured the house. To preserve the finishes and furnishings, flash photography is not allowed in the house. TB and I snapped some flash-free photos with our digital cameras, most of which didn’t turn out very well. (Well, most of mine didn’t … I haven’t looked through TB’s pictures.)
[cpg_album:199,3]
The house has been described in various sources as “Victorian” and “Queen Anne” architecture. From the little bit I read just moments ago, it seems Victorian actually refers to a particular historical era (approximately 1849 to 1900) while Queen Anne is an architectural style.
Speaking of architecture, after Flavel House, we drove along Marine Drive and noticed a beautiful, unusual building. We turned around and pulled into the parking so I could take some pictures. Fortunately, I noticed the sign on the front of the building: Columbia River Maritime Museum. Meaning, we could (for a small fee) legitimately wander around the inside, too.
[cpg_album:202,3]
I think the front of the museum looks like the bow of a ship cresting a wave, while the back just looks like waves.
The museum’s mission is, “To collect and preserve historical and cultural material relevant to the Columbia River, and to display and interpret selected material from the collections for the education and enjoyment of the public.” They do an excellent job of fulfilling this mission.
[cpg_album:201,3]
The lightship Columbia is moored behind and is part of the museum.
[cpg_album:207,3]
Then to the museum gift shop, where I bought this souvenir t-shirt:
[thumb:1260:c:l=p]
(“Driking. Plundering. Wenching. Flogging. Oh, the pirate’s life for me!” See, the “wenching” part is funny ’cause I’m a girl. And hetero.)
After the museum, we went to the Astoria Column, sort of that area’s version of San Francisco’s Coit Tower. According to a marker at the site, “The Astoria Column was completed in 1926 by The Great Northern Railroad and Vincent Astor, great-grandson of John Jacob Astor, who founded Astoria. The Column is a historical monument which depicts the discovery and settlement of the Columbia River until the arrival of the railway.” The structure stretches 125 feet into the sky above Coxcomb Hill. While the views from the parking area are spectacular, TB and I climbed the 164 steps up the spiral staircase to take in the amazing panorama from the top.
[cpg_album:208,3]
We also enjoyed the scenery coming back down from the Column, in the downtown area, and the waterfront.
[cpg_album:211,3]
While driving north across the Astoria Bridge, on the way back to Long Beach, I noticed a sign on a bridge support indicating we were back in Washington. A few supports later, I noticed another sign: “Dismal Nitch.” This I had to see.
[thumb:1258:c:l=p]
I got the “nitch” part, but it didn’t look dismal when we were there. Of course, we weren’t on the Lewis and Clark Expedition.
Captains Meriwether Lewis and William Clark didn’t have it so good. Not good at all by this point in their journey. The captains and the other members of the expedition departed Illinois in May, 1804. According to the National Park Service, when Lewis and Clark, et al reached this part of the Columbia River, it was early in 1805, they traveled by horse and canoe, they had no fresh food, their clothes were “literally rotting off”, and a terrible winter storm would confine them in a small, rugged cove for six days.
Clark later wrote in his journal that at the first opportunity, he “had the canoes loaded in great haste and Set Out from this dismal nitch …”
Over 200 years later, The Boyfriend and I were safe and cozy inside however many pounds of steel comprise a Toyota Echo. We were dressed appropriately for the weather and if needed we could flip a dial for heat or press a button for air conditioning. We had plenty of snacks and water. And the car stereo. And an iPod which we could connect to the stereo. And we’d traveled a mere 20 miles or so, less than an hour’s time.
Props to Lewis & Clark and the others, but I’ll stick with the modern conveniences.
Surprisingly, we didn’t spot any other creatively named locales. Not a Putrid Passage, an Annoying Archipelago, a Catastrophe Cove, or a Gloomy Gulch to be found.