Earth, Water, Fire, and Air

If you're driving on Exchange Avenue (on our right), this is just a quirky curve in an otherwise-straight street. But like everywhere else in Astoria, it also expresses a lot of history. In the center of the photo, you can see the entire block that comprises 13th Street. The street is about one or one and a half lots long. This is where the notorious early land owners and town planners John Shively and John McClure butted heads. They could not agree on the size of a standard lot, and the mismatched halves of the town can be seen fitting together here at 13th (you can read more about it in this post).

Here you can see what the downtown area is built on (pilings over what used to be water and mud). There's another photo of it here, and there are several more places in town where you can see the concrete-and-air underpinnings. I found a very interesting web page that describes the big fire of December 8, 1922. What allowed it to cause so much destruction (10 hours, 30 blocks, 15 million dollars) is that the downtown was built on wood pilings, and the air-space under the buildings and streets was not filled in. They could hardly have designed a better barbecue pit if they'd tried, but they must have learned the lesson, because the spaces are now baffled with concrete walls. Occasionally you'll see a car or two parked in the low area, but mostly it's empty.

Exchange Avenue marked the line between burned and spared buildings, at least here at 13th Street. Across Exchange Avenue on the right is the YMCA building built in 1914 and mentioned in the linked article. It "was opened as the headquarters of all welfare agencies," and I took photos of it which I'll post another day.

For those who want to see how many previous posts are contained in this photo, here's a list:

. Yesterday's blue post (out of sight on the corner behind the tree)
. Writing on the wall
. The pink building on the left
. Drain cover made in Oregon (about the center of the photo)
. The imposing Astor Hotel from the river side and from the landward side
. Behind where I'm standing to take the photo is a small hospice building. The railing you see in the photo continues alongside the building and is the site of this plaque commemorating Clark Gable's early acting career in the Astoria Theatre that burned down in the fire of 1922.

A curious blue post

This old concrete post was wearing body metal long before it became popular. I love the colors in this photo, especially the part of the blue paint that's still wet from the rain. This post, along with another almost like it, stands at the corner of 13th Street and Duane Avenue. I don't know if the ring was originally intended for hitching horses, or what. Someone has added a padlock, probably later than the ring, but long enough ago that it's completely rusted. The white reflection to the right is of this wall towering above.

It looks like a new business is moving in and brightening the shop behind the post. There have been several in this location in the short time I've been here. I remember when there were used cars parked in this lot, the office being (I think) to the right of the colorful store.

Does anyone remember more about this corner and the businesses that were here?

Cieldequimper: This would be another nice object d'art for your home, oui?

Ruins of the old days

Here's a close-up of part of what's left of the old ferry dock at the foot of 14th Street. We saw two different aspects of it in this post and this post. This was taken on a beautifully clear day in September. I don't know what the weather will be like on the day this photo drops into place via the magic of Blogger. I'll be gone for a few days, so I've set up some posts in advance. By the time you get to this one, I should be arriving back home, ready to take my camera out on the town.

Delta Dawn

I came across this photo in the archives from September, taken from the 14th Street Pier. It's nice to be reminded of the perfect days we have here. I was going to say "on occasion," but we actually have a lot of really nice days. I remember this day as a gold and silver day. There were some unusual silver-colored boats on the river along with this beautiful gold fishing boat, Delta Dawn.

The hills are in Washington, and the bridge is the lower end of the fantastic 4-plus-mile Astoria-Megler Bridge. The river, of course, is the mighty Columbia.

A handsome sign for the Heritage Museum

The Heritage Museum of the Clatsop County Historical Society may not be sporting a new sign, but the sign seems to be sporting new colors. It's funny how you sometimes don't notice the changes, or once you see the new paint, you can't remember what the old paint looked like. I think the red is new. One of these days, I'll find an older photo and include it for comparison.

Inside this majestic and sturdily-built Neoclassical edifice, you'll find lots and lots of photos and artifacts from earlier years, and a friendly staff to help you enjoy them. You can enter the building from either Exchange Avenue or 16th Street.

This building began life as Astoria's City Hall about 1905, with construction having started in 1904. Sometime later, the city's administration moved into the centralized downtown area, to this building. The Heritage Museum still retains a few jail cells in the basement, including one for solitary confinement. The librarian told me that when the Historical Society moved into the building, the entire basement was filled with cells. I'll have to get a tour sometime.

The entrance to the cavern

Entering Pier 39 is like entering a wonderful cavern. I love the funky look of the pier buildings combined with the fact that they are again in a useful state. It's always compelling, whether you're visiting Coffee Girl, The Rogue (brewpub and cafe), getting a view from the back deck, renting a kayak, looking at the old boats inside, studying the small museum, reading the signatures of cannery workers on the wall, or just finding a nice place with a view to hang out by the water. For more posts on Pier 39, follow this link.

The Chinook Indians: not just history

I watched a really interesting video that I bought from a Chinook Indian booth at Sunday Market before the season ended. This is Gary Johnson, Chinook Tribal Council Chairman, discussing the condition of non-recognition between the Chinook Nation and the U.S. Government. Portions of our government work with the Indians on recognized and friendly terms, and other offices have rescinded recognition, culminating in an ongoing struggle. It's somewhat complex, but once you watch this video you understand that these are daily concerns of the existing Chinook people and not something out of a dusty history book.

The video was made during a festival given by the Indians including anyone who wanted to partake of a salmon feast, and native songs, dancing, and crafts were part of the event. Canoes built by Gary's son, Tony, were taken out into the river to teach and enjoy the old practices.

Most of the Chinook now live in the state of Washington rather than in Oregon, because that's where the U.S. Government moved their people when competition for land arose with the coming of more and more whites via the Oregon Trail. In the early years there had not only been space for all, but there was a healthy interrelationship based on commerce that benefited both races. It was the Clatsop Indians, one of the five Chinook tribes, had had the most interaction with the Lewis and Clark Expedition.

By the way, "Chinook" is prononced with the "ch" as in "chair," not as in "shoe," as we all seem to do.

It's a fascinating video by Riparian Productions entitled Chinook History, Yesterday and Tomorrow. Contact:

Chinook Indian Nation
PO Box 368
Bay Center, WA 98527
360-875-6670
office@chinooknation.org