Astoria Heritage Museum and the Column:
Looking back at this day I don't understand how we did it all. We saw so many fascinating places. Looking back I also understand why we were so tired when we settled into the hotel that night. I am going to divide the day into two posts not just because it is way too much to read at once but because I am having trouble finding time to finish the page.
We started out heading into Astoria. We had been here years before and had wanted to come back. The original plan was to spend a couple days here and I kind of wished we had but we got off track somehow and gave up a day to catch up on rest which was important too. There is a LOT of history in Astoria. The first place we went was a museum we had seen years ago. It is in a historic building which over looks the water.
Photo credit to Clatsop historical society
Astoria was one of the first settlements on the West coast. It was primarily a gathering place for fur trappers to meet and trade. This museum reflects the history of the fur traders, the Indian tribes who lived in the area and the military men who lived nearby at the forts.
Above was a neat replica of an Indian Longhouse. The kids could climb in and see what their beds were like, what they may have been working on when they sat around the fire and some of the tools they would have used. There was even a mock fire burning inside. They don't allow flash in the museum so there was no way for me to get a picture of the inside.
Fur traders needed to be able to identify animal tracks.
The kids got to give it a try too.
Mom and the camera stayed downstairs with the little kids. Everyone else went upstairs where they have a replica of an old time saloon where the fur traders and soldiers went for drinks and.... other forms of entertainment.
There was an interesting KKK display that wouldn't photograph well without a flash. The KKK was very active in this area in the 1920s. But not for what they are known for. There were no people of color in the area. Their big issue was maintaining prohibition. The KKK was vehemently against the consumption of alcohol. During prohibition they went after bootleggers, intercepted bootlegged alcohol and were active politically against law enforcement in the area that was not upholding federal prohibition laws. Homeschoolers: If you can stomach a study on the KKK this is an interesting and often unknown agenda of the group. In fact, by some accounts, it was their central and strongest reason for forming in the first place and responsible for their resurgence in the 1920s.
Give it a read sometime. Strange but interesting.
Next we went to the Column:
It had been closed for repairs when we were in Astoria last time. It really is something to see, especially when you realize it was created in the 1920s.
But what we weren't prepared for was the amazing view from the park where the column is.
Elayna wonders why letters are in the bricks on the ground.
Only Kylie and Jacob climbed all the way to the top of the 125 foot spiral staircase
to stand on the observation deck.
As you can see it was pretty much just us and some older couples. Oh, and one other homeschool family from Canada. We recognized each other as homeschoolers and visited for a minute.
Elayna overstimulated and shutting down again. Just in time to get back into the van and head to the next place. Fort Stevens....
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