Astoria Column
July 25, 1998
Astoria was our next stop. Scenic in every way, we crossed a long seabridge to reach it. Rising above all is the Astoria Column. Dedicated in 1926 at a cost of just over $27,000, it was originally envisioned as a flagpole! Designed by the New York architect Electus D. Litchfield and decorated by Italian-born artist Attilio Pusterla, using a sgraffito technique. It was patterned after the Trajan Column in Rome, Italy. When the weather cooperates, you can make the 164 step climb to the top (I did!) and get a terrific view of the Columbia River, Pacific Ocean, the shores of Washingtone state, even the peaks of St. Helen's and Rainier.
