Astoria: The Major West Coast City That Never Was

[@SuwengHweangCweung]

As a resident of Portland, I always was curious why Portland developed as major city, not Astoria. Great video as usual, thanks!

[@nathanlovik1753]

He forgot to mention the role played by the pirate raids of One-Eyed Willie.

[@timjensen6968]

Me, too.

[@crackrat6166]

@@nathanlovik1753 😂😂😂😂😂

[@its_jjk]

Intersection of two rivers

[@crossscar-dev]

I live in Portland and visited family in Astoria yesterday. There was a museum there that was fascinating and taught a lot about this. I've also always wondered why Portland has such a large downtown compared to other cities the same size.

[@owlbuquerqueturkey]

Due to it not having the beach access that Seaside and Lincoln City have, Astoria has been able to keep a charm that some of the more touristy coastal towns have lost.

[@owlbuquerqueturkey]

@@GrumpyWolfTravel I think not tearing down historic buildings and homes, and replacing them with hotels and tourist attractions, brings charm to a town. I think not being completely overrun by tourists brings charm to a town. It just seems it takes lack of a beach to make that happen.

[@calmc9655]

@GrumpyWolfTravel Imagine: "Reading Comprehension", alternately titled "English - do you speak it?".

[@GrumpyWolfTravel]

@@calmc9655 My "reading comprehension" is just fine, but your strawman attack just shows how much of an id10t you are. Let me guess, another person who has never been to Astoria.

[@GrumpyWolfTech]

​​@@calmc9655go ahead and tell me how I failed "reading comprehension" oh right I didn't. You're just making a stupid strawman attack because you have no actual argument. Let me know when you have ever visited Astoria. It is already a tourist town with tons of hotels and tourist spots. How about you go look up the movie, The Goonies and then see how many tourist spots are in Astoria because of it.

[@Sepdet9]

When i lived in Portland in the mid 90s I spent a weekend in Astoria. Very charming small town, fond memories. As an east coast person I found the very cold water of the Oregon beaches on a hot summer day very frustrating so I only went a couple times.

[@okboomer1340]

I live in Central Oregon, but my good friend lived in Astoria. I would visit him a couple times a year for 10 years until he passed. Astoria has a lot of character. It feels special. Yes, it's rainy, but between the great vibe, and in my case, my old friend Warren, the rain wasn't a big deal. Astoria always brings back great memories. Miss ya buddy!

[@kenwhitener985]

The Goonies !!

[@simplewormonastring6869]

Yeah. I live in the west of oregon, so it’s a whole lot rainier over here than beyond the cascades. I’ve always liked this weather, but a lot of people probably see it as glum and cold.

[@yugeswarreddy4008]

❤

[@dannolan9719]

I’m from the east coast and never heard of Astoria until I had a work trip about 20 years ago. Was a pretty run down town, but had a good vibe and great micro brew culture. Had fun bar hopping in the evenings. After a long travel day back home, I flipped on the tv and Kindergarten Cop was on. I started to watch, and thought hey that looks familiar! Have to say, the town looked better in the movie. Sadly a lot of vacant buildings on the main drag when I was there.

[@Xitor.]

Bend?

[@oppositionguerrilla6129]

I think it’s funny that you made a comparison between San Francisco and Astoria because I’ve always thought when I visited Astoria that it reminded me of if San Francisco was a small town.

[@jplowkey-q1f]

Yes! I made that comparison to my friend but they didn't see it. Glad to see I'm not just making stuff up lol.

[@Christina-71]

They call it little San Francisco.

[@seedy6538]

Yeah, it's a tourist trap 😅 Locals hardly ever go downtown during peak season.

[@Jadae]

Astoria? Nah, its slow and kind of creepy. Artisans flock to it to be left alone. Then, there is the Goonies house. Astoria is among the least favored coastal towns of Oregon.

[@zackarnold18]

@@Jadae Curious what you consider the most favored. Can't think of a more popular Oregon coastal town than Astoria.

[@majorisker]

This is my hometown. Lived there until I graduated highschool and still visit frequently. I never fully appreciated its beauty until I was older. I feel blessed to have lived in such a unique and beautiful area. Makes me happy it never turned into a mega city.

[@jpcaretta8847]

I visitrd the place a few years ago and agree ! Portland is now a dump

[@JohnKeithPDX]

My hometown too.

[@veganpotterthevegan]

​@@jpcaretta8847 Portland has its problems. Still a better place than practically any major city in a red state.

[@FeelItRising]

@@jpcaretta8847 Portland is still great

[@andypowell4702]

My great uncle Chase built a cabin near Cape Disappointment on the Washington side. My friends and I go at least a few times a year and always spend a day in Astoria. Have fond memories when I was a kid of throwing balsa wood planes off the column and bowling at the lanes downtown. We still go there all the time but it's now going to the breweries and maybe Annie's if we are feeling a bit frisky, also we still bowl all the time.

[@bretfisher7286]

I drove through Astoria once while heading to Tacoma. I remember being struck by the bucolic beauty of the town, and I wondered why it had escaped more growth. And now you've explained that for me. Thank you.

[@JanaeSmith]

I put together puzzles with my grandma that look exactly like Astoria. It never gets old either.

[@bretfisher7286]

@JanaeSmith There's a certain calm about the town that I value highly, and believe is disappearing from our country, and quickly.

[@bretfisher7286]

@JanaeSmith Oh, and I didn't understand you. Power loss? Do you mean from wind? Or do the power companies shut off power for some reason?

[@Routetherapy10]

@@bretfisher7286kindergarten cop was made there?

[@bretfisher7286]

@Routetherapy10 I don't know.

[@RosebeeVids]

I lived in Astoria for almost 5 years in the early 2000s. The Columbia River Bar is still a difficult passage for ships. Specialist Bar Pilots climb on the big cargo ships bound for Portland to help them navigate. A tiny (in comparison) barge/tugboat pulls up alongside the massive cargo ship, and the bar pilot climbs a rope ladder that is dropped from the large ship. It's amazing to watch! I always knew whether the tide was going out or coming in by looking at the large ships anchored in the middle of the river (they were waiting for a bar pilot). The ships would pivot on their anchor based on which way the tide was going. I miss going to sleep at night with the window open, smelling the sea air and listening to the sea lions braying on the docks.

[@KILLERONROAD]

@@RosebeeVids I lived in Astoria for a few years in the 2000s and dear God the sea lions were annoying lol, I forgot about them. New Year's was cool, ships would blast their horns at midnight.

[@christracey5813]

@@KILLERONROAD Job Corps?

[@3SpoiledDonkeys]

@@RosebeeVids Wonderful memories! I grew up by the ocean and am landlocked now. :( I miss it so much!

[@kollibriterresonnenblume2314]

I used to live in Portland and have visited Astoria so this was fascinating. I had no idea Astoria was there so long before Portland.

[@paddyomalley7913]

Oregon City was the original plan and never Portland ( stump-town ), but it was found that big ships couldn't make it up river to Oregon City ( and after that there is a water fall aka baby niagara falls ) As a sailor, and fishing guy going in&out of the astoria bar many a time, I can attest, the scariest place on earth, where you get out going river current going out, incoming ocean swells and NW winds causing pyramidal waves easily 60 feet hight ( 20 meters ); Many people sailing to Mexico leaving Seattle, have stopped at Astoria to enter but die on the exit; Normal people when leaving Seattle stay off shore all the way to San Diego; The window of 'play time' on the bar is minutes, but some of the greatest salmon fishing on earth, when the BIG chinook are on incoming runs; Went back to Astoria maybe +5 years ago, now world-class micro-brews and reminds me very much of 1990's San-Fran, note I didn't see any homeless in Astoria unlike PDX

[@skidogleb]

I LOVE ASTORIA! It is one of the most beautiful places in North America. I got to do lab testing for the Astoria bridge two years ago, it was my proudest moment as a geotechnical intern.

[@patrickgallagher9069]

Look into Anacortes. Anacortes was planning to be a major city, but the railroads turned south after crossing Stevens Pass instead of North. Anacortes was plotted with very wide streets, had deep water port potential, calm interior waters, stable shores, rhe Skagit Valley plain, and access to lumber, fishing, and mining. The founders were expecting big things there. Anacortes also has the advantage of the Banana belt, making the weather much more favorable than the rest of the PNW!

[@luthorn]

Should have passed a thicker envelope to Leland Stanford, or whoever was in charge of the rail there. Lots of towns in the west lost out that way

[@Hjfujhitdtiit]

@@patrickgallagher9069 at least they still got that refinery!

[@jamielumm9583]

@@patrickgallagher9069 I think you may be confusing Anacortes with Port Townsend.

[@Danthompsen]

@@patrickgallagher9069 Bellingham is a similar story

[@bUwUmer1260]

Skagit and Whatcom still have a lot of potential for growth!

[@KyleWessels-c8z]

First time that I went to sea was over the Columbia River bar. A truly terrifying experience. Did I mention it was in a small private fishing boat driven by my uncle? Yeah. Terrified kids in their teens, riding 20 ft. waves over the bar, and our first experience with sea sickness. 😮 I don't recommend it to anyone. Love your choice of subjects. Thanks Geoff, and best wishes for the new year.

[@JanaeSmith]

Those Bar Pilots make a damn good living steering the major ships through... getting to be a very valuable port area ... I worry about international interests...

[@jeremynkelley]

Wow. That’s awesome that you get to have that experience under your belt. Even if you wished you weren’t there in the moment. I’ve looked out over the bar for most of my adult life in wonderment. It’s one of those 1% places on earth that most people never get to see. Much less experience 🌊

[@LisaLisaNotTheCultJam]

Your Uncle must have been fishing buddies with my Dad. I wasnt born a daughter, yet a deckhand. On a 18 foot Glasply. My Mom did not like me going out with Dad. I learned why so as an adult. 😮

[@michaelfritts6249]

​@@LisaLisaNotTheCultJam My Dad had a 19ft Glassply that my Mom named "Pickpocket". 👍 We never had a need (thankfully) to "enjoy" that experience.. 😏🙄🤣 We had enough moments around Sekiu and Neah Bay of "OK.. here we go!!.." that were understood with quick glance and a nod.. Lifevest? Check Radio in the hand of whoever was Not at the helm? Check I think I'd bring a small "reserve" size air tank (bottle), a diving mask and snorkle if we had tried.. 🤔🤣🤣 Not paranoid.. just prepared.😃😉

[@kousseilashakur672]

@@KyleWessels-c8z why is it hard to navigate with boats in this area?

[@andrewcordle2424]

Being from Astoria NY I was unaware of Astoria OR and its history until some years ago while on a tour of the West Coast I crossed that impressively HIGH bridge over the Columbia River going from WA into OR at Astoria. Thank you for pointing out these historical facts‼️🙏

[@isocarboxazid]

That bridge is scary to drive over!

[@andrewcordle2424]

@ No choice getting from where we were in WA going to OR (Rte 101). It was fascinating 🤷‍♂️

[@thomasdeturk5142]

Astoria NY Is a lot Like Portland Maine Vancouver BC Clark County NV and Albany OR. Because it’s just like I’m named Thomas Not Thomas The British Tank Engine.

[@andrewcordle2424]

@@thomasdeturk5142 I don’t think so - what do you mean???

[@TheCriminalViolin]

The Columbia River bar is so infamous for it's danger, that the State of Oregon literally created a entire department dedicated to the bar and all traffic traveling through it at the end of the 2010s. My dad has worked for that department, including a few years prior to it being spun off on it's own from ODOT, and still does, and told me about it on a trip me, him and my uncle took in February 2023 (I actually vlogged that trip, which I never really vlog, so it itself, like the trip, was a one of a kind thing). Also, the Columbia and Coast Range create a wicked wind tunnel too, alongside the Headland that Astoria sits on, causing it to be just as dangerous for aircraft as it is for ships and boats to traverse. On the trip I aforementioned, the winds were ripping hard enough, and a rain front was just closing in, that they had all ships and boats hold in place at the estuary, and had two helicopters monitor and check in on the ships as much as they could, even transiting a two ship's crews to land, I assume because the ship was going to be anchored there overnight, so they opted to stay in Astoria for the night and turn off the ship instead of staying on the ship using power and fuel. My dad talked about how that happens way more often than people realize or are even willing to believe (again, he works for that department and has for years). I honestly believe terrain is really the main reason why it would never have worked to begin with, thus exactly why I always believed it never happened, as it just takes one quick look at maps to discern this.

[@aether388]

That wind tunnel you mentioned is crazy. I visited a lookout point in the gorge not long after moving to the area and winds up there were 40-something miles per hour, you couldn't stand up without being blown back. Last time I experienced winds like that was in a literal hurricane (harvey)

[@maladr0it24]

@@aether388 The astoria-megler bridge that connects oregon and washington right over the bar of the river experienced 80mph winds last week

[@aether388]

@@maladr0it24 that's mind blowing. Is the infrastructure in the area built to be able to shrug off these kinds of gusts?

[@TheCriminalViolin]

@@aether388 Yes. Especially the bridge. The bridge is specially designed specifically for both the winds and earthquakes.

[@Wheelman2004]

Did your dad have to pass the bar exam in order to be hired?

[@quickgirl80]

Growing up here in Oregon we learned all about Astoria, it’s significant history & the important role it played in shaping our region’s history. This video took me back decades ago & felt like I was sitting in elementary school all over again. Great video. As for the town itself, It may be small, but if you’re into US history there is a LOT to see & explore. Lewis & Clark’s Fort Clatsop, the WW2 barracks at Battery Russell, the Peter Iredale shipwreck from 1906 that’s still on the beach, the views from the Astor Column on a clear day & so much more. I’ve been countless times. I feel like it’s the place every Oregonian has been to millions of times if you grew up here. Some of my fondest memories were spending our summers camping at Fort Stevens with my family. 🥰 We were there last spring & my 90 year old grandma climbed all 160+ steps up to the top of the Astor Column without so much as stopping for a rest break. She’s an amazing woman! 🤩

[@ThatBaritoneGuitarGuy]

I have been to Astoria many a time. BEAUTIFUL place. It was quite literally built onto the hills, and the slope is VERY steep. The iconic bridge actually goes OVER the town. Atop the aforementioned hills is a tower with a 360-degree viewing platform at the top. If you ever get the chance, GO THERE.

[@kalvinkraft8907]

Great video, and it's always great to hear people pronounce Willamette correctly.

[@chevand8]

I love Astoria! I live north of Seattle, and back in May, I went on a very restful and relaxing vacation to Long Beach in the southwestern part of Washington, just because I wanted to see more of a region of my state which I'd never really seen before. I had briefly been through Astoria once before, many years ago, and since the proximity of Long Beach to Astoria was basically just crossing over the bridge into Oregon, I decided it was a perfect opportunity to see more of the town. It is absolutely one of the loveliest towns I have ever visited, and it has an atmosphere to it that I've never quite experienced anywhere else. Honestly, I'm actually sort of glad Astoria didn't become the major urban center that Seattle and Portland became, because what it is now is actually way cooler than that. ❤

[@robynkolozsvari]

it should be noted that there's another PNW town with a very similar story to Astoria: Port Townsend, WA. Port Townsend is closer to the open ocean than Seattle or Tacoma, sitting right at the northern end of Puget Sound, and (unlike Astoria) it has a truly incredible natural harbor, arguably better than those of Seattle and Tacoma. Port Townsend was expected to become the Manhattan of the Pacific, and actually is filled with Victorian-era architecture. but in the 1880's the same market crash that stopped the rail line to Astoria, also stopped the line to Port Townsend, and since it would be very expensive to bring the railway all the way there, it stopped in Tacoma instead, leading to those ports becoming the major ones and Seattle/Tacoma becoming a major urban area, while Port Townsend has only about 10K people.

[@VanillaMacaron551]

Port Townsend is so moody. Visited there and wanted to stay, living in an old house up on the cliff. I think you can see Canada across the water.

[@Dee-x9f]

Thanks for this extra info. I watched Geoff's video thinking about the slightly other-worldly vibe I got visiting Astoria some years ago and how the town reminded me of Port Townsend in ways that I couldn't put my finger on. That they share similar histories makes sense to me.

[@robynkolozsvari]

@@VanillaMacaron551 across the water is primarily Whidbey Island, although there might be places you can see across to Vancouver Island

[@davidgreenhow7811]

You can see Canada across the water from Port Angeles on a clear day.

[@themodelcitizen2]

@@VanillaMacaron551 that's Port Angeles with the view of Canada

[@pamelaroyce5285]

I visited Astoria in the mid-to-late late 1970’s. It seemed to have a New England quality about it. The most vivid memory is the view from the lighthouse as the late afternoon sunlight sparkled on the water. The outlet there is spectacular. I always wondered why it didn’t grow, and now I know. In a way, Astoria is lucky to be free of the depredations of over development. Not a place I would want to move to, but I’d love to spend a quiet week.

[@GrumpyWolfTravel]

I live in Portland and visit the coast often, including Astoria, things like the Astoria column are really cool to see. I was just there a month ago and filmed walking through one of the light ships they have on the harbor.

[@delstanley1349]

The first time I knew anything about Astoria was when Ken Burns did a PBS special on the Lewis & Clark Expedition. Astoria was their last stop of their western adventures. The expedition voted to spend winter there before returning back east. It wasn't an order or a command to stay there by Lewis & Clark to spend the winter there, they allowed every member of the expedition to vote including Sacagawea and Clark's personal slave, a man named York. It was in Astoria that they did a lot of their writings, and made many journal entries, and made many of their illustrations and maps. Clark hated the weather wrote something to the effect of "violent winds, trees falling in every direction, thunder and lightning that lasted all day...one of the worst days that ever was."

[@tnleeo]

@@delstanley1349 I was told that that vote (maybe not that one exactly, i just remember there being a vote)was the first time a woman voted in the United States. Just a piece of trivia I heard, bot sure how correct it is.

[@delstanley1349]

@@tnleeo >This vote was strictly a kind of "spirit of comradery" sort of thing for THAT particular group only. It was going to be a harsh winter in the NW so L&C decided we (everyone in the expedition) all will have a hand or say in our fates. But it had no national political, or social implications beyond that group. If people keeping stats like "the first woman to vote in the United States" this informal non govt. group vote would not fit that category. At least I don't see how it would. One of the group was a black slave of Clark who certainly had no voting rights of the time. I don't think his vote is considered the first black vote. It's been years since I saw the doc, but I think the most significant factor was how deep and inclusive the democratic factor was in life and death decisions in the group as they sat in that dark and cold Astoria winter. That L&C were ahead of their time in THIS situation anyway. Voting by black men didn't happen until after the civil war. Clark's slave, York REMAINED a slave of Clark's until the day York died. Women couldn't vote until more than a century after the L&C expedition. Sacagawea (15 OR 16?) may have been too young to vote, even today.

[@tnleeo]

@@delstanley1349 love your insight and information! Thank you!

[@paulhusby8344]

. . . allowed the enslaved man to 'vote'. Oh be still my weepy eyes! This must have been the same enslaved man who was later sold as personal property when Clark was done with him!!! That was the single worst historiographical moment from that Ken Burns episode.

[@alexdaugherty7472]

Fort Clatsop where Lewis & Clark wintered is actually about ten miles south of Astoria on the south side of Young's Bay. I am sure they chose it because it is more sheltered. Lewis & Clark had a very poor opinion of the local tribes on the lower Columbia. They saw them as being lazy and unkempt but what they didn't realize was that the individuals they met were the remaining members of tribes with ten times as many people with a very sophisticated culture. Decades of trading with passing ships caused wave after wave of epidemics.

[@cups336]

This is the town where The Goonies was set. A lot of the filming was on location there. I always remember Astoria from watching Goonies as a kid. 40 years later I never forgot that little fun fact.

[@HimynameisJermHicks]

I went to Tongue Point Job Corps in Astoria and yes it was originally supposed to be a big city but in reality its now just a mellow little Coastal town that movies and tv shows love to film in.

[@GeistView]

Lived in Astoria during the late 80s and the Town was practically dead back then. Got really bad after the mill closed. The Mayor and the city council were not keen on making it better. That's why most is not all the new stuff was built in Warrenton, like Fred Meyer (worked as a bagger when it 1st opened). All Astoria had was Safeway and that is now a big hole in the ground.

[@darthku1408]

@@GeistView We still have a safeway its now where sentry market was.

[@GeistView]

@@darthku1408 Yep.

[@niles8102]

That's where I went to job corps back in 2013!

[@HairHelmet]

So much I didn’t know and I’ve had a business in Astoria for 20 years, born and raised along the Columbia… fascinating history.

[@BlackRiceBIGN8]

thanks for making this video, i was actually planning to stop by Astoria on the way back from Cannon Beach, Oregon!

[@The_TinesJathian]

Its a great place!

[@JanaeSmith]

Head to Inferno Lounge for some amazing infused liquor and the best views. Tell em I sent you.

[@jeremynkelley]

It’s genuinely my favorite place. It’s low key but somehow feels alive. A lot of small historic towns around the world are only still barely functioning by selling trinkets to tourists. But Astoria is still a very real maritime port with ship captains coming and going. A classic seaport town like in a movie or postcard. The downtown although only like 4 blocks by 10 blocks big feels genuinely urban. It’s just a neat combination that you don’t see other places. I’m actually living in Juneau Alaska right now which kinda fits the description I just gave of Astoria actually. But all & all I still like the vibes in Astoria better. I hope you decide to roll through and walk around a bit. Side note, drive through the neighborhoods uphill from downtown. They’re neat. The streets are as steep as San Francisco’s streets.

[@sasquatchhunter86]

Goonies fan, I assume.

[@ShellShock794]

Check out the maritime museum. It's amazing

[@rickgreen9936]

It's not considered to be raining in Astoria until the rain bounces 3" up off the ground, until then it's just another cloudy day. When the sun does show itself...beautiful area.

[@paulhusby8344]

Nonsense! , even as a joke. Look up the actual precipitation amounts for northwest Oregon, then compare it to Boston, for example.

[@orfordewerson]

@@paulhusby8344 Boston gets 43 inches of rain per year. Astoria gets 86.

[@KILLERONROAD]

Oh god, during winter it rains so damn much lol. Didn't snow much but when it did, it caused problems. Lots of hills, a lack of experience winter drivers, and a lack of salt trucks makes for an interesting combination. Being from Michigan, it was a bit funny seeing how badly people handled snow when I lived there.

[@angelascharmedlife]

@@paulhusby8344 for real. I live here. Sounds like they're dramatic or got caught in a storm. And yes, our storms bring tourists for those river and ocean view rooms.

[@mind-of-neo]

Lol at the first reply. everyone thinks their little shithole is insanely special, and are offended when they encounter someone else thinking their place is special. "You think your place is special? Poppycock! Only my place is special!"

[@davidbarr8394]

Excellent overview. On the plus side Astoria has developed into one of the most beautifully situated small towns in the US. And the Columbia River meeting the Pacific is a thing to behold. The Mississippi has more volume but its delta fans out into many shallow exits: the Columbia has one channel, is clean, deep and cold. Astoria dodged a bullet: let Portland and Seattle accommodate the millions, Astoria maintain its Victorian charm.

[@Mr.Sneeze]

@@davidbarr8394 Agreed!

[@gjwiley6250]

Went to the Maritime museum in Astoria. Amazing the role that city has played in Maritime importance throughout our history.

[@UrydiceO]

I work at that museum. I hope you enjoyed your visit with us!

[@angelascharmedlife]

Thank you! We are very proud of that❤

[@drewlytle2281]

I grew up an hour away from Astoria. Trust me when I say it's worth a visit and not just to see the locations of Goonies, Kindergarten Cop or Short Circuit. There's an amazing Maritime Museum, a number of local restaurants and shops, two retired military outposts that are national parks near by (one on the Oregon side and one across the water in Washington) and on top of the hill is a watch post you can ascend and get a great view of everything.

[@daveleslie4396]

Do not miss the Astoria Column. Murals of Oregon history.

[@ReasonablySane]

I was born in Washington state and lived there most of my life. About 35 years ago I tried to go salmon fishing at the mouth of the Columbia River there and was having a great time until we hit the rough water where the river and the ocean met. I spent the rest of the trip puking my guts out. It was unbelievable. In fact, after that I would look at maps and wonder why Astoria had never become a city and I realized that was why. I may have read a couple of articles about it too for all I know. But yeah, you got to get away from that rough water. And Portland does that.

[@tootsla1252]

Great geography lesson!

[@Madmun357]

On a road trip through the area in 2017, I stopped in Astoria because the weather was rainy. Had the BEST clam chowder soup ever!

[@jeffmorse645]

Spent a day and night in Astoria years ago. It was in October and was a brilliant, sunny warm day in the low 80s. Not a cloud in the sky. The Columbia was so beautiful and the setting of the town was as well. Went up to the top of the Astoria Column and got some great pics. Really enjoyed stopping there before heading down the Oregon Coast.

[@FordShelby-i6z]

Canadian here! My family and I enjoyed many August vacations on the Oregon coast. That bridge! Intimidating, is putting it mildly. Thanks for the memories!!!!!

[@jeffrapier947]

I like Astoria the way it is, so I am glad it didn't work out as planned. It's a nice little getaway, just make sure you get there early as most of the town shuts down around 4 pm. It was interesting to learn about how Fort George Brewing (based in Astoria) got its name.

[@perspectivaimporta494]

I absolutely love Astoria! It has such a rich history and it mostly still looks like a town stuck in the late 1800’s when you look up the hill. It has a great vibe and I hope to retire there some day.

[@tekarin26]

I'm Japanese and have been to Portland and PNW coast, I have wondered why there are no big cities along the coast. After watching this video, I understood why. 3:44 The title of the map “世界に雄飛する日本商品” means "Worldwide spreading Japanese products" At this era, Japanese language was written from right to left.

[@WyvernYT]

There are many fewer good harbors between Seattle and San Francisco than a reasonable person would guess. And when they are found, they're usually cut off from the rest of the continent by densely forested hills.

[@trashmoneyyt]

I am from Portland and have visited Japan many times. One of my favorite things is to bring other Portlanders to Tokyo and take them to PDX Taproom in Shibuya without warning them. It's always funny to see their faces when the first thing they see is the wall of Dantes Inferno saying "Keep Portland Weird" staring them in the face in the middle of Tokyo. :)

[@x0j]

HERRO. I AM FROM AMEREEKA. ME RIKE SOKNEEE AND TOSHEEPBA. VERY GOOOD NIPPONESE PRODUCKS. I HAVE A KATANA. STEEL FOLDED 10 GAIJILLION TIMES. KON BON WA.

[@thepaintingbanjo8894]

Ya, video doesn't go into bigger detail outside of how rough the water is but the entire Pacific also blasts the whole coastline with cool wind all the time. 😬 That's why there's like.... no beaches to comfortably swim in that's up the West Coast, outside of the sunnier southernmost regions like LA and San Diego naturally. Still great to have beach parties but definitely different!

[@kylemontano228]

@@x0j what is wrong with you?

[@katieandkevinsears7724]

If those Goonies had just shared One Eyed Willy's treasure, Astoria would have experienced a new golden era starting in the late 1980's. Shame on you Mikey for not sharing the rich stuff.

[@MinecraftInfrastructure]

@@katieandkevinsears7724 disappointing

[@sunnywhether]

Rocky Road

[@AllStyleNoSubstance1]

lol... i was looking for a goonies reference, its the only thing i know about Astoria

[@Crazyfool12]

Hahaha

[@Red-Viper-Red]

Goonersville with my one eyed willy

[@Marine-72]

While living in Bend, OR I had a job offer with the state of Oregon working in Astoria. During a lunch break I spoke to a person working nearby. I asked if it rained here much? She chuckled and said, "It had just rained 92 days straight!" I did not want to live with that much rain. Headed back to Bend. Very nice town, lot's to see.

[@lightreign8021]

Went to a seamanship school at tongue point. There’s an amazing series of old military concrete bunkers and gun emplacements in the cliff side. No admittance. We would do life boat training, paddling large wooden life boats. The wind would change, the currents swirl and suddenly you are fighting against the Columbia with only 2 out of the 6 sets of oars digging into the tops of white caps. Like a Viking long boats. “ row you dogs! Or we’re never getting back.” 😅 good times, good times. Also there were several drinking establishments ( possibly burned down now in one of their creepily regular wharf fires) near the water with hatches behind the bar that lead to tunnels where supplies could come in but unlucky drunks would get Shang Hied to wake up hungover on a ship headed out to sea. You could work or swim back home. Also ridiculously powerful mushrooms growing right on the side of the road. Very interesting and storied place. When the sun is shining it’s a picture perfect Disney movie and then a fog would roll in and it’s instant Steven King.

[@rmcguirephoto]

I appreciated this video, not just for its geography, but also its history. You made brief reference to the British capturing Astoria/Fort George in the War of 1812-14, but there was an interesting period that followed and might make another interesting episode -- Britain and the U.S. jointly occupied The Columbia/Oregon Territory until the Oregon Treaty of 1846. People of either nationality could live in the territory and trade freely, even though there was a level of hostility between the two governments. I don't know how many other territories have been jointly administered by two countries without being partitioned. Ultimately, of course, the 1846 treaty extended the boundary to the Pacific along the 49th parallel, leading to the separation of today's Washington State from British Columbia. And Britain's Vancouver was reestablished in Canada at the mouth of the Fraser River, instead of being across the Columbia from Portland, where Vancouver, Washington remains today.

[@VanillaMacaron551]

I did not know that. Interesting.

[@tnleeo]

That's an interesting piece of history. Thank you!

[@Flopsaurus]

I've been to Astoria a few times, and it's really charming. It's kinda nice it stayed that way. There aren't a lot of towns like it.

[@PRCOM]

Recently found this channel, and I'm loving the information in them, so from Paisley Scotland, I'd like to wish this channel and it's subscribers all the best for 2025

[@bretfisher7286]

Thank you, and you as well!

[@robertsolomielke5134]

Hello from Van Isle BC. Scotsmen were far better traders than say, Capt. Thorne of Astor fame. Scots were all over here back then. Happy new years day !

[@SamSeth]

"Astoria" by Peter Stark is a highly recommended book for those who like historical adventure stories. Eight men died trying to cross the bar in a longboat at the orders of captain Thorn of the oversea portion of the expedition. Most of the interesting facts of the Astor expedition are glossed over in this video, which is understandable given its scope and brevity

[@mbooks5777]

Nice to see this. I am planning on visiting Austoria in 2025, driving back to Ohio from Alaska. Thanks for the video!

[@Helofelokids]

As long as Bowpicker Fish and Chips stays true to it's roots I'm happy. I've driven across 2 states for it.

[@Mr.Sneeze]

Humongous lines in the summer

[@ojukwucharles]

I've gone on a couple of road trips from Vancouver, BC, to the Oregon Coast, and even though the route through Astoria takes about an hour longer to my destination, I prefer to still drive through Astoria. It's a beautiful small town.

[@jasonreid585]

Will check out the new channel, but don’t stop making these please. Geography nerds like me need this channel, wiki and maps!

[@kosjeyr]

Good Day, Geoff. From Arkansas

[@jeremynkelley]

I LOVVVVVVE Astoria. My favorite place anywhere. It has the life of a city but in miniature. The good food and drinks of Portland but with a maritime feel. It’s my happy place.

[@tnleeo]

Me too! It's not like a Portland tourist thing like Seaside. It's quaint and humble in the best ways.

[@emeraldsoda.]

Coffee Girl ftw ❤

[@jeremynkelley]

@@sherril.562 Ya there really is good food there. As good as Portland. And yes I’m a Portland food snob haha😊 Astoria Coffee House & Bistro does breakfast and lunch. Broder Strand in the bottom of the Commodore Hotel also good for breakfast and lunch. P.S. The Commodore Hotel is the best place to stay in my opinion. Himani is some of the best Indian food I’ve ever had. Blaylocks Whiskey Bar is as posh as anything in Portland (a sophisticated dark green and black interior). Fort George Brewery has top notch food. It’s bar food. Burgers etc. But done up to the highest standards. All of these are within walking distance downtown. There’s no beach of course. And I’m with you on needing the beach in my life. But Astoria is just its own thing. It always puts me in this feeling of quiet but alive. If that makes any sense lol☺️ Hope you give it a chance.

[@Richie_Godsil]

How funny, I spent Christmas in Astoria last week, visiting from Spokane. It's a beautiful city I had no idea it had so much history

[@thescotchirishman3373]

I LOVE ASTORIA. Such a beautiful town

[@Emankind]

I love visiting Astoria. They may have lost out on the “main city” race. But they won in the charm and serenity competitions.

[@goodolarchie]

Astoria isn't very flat, but Warrenton and seaside are. When the "Big One" hits the subduction zone, we'll be glad no huge cities sit on the pnw coast.

[@DavidLovesJesus]

Thanks!

[@demetripapachristopoulos3295]

Great video. But I would add that the location of the Columbia River bar is actually just outside the mouth of the river, not in the bay right in front of downtown Astoria.

[@angelascharmedlife]

For sure

[@oshacutie]

i live in astoria, queens, which is a neighborhood of new york city. our legal addresses are “astoria, ny” so we astorians get mixed up pretty often. it’s nice to learn and know what’s up on the other side of the country.

[@teacherjoe7019]

In the 1970's my Uncle was stationed to Astoria, Oregon with the Coast Guard while my Dad was stationed to Oak Harbor, Washington with the the Navy. We traded visits during the holidays. Astoria was always so rainy and depressing. The drive from Longview, Washington to Astoria made me think I had entered middle earth!

[@formerpotus46]

Wow. I felt like this guy was sub-100k subscribers like a month ago. This guy deserves the attention because these videos are amazing. Keep going Geoff.

[@Nicholas3001]

Super cool video. This is where I grew up 😄

[@Nicholas3001]

@@Carl_Barker Nope, got the wrong guy

[@Hangry_Hungarian]

I visited Astoria a few years ago and thought it was a very nice town and wondered why it never grew the way other cities like Portland did. It’s unfortunate because Astoria is really cool.

[@Livlifetaistdeth]

"Goonies never say die"

[@stickynorth]

Who knew Goonie's, Short Circuit and Kindergarten Cop would bring the city to the the height of cultural zeitgeist in the mid to late 1980's only to drop back into obscurity just as fast!

[@GH-oi2jf]

⁠@@stickynorth- On the contrary, those movies are an obstacle to the true culture of the region becoming known. Why people are obsessed with the location of films is a mystery to me. There is one house in San Francisco that draws the interest of some people, but it is only rarely mentioned. There was a film shot in Portland, but people don't flock to the St. Johns Bridge because of that. A few people interested in bridges no doubt go to see it. Will Goonies fans ever grow up?

[@clayton97330]

​@@stickynorthI believe the finale of Dexter was also in Astoria

[@crackrat6166]

@@GH-oi2jfYou must be a lot of fun at parties. 🤦🏻‍♂️🤦🏻‍♂️🤦🏻‍♂️

[@middleschoolgravy]

@@GH-oi2jf don’t like a ton of Portland residents blame a tv show for ruining their city? As for San Francisco, are you talking about the “Full House” row of homes? Because people definitely make it a point to visit those and talk about it.

[@MistyNewhouse-n6h]

What a wonderful video on history to find! We’ll be heading there later today. This is why we enjoy trucking. Help others, see our beautiful country, and learn about the history of it all. Astoria is a beautiful town and a well hidden gem💎. Thank you for sharing more of its beauty

[@stickynorth]

Also, who knew Goonie's, Short Circuit and Kindergarten Cop would bring the city to the height of America's cultural zeitgeist in the mid to late 1980's ever-so briefly only to drop back into global obscurity just as fast!

[@INDIE-IRL]

@@stickynorth Kindergarten Cop was released in 1990

[@MrDrunken1]

Don't forget Free Willy

[@angelascharmedlife]

Twilight and Into The Wild still bring people in. We have a whole film museum that's quite popular. And the video store is now considered a media museum. I worked hotels here and I'm active in the community. People LOVE coming here. Most events are free to cheap. Most attractions are free to cheap. Leaving ppl to spend on food, beverage, and cool cultural and vintage items. Welcome!

[@idavid8391]

Great timing for KZbin recommendations--was going to visit Astoria tomorrow before plans changed. Now I get to learn about it nonetheless!

[@Astoriawildlandfirefighter]

My home town I left feet from the Columbia River. Love every minute of it

[@RecologySpencer]

As someone who was born in and has always lived on the West Coast, this was insightful. I grew up south of Portland in Salem and was born in + recently lived in San Francisco, only to move two years ago to Seattle. So this hits all the major points for me haha. Will be tuning in for more!

[@MrDrunken1]

I went to high school in Warrenton, the very NW tip of Oregon. It is beautiful up there but the weather is pretty miserable most of the time, haha. To get an idea of how bad the Columbia river bar is, the Coast Guard trains crews on the boats that can flip upside down and right themselves on the Washington side in Cape Disappointment.....

[@JDHutchison]

I currently live in Astoria, OR. Love the video.

[@NirvanaFace]

3:26 Vancouverites FINALLY mentioned!

[@daquitos]

@@NirvanaFace congratulations

[@daquitos]

😊

[@LadyDewBuild]

I live full time on my boat and her home port is Astoria (though currently I'm in Port Townsend WA) and Astoria is my favorite town for many reasons. None would be true if she had developed into a BIG City.

[@audofit]

Wow this is so cool - I just moved to Portland a couple years ago and also was wondering about this. When I visited Astoria this past summer, I told my friends that it looks like a ghost town. A lot of its shops are just empty buildings, and it looks like it's stuck in the past.

[@seedy6538]

High rents, 2020 and not enough jobs. 😌 Please come here and provide jobs.

[@angelascharmedlife]

That's funny because I live here and that what I think of portland now 😂 20 years ago it was cool

[@backseatpalace]

Been going to cape disappointment in Astoria for camping since 2010 as an 11 year old. Such incredible memories made there and it truly is a special town.

[@FISHAWNfishing]

Wow i love camping there! Cape D is Ilwaco, WA ❤ silly I know you knew that 😂 I love how close cape D is to Astoria OR. And the whole area is fascinating

[@thepaintingbanjo8894]

The cape's named that way to specifically drive tourists away. 😂😂

[@FISHAWNfishing]

@thepaintingbanjo8894 🤣🤣🤣

[@rj-zz8im]

Astoria is one of my favorite places I have visited on the West Coast. I would live there in a heartbeat. So much beauty on the OR Coast I couldn't put it into words. It's probably a good thing it has remained small.

[@azearah3320]

My girlfriend is from Astoria, and I just want to say this is a really wonderful description of the town. So thank you for this!

[@panosmosproductions3230]

I think Astoria is one of the ports that cruises that go up and down the Pacific coast stop at. These cruises typically start in Seattle, then go down to San Diego, and then back to Seattle. The ports they’ll stop at along the way are Astoria, and San Francisco. Some of them will go down to Ensenada in Mexico if they didn’t plan a stopover in Victoria Canada. The reason th cruises that focus mainly on U.S. ports always include at least one foreign port is more to avoid paying their workers minimum wage than to visit a foreign country.

[@CentrisAce]

@panosmosproductions3230 Very true, I worked on American Cruise lines, and Astoria was a popular stop for us, I'm lucky to have visited.

[@Mr.Sneeze]

Can confirm, I’ve seen the huge cruiseships stop for a few days at a time. I once helped with the brochures that were passed out to all the cruiseship tourists. It’s definitely eventful for the locals lol

[@sleeplessstu]

Excellent Video Geoff ! Lots of good research. I grew up going down through Astoria and along the Oregon Coast. It was our family’s playground. I love the history of the mouth of the Columbia. Not well known to most !

[@EvelynHarper-xi8dt]

The fact that we get free videos on KZbin by Geography by Geoff is truly a gift; keeping education and knowledge alive. 👍🙏🏽🤷

[@AriAbuko]

Amen.

[@hellyeah7403]

A gift.

[@ImBalance]

I’d love if you made a video on the San Francisco Bay’s unique geography that has made it so valuable in many ways. I recently learned the Golden Gate wasn’t named for the California Gold Rush but was named before that in reference to the “Golden Horn” of Istanbul / Constantinople because Americans, in realization of Manifest Destiny dreams, saw just how ideal the geography was, like famously geographically ideal Constantinople.

[@TR-zx1lc]

Oregon City was also supposed to be the big city in Oregon. Another spot to check out is Coos Bay, which should be a much larger city than it is.

[@Pomoriee]

Even though it didn’t get big, I really enjoy swinging by Astoria in the summer. It’s a very nice little town.

[@blessings4381]

Living here in Astoria, I am so happy with our community with its focus on fishing and timber. These are areas which we continue. We also have a wonderful community of artists, musicians, writers and folks who work hard to support social justice concerns and each other. I grew up in a "big city" and this is the better life for me.

[@JacobHollis96]

As a resident of a small town incorporated within Portland, im always fascinated with the history of the northwest.

[@LisaLisaNotTheCultJam]

The sand bars navigating from Chinook marina to the mouth of the river are not for the faith of heart. Like an ever changing puzzle.

[@martyisokay]

I used to live in Seaside and Hammond while working at the Columbia Memorial Hospital in Astoria. It is a beautiful area; I would definitely retire there.

[@JM-cf9xy]

Something you didn’t mention is the ridiculous amount of rainfall Astoria receives, it makes Portland look like California in comparison.

[@ChrisJohannsen]

@@JM-cf9xy Vancouver BC gets insane amounts of rain and is still the biggest Canadian city west of the great lakes.

[@franzgil2961]

Astoria gets you suicidal too much rain 🌧 😮

[@t4ngen7]

Ever been to Seattle? It’s the bigger of the two major PWN cities and gets way more rain. There goes that theory.

[@kojiyama-p3f]

@@t4ngen7 That actually isn't true. Portland gets more rainfall than Seattle by a bit. Astoria gets almost twice as much as Seattle. In the mid 1800s it is recorded as having over 100 inches of rain in multiple years. The coastal regions get way more rain than either Portland or Seattle due to the way the mountain ranges are configured.

[@JM-cf9xy]

@@t4ngen7 Hey genius Portland averages 35” of rain a year, Seattle 38” a barely noticeable difference. Astoria? 70” of rain a year.

[@edavis5451]

I visited Astoria last summer and was blown away by its charm and beauty. Planning a move within the year. It’s something special for sure.

[@evanreign9344]

Generally "major port city on a major river" isn't at the actual mouth of the river, but roughly where the tide stops pushing up the river. From what i'm looking at, on the columbia that's supposedly as far as the Bonneville dam, though who knows if that was also the case BEFORE the dam was built. Now, THAT seems way too far from the coast, but a more reasonable competitor to portland would've been the eventual site of Longview

[@daveleslie4396]

The tidal surge goes past Vancouver up to Bonneville.

[@agentcody123]

I-5 going through Seattle and Portland and skipping Astoria was one of the final blows

[@KingWADDLE-hw1yj]

Hi! Astoria local here! I never knew that the railroad had such a large impact on the development of my town and I've often wondered what else caused Astoria to not take off... everything else makes total sense! I work in emergency services however I'd say 70% of my former classmates from a few years ago now work in one of the three major industries you mentioned so you definitely hit the nail on the head. Another thing that I would like to mention is that the rugged terrain and geography you mentioned has definitely turned this area into an awkward place to navigate. I've had some friends and family who aren't locals tell me it's a very hard place to learn. Overall even though it's not exactly a "positive" video I still loved to see the town I lived in be portrayed so accurately, being a small town it's nice to see Astoria show up in something other than the goonies, and Kindergarten Cop, mainly. The only thing I didn't hear you talk about that a lot of people might not know is how high our crime rate is. Per capita we actually have the highest crime rate in the entire state of Oregon!

[@jessimatic]

I've been wondering why Astoria has so many grand Victorian homes, and this video shed some light on that!

[@missally3333]

I love Astoria, Seaside, Tillamook, Rainier, and that's about it..

[@ohotnitza]

Astoria is my favorite place on the coast, thanks for the history on it!

[@EveryDayVenture]

Good video, cool info. Only critique would be that I’m not sure why you recapped the first 7 minutes at the 7:05 mark when I’d just watched the first 7 minutes.

[@MrBcardinal35]

Its' no use, he's one of the worst creators on the platform, totally ignores any criticism.

[@Xitor.]

​@MrBcardinal35 you think HE is the worst creator? You're tweaking bro

[@timcox6752]

Watching from Astoria. Thanks for making such a detailed study on our economic history.

[@Sking74]

Astoria is my home, love it here ❤

[@GeistView]

Strange how the narrator didn't know about the train that use to run thru Astoria all the way to Seaside.

[@tnleeo]

​@@GeistView oh my god! I totally forgot about that!

[@heretic.137]

Hey neighbor 👋

[@oldworldchris4187]

I live in Astoria, cool spot to live, and lots of nice areas to explore near by!

[@aceboi-2727]

5:26 near present day Vancouver Washington

[@isaacerickson2383]

Astoria is so difficult to navigate ships to port in fact- specially trained maritime pilots have to be boated out or flown in by helicopter (during rough tides) to incoming ships. Especially in winter it is an extremely tough challenge.

[@avoqado89]

0:05 That picture of Portland is literally my desktop background, good choice!