Why It Matters Today
The Astoria Column was built to tell a shared story from a shared vantage point. Its future depends on people who believe history is worth preserving, beauty is worth maintaining, and landmarks matter when communities choose to care for them.
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Attending Centennial events and donating isn’t symbolic. It directly supports preservation, education, and the long-term future of one of Oregon’s most iconic landmarks.
Help carry the story forward.
Join the Centennial events. Support preservation. Be part of the next 100 years.
A Century of Storytelling
1811–1813 | The Beginning of the Story
Astoria is founded as the first permanent U.S. settlement on the Pacific Coast. Its role as a gateway for trade, exploration, and cultural exchange sets the foundation for a city shaped by many peoples and perspectives.
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1925–1926 | A Monument Takes Shape
Local leaders envision a monument that would tell Astoria’s story, not through dates alone, but through images. Construction begins on a 125-foot column overlooking the Columbia River, designed to be seen, remembered, and climbed.
1926 | The Astoria Column Is Dedicated
The Column is officially completed and dedicated. Its spiraling sgraffito artwork illustrates pivotal moments in the region’s history, from Indigenous presence to maritime trade and westward expansion. From the start, it is both a landmark and a storyteller.
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1930s–1960s | A Symbol for the Community
The Column becomes a defining feature of Astoria’s identity. Generations of locals and visitors climb its steps, fly wooden gliders from its base, and carry its imagery home as a memory of place.
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1970s–1990s | Preservation Becomes Essential
Exposure to coastal weather takes a toll. Restoration efforts begin, signaling a shift in how the community views the Column, not just as a monument, but as a responsibility.
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2000s–2020s | Ongoing Care, Ongoing Commitment
Major restoration projects stabilize the structure and artwork, funded through public and private support. The Column’s survival increasingly depends on sustained investment, advocacy, and community care.
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2026 | 100 Years of Standing Tall
The Astoria Column reaches its centennial. One hundred years of weather, visitors, stories, and meaning. The Centennial is not just a celebration of the past, it’s a call to ensure the Column stands for the next hundred years.
