The gorgeous city of Astoria, Oregon, located at the top of the Oregon coastline, welcomes visitors with its spectacular sights and incredible history. A popular location for movie settings, including the 1991 hit, "Kindergarten Cop", Astoria beckons travellers to experience its gorgeous views and hometown hospitality.

Astoria is the oldest American settlement west of the Rocky Mountains and was first visited by Captain Robert Gray in 1792. Several years later, the New York financier John Jacob Astor sent traders to the area in the hopes of opening a trade route along the Pacific coast. The settlement took the name of Astoria soon after, in honor of the man who opened up the trading route leading to a prosperous future.

As Astoria continued to grow and new highways brought more people to the small city at the coast, the state of Oregon saw a need for a safer way to cross the dangerously wide Columbia River beyond the regular ferry service. With funding from both Oregon and Washington, construction of the 4.1 mile long Astoria-Megler bridge was begun on August 9th, 1962. Four years later, following many setbacks due to treacherous coastal weather, work was complete and more than 30,000 people watched its dedication on August 27th, 1966.

With the completion of the bridge, travellers could now drive the entire coastline from the Canada all the way down to Mexico, thus lending it the name "Bridge to the World". Tolls were immediately charged in order to alleviate the debt incurred in building the bridge. However, with so many people enjoying the freedom the bridge allowed, the debt was paid off a full two years earlier than original thought, and on December 24th, 1993, the toll was removed. Today. thousands of vehicles cross the "Bridge to the World" on a daily basis.

Any visit to Astoria would not be complete without getting a full view of the Astoria-Megler bridge from the top of the Astoria Column. A popular tourist attraction, the Astoria Column was financed in part by John Jacob Astor's great-grandson, Vincent Astor. The remainder of the finances came from the Great Northern Railroad.

Designed by a New York architect named Electus Litchfield and inspired by the Trajan Column in Rome, the Astoria Column was completed in 1926 for a total cost of just over $27,000. The initial expense included the etchings of fourteen scenes in the cement around the column depicting the pioneers as they settled in the Northwest. Along with these carvings, today a large version of the Oregon state seal has been engraved into the floor of the observation deck.

Standing at 125 feet in height, the Astoria Column provides quite a workout to reach that observation deck. However, the 164 stair climb is rewarded by a breath-taking full view of the Astoria-Megler Bridge, along with spectacular views of the Pacific Ocean, the Columbia River, and the southern edge of Washington. Following a full 360 degree view from the top of the column, the phrase "you can see for miles and miles" seems to fall short of the actual experience. In truth, no words can truly describe a trip to Astoria. Just go, you'll enjoy it.

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