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The Great Astoria Plague of 1901

Most of us know about the 1922 Astoria fire, but other than a few dedicated researchers most Astorians have never heard of the great plague of 1901…

That changed when the geeked-out history folks of Orhistory.com Doug Kenck-Crispin and Andy Lindberg (a.k.a., the crack hustlers of Oregon History) released the spooky and riveting story of The Great Astoria Plague of 1901 (in which we learn that something fishy lurks beneath the surface of Astoria) on April 1, 2012.

Listen to it now!

This was volume 4, episode 4 of the long running podcast, Kick Ass Oregon History, which covers just the good stuff: Sex, Drugs, Rock and Roll and Earth Shattering, Devastating Destruction.

P.S. On April 1 fans of cosmic horror . . . and perceptive joke-getters aren’t fools . . .

April 1, 2022 by astoriadave History

Astoria Weekend Amusements (31 March-3 April, 2022)

Spring in Astoria means exotic plants, soul music, pioneer history, and gnomes and fairies. Right?

Thursday

Variegata Exotic Plants Grand Opening & Ribbon Cutting Ceremony

Astoria’s Variegata Exotic Plants (285 W Marine Drive) is throwing a party during their Grand Opening Weekend on Thursday, March 31 from 11am-6pm.

Be sure to come by . . . at 1:00 PM for our Ribbon Cutting Ceremony! We will be giving away a Philodendron Silver Sword at 2:00 PM (must be present to win) and will announce other giveaways and sales as we get closer to the event. Light refreshments will be served following the Ceremony. We appreciate all of the support from our friends and community that we have received thus far, and can’t wait to celebrate with you!
Read more on the Facebook event.

Thursday Night Lecture Series

Join Zachary Stocks of Oregon Black Pioneers as he presents Ghosts of Beaver Hill: The Black Miners of Oregon’s Coal Coast in the Lovell Showroom (doors 6pm, talk begins at 7pm) at Fort George Brewery (1438 Duane Street).

In the 1890s, coal was king in Coos County, and Beaver Hill was the most productive mine of all. Today Beaver Hill is a ghost town, but new discoveries about its diverse workforce –which included perhaps 100 Black miners– are rewriting the history of early Oregon’s rural demographics and communities.
Read more on the Fort George Brewe r y website.

Thursday-Sunday

ntsayka ilii: our place

This is the last weekend (the exhibit ends Sunday, April 3) to catch the interpretive exhibit, ntsayka ilii: our place at the Astoria Visual Arts gallery (1000 Duane).

Using both historical and current photographs, carvings, baskets and informational pieces, this program seeks to educate and raise public awareness of the contemporary issues facing the Chinook Indian Nation and their struggle for recognition, as-well-as highlight the historical significance of the Chinook peoples and Tansy Point.

Saturday

Soul Tsunami Astoria

Join DJ Jamey’s Soul Tsunami of Funk. RnB and Soul every 1st Saturday at the Merry Time Bar & Grill (995 Marine Drive), starting at 9pm.

Keep tabs on other events (comedy, trivia, live local music, etc.) all week at The Merry Time Bar & Grill on their facebook page. The Merry Time is your friendly neighborhood bar with great burgers, tacos, and daily specials. 14 taps featuring mostly local breweries, the largest pinball selection on the North coast, lottery, pool, big screen tvs for games, big buck hunter. Locally owned and operated, eclectic and welcoming to all.

Sunday

Spring Maker’s Market

Celebrate spring with 22 regional vendors and their wares: head on out over the water on Sunday, April 3 from 11am-3pm for the Spring Maker’s Market, presented by the folks at Menagerie on Pier 39 (100 39th Street).

Take your photo with a gnome, plant seeds in egg cartons, make a paper plate mushroom at the activity table and hear the ukulele strolling through the market. Plus 94.9 The Bridge will be on deck for a live remote and special prize wheel. Plants & flowers, gnomes & fairies, mushrooms & critters. A nod to all things earthy-goodness.
Read more on the Facebook event.

March 30, 2022 by astoriadave Weekend

March 27, 1964: Tsunami Hits Oregon Coast

A tsunami struck the Oregon coast on the evening of March 27, 1964, following the great Alaskan earthquake, the one of the largest earthquakes ever recorded and largest ever recorded in North America. In Alaska nine deaths were attributed to the earthquake, but the tsunami took the lives of 106 Alaskans, and wreaked havoc across the Pacific.

The Oregonian reported the local damage on March 28, 1964:

Astoria – Some high water but no damage.
Depoe Bay – High water, wharf broke loose.
Point Adams Coast Guard Station – Coast Guard boats moved into the Columbia River to avoid high water
Newport – High water hit in two surges, but no damage
Florence – Siuslaw River rose eight feet in eight seconds. It tore loose at least four boats.

What they didn’t know until later was that four members of a family camping at Beverly Beach State Park were drowned in the waves. Further down the coast the citizens of Crescent City, California suffered the worst fate outside of Alaska, with twelve deaths attributed to the tsunami.

Be prepared for the inevitable next tsunami: find your town’s “Beat the wave” tsunami evacuation route map or create your own using the NANOOS evacuation zone map viewer.

March 27, 2022 by astoriadave History