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A+History
History · Astoria

Astoria dates to 1811, and 41% of its homes were built before 1940

More historic than 98% of U.S. towns · #1 of 142 in Oregon. What drives it

44 places in town are on the National Register, among them 2 National Historic Landmarks and three historic districts with 428 buildings between them. Below: 20 old photos and papers, maps from 1884 on, and the census since 1860.

1811founded
44on the National Register
41%homes built before 1940
20old photos & papers
25famous people
Add an old photoShare a memory
From Astoria’s archive · credits on each photo
Quick answers

How Astoria began

When was Astoria founded?

1811

Astoria dates its founding to 1811 (Wikidata). The census first counted it in 1860.

First census: 252 in 18602020 census: 10,181215 years

How historic is Astoria?

A+

More historic than 98% of U.S. towns, on its age, its old homes and the National Register.

What drives the grade ↓
Founding year: Wikidata. First post office: 1847.The full story ↓
History grade

What drives Astoria’s History grade

On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Astoria is more historic than 98% of U.S. towns, #1 of 142 in Oregon. All 3 inputs are above most U.S. towns; its National Register listings ranks highest and its age lowest.

A+
HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of Astoria’s overall grade.
Founding era1811, from Wikidata: founded 1776–1849, an older era than 75% of U.S. townsA−Homes built before 194040.8% of homes (±5.2) · typical OR town 5.3% · U.S. 8.4%ANational Register44 listings, 474 historic buildings, 469 per 10,000 residents · typical OR town 2.9 · U.S. 2.4A+
All U.S. towns we grade (21,289)Ahead of 98%
NewerOlder
Oregon towns of 2,500+ (142)#1 of 142

Oregon towns list more on the Register than most of the country (a typical Oregon town has 2.9 per 10,000 residents, the U.S. 2.4), so Astoria’s 469 sits above most of its state (100% of Oregon towns have fewer) while its 474 historic buildings outnumber those of 97% of U.S. towns.

NoteThe founding year comes from Wikidata alone; no second source gives 1811.
How sure. Graded on any two of the three inputs instead, the letter would range from A to A+. The pre-1940 share is a Census survey estimate (±5.2 points).

Founding year: Wikidata (other dates in Quick answers). Homes: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register: National Park Service, May 2026 list; each listing counted once (boundary changes and added documentation belong to their listing), and a historic district counts its contributing buildings. How TownRatings grades history →

What stands out about Astoria’s past

Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.

A National Historic Landmark44 places on the National Register, 2 of them National Historic Landmarks.A historic districtThe Shively-McClure Historic District takes in 237 historic buildings.A town in old photos20 old photos, postcards and papers, 1811–1910.Boom and bustPeaked at 14,027 in 1920; 10,181 people lived here in 2020.
★ What stands out · On the National Register

44 listings protect 474 historic buildings

The country’s official list of buildings and places worth saving. 2 are National Historic Landmarks, the highest tier.

places listed
44
National Historic Landmarks
2
Fort Astoria
historic buildings protected
474
each building in a district counts
first listed
1966
Fort Astoria
Astoria Column, built 1926John Hobson HouseBenjamin Young House and Carriage House, built 1888Astor, John Jacob, Hotel, built 1922Capt. George Flavel House and Carriage HouseClatsop County Jail (Old)Clatsop County CourthouseAstoria Wharf and Warehouse Company, built 1892Albert W. Ferguson House, built 1886Astor Building, built 1925Astoria City Hall, built 1905Astoria Fire House No. 2, built 1896Capt. J. H. D. Gray House, built 1880Grace Episcopal Church and Rectory, built 1886Peter L. Cherry House, built 1921Gustavus Holmes HouseJohn N. Griffin House, built 1892Norris Staples House, built 1910Astoria Victory Monument, built 1926US Post Office and Custom HouseCharles Stevens HouseJudge C. H. Page HouseCaptain George Conrad Flavel House, built 1901Martin Foard HouseRobert Rensselaer Bartlett HouseWarren Investment Company Housing GroupAndrew Young House, built 1875Svenson Blacksmith ShopFerdinand Fisher HouseNoonan-Norblad HouseGrace Episcopal Church Rectory, Old, built 1887Peter and Maria Larson HouseAstoria Elks BuildingGeorge C. and Winona Flavel HouseErickson-Larsen EnsembleUnion Fishermen's Cooperative Packing Company Alderbrook StationRev. William S. Gilbert House, built 1914Astoria Downtown Historic DistrictChristian Leinenweber HouseShively-McClure Historic DistrictUSS LCI-713 (Landing Craft)Uniontown-Alameda Historic DistrictFort Astoria★Lightship WAL-604, COLUMBIA★
BuildingsDistrictsSitesStructures★ landmark

Architectural styles listings

Italianate8
Queen Anne7
Colonial Revival7
Eastlake5
Gothic Revival5
Late Victorian4
★ Landmark
Fort AstoriaSite
★ Landmark
Lightship WAL-604, COLUMBIAStructure
Astoria ColumnBuilt 1926
John Hobson HouseStick Style
Benjamin Young House and Carriage HouseQueen Anne · Built 1888
Astor, John Jacob, HotelGothic · Built 1922
Capt. George Flavel House and Carriage HouseEastlake
Clatsop County Jail (Old)Classical
All 44 listings
Clatsop County CourthouseBuilding · listed 1984Astoria Wharf and Warehouse CompanyBuilding · listed 1984Albert W. Ferguson HouseBuilding · listed 1984Astor BuildingBuilding · listed 1984Astoria City HallBuilding · listed 1984Astoria Fire House No. 2Building · listed 1984Capt. J. H. D. Gray HouseBuilding · listed 1984Grace Episcopal Church and RectoryBuilding · listed 1984Peter L. Cherry HouseBuilding · listed 1984Gustavus Holmes HouseBuilding · listed 1984John N. Griffin HouseBuilding · listed 1984Norris Staples HouseBuilding · listed 1984Astoria Victory MonumentBuilding · listed 1984US Post Office and Custom HouseBuilding · listed 1985Charles Stevens HouseBuilding · listed 1985Judge C. H. Page HouseBuilding · listed 1985Captain George Conrad Flavel HouseBuilding · listed 1986Martin Foard HouseBuilding · listed 1986Robert Rensselaer Bartlett HouseBuilding · listed 1986Warren Investment Company Housing GroupBuilding · listed 1986Andrew Young HouseBuilding · listed 1986Svenson Blacksmith ShopBuilding · listed 1986Ferdinand Fisher HouseBuilding · listed 1987Noonan-Norblad HouseBuilding · listed 1988Grace Episcopal Church Rectory, OldBuilding · listed 1990Peter and Maria Larson HouseBuilding · listed 1990Astoria Elks BuildingBuilding · listed 1990George C. and Winona Flavel HouseBuilding · listed 1991Erickson-Larsen EnsembleBuilding · listed 1991Union Fishermen's Cooperative Packing Company Alderbrook StationBuilding · listed 1991Rev. William S. Gilbert HouseBuilding · listed 1993Astoria Downtown Historic DistrictDistrict · listed 1998Christian Leinenweber HouseBuilding · listed 1999Shively-McClure Historic DistrictDistrict · listed 2005USS LCI-713 (Landing Craft)Structure · listed 2007Uniontown-Alameda Historic DistrictDistrict · listed 1988

National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places. Photos from Wikimedia Commons, credited on each place’s page.

By decade

Astoria, decade by decade

8 decades in the archive, from the 1810s to the 1910s. Scroll each row; tap a photo for its story.

1810s–1840s7 items
Fort Astoria, along the mouth of the Columbia River, Oregon, 1811-18131811Fort Astoria, along the mouth of the Columbia River, …DocumentPortrait of Chief Comcomly1811Portrait of Chief ComcomlyDocumentAstoria in 18121812Astoria in 1812DocumentNarrative of a Voyage around the World - Fort George1843Narrative of a Voyage around the World - Fort GeorgeAstoria, Columbia River1844Astoria, Columbia RiverAstoria Lithograph 18451845Astoria Lithograph 1845Fort Georgec. 1845Fort George
1850s–1860s6 items
Fur Trader Etienne Lucier and his wife, Fort1853Fur Trader Etienne Lucier and his wife, FortAstoria, as it was in 1813, OR1854Astoria, as it was in 1813, OREngraving of Fort Astoria, Oregon1854Engraving of Fort Astoria, OregonFranchere fort astoria 18131854Franchere fort astoria 1813Routes of parties founding Astoria July, 1810-March, 18141868Routes of parties founding Astoria July, 1810-March, …View of1868View of
1880s–1910s7 items
Astoria, Oregon, West Shore magazine, 18871887Astoria, Oregon, West Shore magazine, 1887Sailing ships in the Columbia River Estuary, as seen looking east toward Tongue Point from Astoria, Oregon, 18901890Sailing ships in the Columbia River Estuary, as seen …Admiralty Chart No 2839 Columbia River, Published 18971897Admiralty Chart No 2839 Columbia River, Published 1897Astoria (A Short History of Oregon)1904Astoria (A Short History of Oregon)Fishing boat near Tongue Point, Astoria, Oregon, n.d1910Fishing boat near Tongue Point, Astoria, Oregon, n.dMan fishing with line through a crack in the sidewalk, Astoria, Oregon, circa 1910c. 1910Man fishing with line through a crack in the sidewalk…Salmon boats on the Columbia River near Astoria, Oregon, circa 1910c. 1910Salmon boats on the Columbia River near Astoria, Oreg…
1920s–1990snothing yet
Nothing in the archives for these yearsWeddings on Main Street, storms, parades, school pictures, the old store. If it’s in your family album, it belongs here.
Add from your album
The story

How Astoria came to be

From Wikipedia’s history of Astoria.

Read it all →

The present area of Astoria was inhabited by a large, prehistoric Native American trade system of the Columbia Plateau.

ChaptersPrehistoric settlements19th century20th and 21st centuries

Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

From the old history books

What they wrote about Astoria in 1911

Passages that mention Astoria, cut from the printed page as they were published.

that John Day, a famous hunter, whose name is perpetuated in Oregon by having two rivers named after him (one near Astoria), joined the party. Mr. Hunt returned to St. Louis on Jan. 20, 1811, and after adding a number of recruits, he departed on March 12th, and arrived at
1811 - 1911 Astoria Oregon Centennial Celebration From August 10th To September 9th1911 · page 27Read the page →
Read the text

that John Day, a famous hunter, whose name is perpetuated in Oregon by having two rivers named after him (one near Astoria), joined the party. Mr. Hunt returned to St. Louis on Jan. 20, 1811, and after adding a number of recruits, he departed on March 12th, and arrived at

Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
The river was entered on March 25th, and on April 12th part of the party landed on the present site of Astoria, On June 1st the Tonquin left Astoria, put to sea on the 5th with twenty-three persons on board, and sailed north, and as far as can be
1811 - 1911 Astoria Oregon Centennial Celebration From August 10th To September 9th1911 · page 25Read the page →
Read the text

The river was entered on March 25th, and on April 12th part of the party landed on the present site of Astoria, On June 1st the Tonquin left Astoria, put to sea on the 5th with twenty-three persons on board, and sailed north, and as far as can be

Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.

Scans and text from the Internet Archive. Books published in 1930 or earlier, which are in the public domain.

Timeline

Astoria, 1811 to 1927

Woven from the archive, old maps, post office records, the National Register and the people born here.

  1. 19th century
  2. 1811
    FoundingAstoria is established
  3. 1811In the archiveFort Astoria, along the mouth of the Columbia River, Oregon, 1811-1813
  4. 1843In the archiveNarrative of a Voyage around the World - Fort George
  5. 1847Post officeThe Astoria post office opens
  6. 1853In the archiveFur Trader Etienne Lucier and his wife, Fort
  7. 1868In the archiveRoutes of parties founding Astoria July, 1810-March, 1814
  8. 1877Post officeThe Upper Astoria post office opens
  9. 1886Post officeThe Upper Astoria post office closes
  10. 1887In the archiveAstoria, Oregon, West Shore magazine, 1887
  11. 1888BuiltBenjamin Young House and Carriage House is built
  12. 1890In the archiveSailing ships in the Columbia River Estuary, as seen looking east toward Tongue Point fro…
  13. 1892BuiltAstoria Wharf and Warehouse Company is built
  14. 1894Born hereConsuelo Kanaga is born here
  15. 20th century
  16. 1920CensusPopulation peaks at 14,027
  17. 1921Born hereDonald Malarkey is born here
  18. 1922BuiltAstor, John Jacob, Hotel is built
  19. 1926BuiltAstoria Column is built
  20. 1927On the mapFirst mapped by the U.S. Geological Survey
On the map

Astoria on the map, 1927 to 1984

Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Astoria. Tap a year, or press play to watch the town change.

Astoria on the 1927 USGS mapAstoria on the 1939 USGS mapAstoria on the 1949 USGS mapAstoria on the 1973 USGS mapAstoria on the 1984 USGS map1927Astoria sheet · 1:62,500

U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (public domain), via Esri’s collection of the scans. The red ring marks the center of Astoria.

Every building

Astoria, building by building, 1884–1908

Fire insurance maps drew every building, what it was made of and what it was used for, so insurers could price the risk of fire. Pick a year, then a sheet.

Astoria fire insurance map, 1884, sheet 11884Sheet 1 of 6
Edition
BrickWoodStone

Sanborn Map Company, via the Library of Congress. Editions published in 1930 or earlier, which are in the public domain.

Then & now

Stand where they stood

No then-and-now pairs yet. Take a photo from the same spot as an old one and they appear here side by side.

Narrative of a Voyage around the World - Fort George
Retake this viewNarrative of a Voyage around the World - Fort George, 1843

Find the spot, match the angle, and add your photo. It becomes the first then-and-now pair on Astoria’s page.

Retake this view · +15
People over time

Astoria, census by census

02,0004,0006,0008,00010,00012,00014,000190019502000Peak: 14,027

Peaked at 14,027 in 1920; 10,181 people lived here in 2020.

17 censuses, 1860–2020.

U.S. Census Bureau decennial counts, from the census table on Astoria’s Wikipedia page.

Famous people

25 famous people were born in Astoria

Writers, athletes, leaders and more, ranked by how widely they’re known.

See all →
Holly MadisonAmerican television personality · b. 1979
K
Karl MarlantesAmerican businessman and novelist · b. 1944
Donald MalarkeyAmerican army noncommissioned officer · b. 1921
C
Consuelo KanagaAmerican photographer and writer · b. 1894
A
Armand LohikoskiFinnish filmmaker · b. 1912
W
Ward PlummerAmerican physicist · b. 1940
Places that used to be

Lost post offices, old corners, places now gone and burying grounds

Astoria’s post office has been open since 1847. Another post office, Upper Astoria, opened and closed inside today’s town.

Astoria
1847–today
Upper Astoria
1877–1886
18401930today
Hamlets and corners on the map
Navy HeightsTongue Point VillageUniontown
Gone or out of use
AlderbrooklocaleHalcolocaleMill Creek Naval SpurlocalePort DocklocaleTongue Point Naval Air StationmilitaryTongue Point Naval BasemilitaryTongue Point Naval Station Post Officepost officeUpper Astoria Post Officepost officeVan Dusenlocale
2cemeteries and burying grounds inside Astoria
PioneerRiverview

US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock, CC0). Places and cemeteries from the USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).

Help out

Finish Astoria’s story

Most archives stop around 1920. The photos from after that are in family albums, not libraries.

Decades since 1900 with photos
00s10s20s30s40s50s60s70s80s90s
2 of 10 decades. The empty ones are waiting for someone’s album.
Retake an old viewNarrative of a Voyage around the World …: stand where they stood+15Share a family photoSign in to add one+10

Questions about Astoria’s history

What year was Astoria founded?

In 1811, according to Wikidata. Astoria’s post office opened in 1847, and the census of 1860 counted 252 people here.

How does Astoria rank for history?

Astoria is more historic than 98% of U.S. towns, #1 of 142 in Oregon. The History grade combines the town’s founding era, the share of homes built before 1940 and its National Register listings. It’s a character grade, so it isn’t part of the overall grade. How it works.

What is on the National Register in Astoria?

44 listings, 2 of them National Historic Landmarks: 37 buildings, 3 historic districts, the Astoria Downtown Historic District, the Shively-McClure Historic District and the Uniontown-Alameda Historic District, with 428 contributing buildings, 1 site, and 3 structures. 474 historic buildings in all.

How old are the homes in Astoria?

41% of Astoria’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±5.2 points), against a typical 5.3% for an Oregon town; the median home was built in 1948.

Memory lane

What the archives can’t tell you, neighbors can.

Town Square →
Start a conversation
Sources

Where this page comes from

Founding dates: Wikidata, Wikipedia, the U.S. post office records of Blevins & Helbock (CC0) and the Census. Homes by year built: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register of Historic Places: National Park Service (list of May 22, 2026). Old photos, postcards and papers: Wikimedia Commons, the Library of Congress and other public archives, credited on each item’s page. Maps: U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (via Esri) and Sanborn fire-insurance maps (Library of Congress). History text and census tables: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Places that used to be: USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).

From Wikimedia Commons (20), Wikidata (10), the National Register of Historic Places (44), Wikipedia, Wikidata and Wikipedia for famous people, U.S. Geological Survey historical maps, U.S. Census counts (via Wikipedia), the US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock), the USGS Geographic Names Information System, Sanborn fire insurance maps (Library of Congress) and old county and town histories (Internet Archive). Archive images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.