Fort Astoria Park and Mural
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In 2002 and 2003, AVA, with support from the community, coordinated the renovation of historic Fort Astoria Park, including landscaping, replacement of the picket fence with hand-carved, locally harvested fir staves, and the commissioning of a mural depicting the first American settlement in the middle of what is now downtown Astoria.
John Jacob Astor sent an expedition to establish a line of trading posts along the Columbia and Missouri Rivers that could rival the fur trade dominated by the British. Astoria was to be his chief trading house. A small party landed and began construction of a fort in April 1811. They were initially successful, but the War of 1812 intervened and the fort was turned over to the British and soon renamed Fort George, after the King.
Fort Astoria Park –- the Astor name returned when Oregon was made a state, in 1859 -- has been on the National Register of Historic Places since the early 1980s. The building at the rear of the site has been covered with two previous murals. Repairs to the wall necessitated the removal of the second mural in the late 1980s, after which the wall was painted gray. The new mural extends 100 feet around the 1956 recreation of the Fort's blockhouse, at the corner of 15th and Exchange Streets.
John Jacob Astor sent an expedition to establish a line of trading posts along the Columbia and Missouri Rivers that could rival the fur trade dominated by the British. Astoria was to be his chief trading house. A small party landed and began construction of a fort in April 1811. They were initially successful, but the War of 1812 intervened and the fort was turned over to the British and soon renamed Fort George, after the King.
Fort Astoria Park –- the Astor name returned when Oregon was made a state, in 1859 -- has been on the National Register of Historic Places since the early 1980s. The building at the rear of the site has been covered with two previous murals. Repairs to the wall necessitated the removal of the second mural in the late 1980s, after which the wall was painted gray. The new mural extends 100 feet around the 1956 recreation of the Fort's blockhouse, at the corner of 15th and Exchange Streets.
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artist:
Roger Mckay Sally Lackaff, assistant Scruffy the Dog, loyal friend garden design and plantings: Jessica Schleif, Windlesham Gardens |
fir staves donated by:
Bud Henderson, Hampton Affiliates hand-carved and placed by: John McKesson and Roger McKay |
At the Astoria City Council meeting of September 8, 2004, Astoria Visual Arts was awarded the Dr. Edward Harvey Historic Preservation Award for its restoration of the mural and landscaping at Fort Astoria. The award was given by Mayor Willis Van Dusen and accepted by Joe Miller, who was chairman of AVA at the inception of the project and who spearheaded the fundraising.
Nominations are reviewed by the Historic Landmarks Commission of the City of Astoria. This is the first year that the City has honored an association or individual with an award in the Government/Institutional category.
AVA extends deep appreciation to all of its members and contributors for bringing to life this most historic corner of Astoria. Grants were generously provided by these organizations:
New Octave Foundation | Venerable Properties | The Samuel S. Johnson Foundation | The Templeton Foundation
New Octave Foundation | Venerable Properties | The Samuel S. Johnson Foundation | The Templeton Foundation