The Spectacular Oregon Coast
Editor: At a recent town hall with Oregon Democratic U.S. Senator Jeff Merkley I picked up a magazine entitled, “The Oregon Treasures Quest.” The magazine is printed and published by Jeff Merkley’s team. The magazine is available through his office and at his town halls. Jeff, a lifetime Oregonian drew from his life in Oregon to put together a magazine that highlights one significant landmark from each Oregon county with great pictures and a short blurb on each site. After enjoying Jeff’s publication I thought I should spend a few minutes talking about Oregon’s iconic coastal landmarks. I have been fortunate enough to spend many years living and exploring Oregon’s Pacific coast. Below I’ve listed several highlights of Oregon’s Hwy 101.
D. S. Mitchell
A Bit of History
The Pacific Coast of the United States is magical. Massive rock formations, dramatic vistas, magnificent bridges, and miles of expansive beaches. I was born in this “Pacific Wonderland” and every once in a while I like to tell my friends around the world about this amazing place I call home. I grew up in Portland, Oregon. Went to Shattuck grade school, Lincoln High School, and Portland State University. I remember long lazy summer vacations at my family’s beach shack at Rockaway Beach. Our little surf shack was the hub of activity for many summers of happy memories. We would take short trips around the area, roast marshmallows, fish the coastal streams, dig clams on brisk mornings, build sand castles and access quiet picnic spots along the beautiful beaches of the central Oregon coast.
Until very recently I was a full time coastal resident. I lived at a spectacular spot between Gearhart and Warrenton, called Surf Pines. It’s a delightful place with wide views of the Pacific, small lakes, and wildlife galore. It was such an exciting place to live, a delight of both man and nature made wonders. Driving Sunset Beach up to the Peter Iredale watching the spectacular 4th of July fireworks. Ahh, what a life.
Since I lived just south of that gritty river town Astoria, once called the “evilest place on earth” it is a good place to start. I love Astoria and its spectacular setting, and conversely its seedy edginess. A town of hills and stairs. A river town where many men are still fisherman and loggers. Where upscale cannabis shops and day spas co-exist with topless bars and closed storefronts. Astoria is both charming and seamy. Astoria is slowly shifting from blue-collar working class to professional class. A place where Victorian houses both grand and simple cling to a rocky hillside at the convergence of bay, river and ocean. A town quietly searching for its future.
“The Bridge” is the Astoria-Megler bridge. Starting in California, and all up the coast you will see many beautiful historic bridges, but it isn’t until you reach Astoria, Oregon that you see the spectacular grand jewel of coastal river bridges. At Astoria the Columbia River joins the ocean. “The bridge” spans 4 miles across one of the nation’s greatest river systems, joining Oregon with her northern sister state, Washington. The Columbia bar was long known as the “grave yard of the Pacific” because so many ships sank off its coast as they attempted to cross the bar into the greatest river of the west. A drive across this landmark structure literally takes your breath away.
The Astoria Column is a 125 foot column. Half a million visitors tour the site annually. The column stands on a cleared hilltop that rises 600 feet above sea level. The column is one of the most recognizable monuments on the Oregon coast. Dedicated in 1926 the column was modeled after Trajan’s column in Rome, Italy. The Astoria column is decorated with a detailed spiral frieze of Astoria’s history. The column was treated to a much-needed restoration a couple of years ago, but that inner spiral staircase is still stomach turning, if you get up that damn thing, the views from the top are heart stopping; Young’s River and Bay, the Pacific Ocean, the Columbia River, Cape Disappointment. Jaw dropping.
