An Oregon Detour

I admit it.....I lied.  Our all-around Washington tour has had a little detour.  We slipped away when the morning light was still shining and crossed the long, long bridge to Astoria Oregon.

One of my favorite little Northwest towns.

 Now I have been there several times but my Granddaughter has not been introduced to her charms.  So off we went to hang out in Museums and Victorian Charm of Astoria.  The tow is full of turn of the century houses full of beach charm and many colorful Victorian painted ladies.


One of a the museums that I have always wanted to visit was the Flavel House.   A Queen Anne Victorian House built for Captain George Flavel, a ships captain and one of the most influential residents of Astoria.  It was completed in 1886 as his retirement home.

  

I eyed the turret atop the house and hoped that the tour would include the river viewing room but it was not open the day we visited.


It is said Captain Flavel watched the river traffic from the view room often.












Most museums of mansions and homes do not allow pictures of the indoor rooms.  I was thrilled that pictures with flashes were allowed in this museum, so I was able to include some in this post.

Since the house was constructed in the 1886, the indoor plumbing was of particular interest.

 The stain glass transom hung over the front door.

 No trip to Astoria is complete without a visit to the Astoria Column. 

While 10,000 people live in Astoria, 300,000 visit the column every year.

The Astoria Column was designed to celebrate three historic events: the discovery of the Columbia River by Captain Robert Gray; the end of the Lewis and Clark Expedition; and the arrival of the ship Tonquin. Each of these events contributed to the states of Oregon, Washington, Idaho and parts of Montana and Wyoming becoming part of the United States.

Scenes depicting these events are displayed on the Astoria Column, spiraling from its base to just beneath its viewing platform, 125 feet in the air.   The painting of the artwork took three months and was completed in 1923.

164 steps to the top of the column then provide spectacular 360 degree views.  Balsa wood airplanes purchased at the gift shop can be flown from the viewing platform to sail far off into the distance.

 It was a perfect place for a picnic lunch on this beautiful sunny day.

Another perfect stop is the Maritime Museum. 

Ships, History and the High Seas - Something for everyone! 

A trail along the waterfront is a wonderful outing for the afternoon.

If you are too tired and need a little rest there is a trolley that runs the full length of the waterfront that you can hop on and off for a small fee.

By far my favorite part of the day, was the drive we did around Astoria looking at the Historic houses.

 

  Some of them on the Historic Register others just quaint and lovely painted ladies.

And lots of B & B's

Of course our game of "we could live right here" had plenty of choices......

Yes, we could see ourselves living here as I'm sure many have before us.

A stop at a locally Brewery for dinner that not only brews and serves 16 different brews made on the premises but they cater to families and pets as well.  It was as interesting place to say the least!! 

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It was a long and wonderful day, as the sun fades into the sunset......so do we!

And after our Astoria detour, we return back to our 7 week tour of Washington.

~Happy Trails~