Astoria Column - History

History

The tower was built in 1926 with financing by the Great Northern Railway and Vincent Astor, the great-grandson of John Jacob Astor, in commemoration of the city's role in the family's business history. Patterned after the Trajan Column in Rome, the Column was dedicated on July 22, 1926. The first Community Antenna Television (CATV) System in the United States was built in 1949 utilizing the column. In 1974, the column was listed in the National Register of Historic Places. The murals that make up the column were refurbished in 1995 and a granite plaza was added in 2004.

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