Details
125-foot (38 m)-tall column stands atop 600-foot (180 m)-tall Coxcomb Hill and includes an interior spiral staircase that leads to an observation deck at the top. The spiral sgrafitto frieze on the exterior of the structure is almost seven feet wide, and 525 feet (160 m) long. Painted by Electus D. Litchfield and Attilio Pusterla, the mural shows 14 significant events in the early history of Oregon with a focus on Astoria's role including Captain Gray's discovery of the Columbia River in 1792 and the Lewis & Clark Expedition.
Designed to resemble the Roman Trajan's Column, the Astoria Column was built of concrete and has a 12-foot (3.7 m) deep foundation. Built at a cost of $27,133.96, the tower has 164 steps to the top, where there is a replica of the State Seal of Oregon.
A plaque at the site commemorates the CATV system built by local resident Leroy E. "Ed" Parsons in which twin-lead transmission wires redistributed the signal of KRSC-TV (now KING-TV) in Seattle, Washington to area homes. Former Astoria resident Byron Roman was also involved in early cable invention and distribution.
The cast-iron spiral staircase inside the column was closed for safety reasons in November 2007. It was reopened to the public in time for the Regatta in August, 2009.
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