Building History

President of the Great Northern Railroad, Ralph Budd, commissioned the New York architect, Electus D. Litchfield to design a commemorative column that would highlight Astoria's importance during the settlement of the Pacific Northwest. Litchfield's family (particularly his great-uncle, Edwin Clark Litchfield, and grandfather, Electus B. Litchfield) was heavily involved in the railroad business in the Midwest; the Litchfeilds were instrumental in creating a railroad link between St. Paul, MN, and St. Cloud, MN, between 1862-1864 and probably provided the contact with Budd.

Litchfield patterned the Astoria Column on Trajan's Column in Rome, Italy. Historical scenes of the Euro-American founding of the Pacific Northwest wrap around the column, stretching 125 feet high. Astoria was developed by the businessman John Jacob Astor, an important early settlement in the region. The interior of the column is a stair, reaching the cupola which has the Seal of the State of Oregon and a beacon. The A. B. Guthrie and Company of Portland, OR, won the contract to build the column.

Alteration

Repairs to weather damage were made in 1936.

The column was restored in 1995 for $1 million; cost of restoration of the surrounding plaza and lights totaled $2 million in 2004.

PCAD id: 13042