Lewis and Clark's Columbia River - Coxcomb Hill, Astoria, Oregon

Lewis & Clark's Columbia River - "200 Years Later"
"Coxcomb Hill and the Astoria Column, Astoria, Oregon"

Includes ... Coxcomb Hill ... Astoria Column ... National Register of Historic Places ...

Image, 2004, Astoria Column from Youngs Bay, click to enlarge

Click image to enlarge

Astoria Column, Astoria, Oregon, as seen from across Youngs Bay. Image taken May 25, 2004.

Coxcomb Hill ...

Coxcomb Hill, at an elevation of 595 feet, is in the center of Astoria, Oregon and has terrific views of the city and the four-mile-long Astoria-Megler Bridge. Coxcomb Hill is the location of the Astoria Column.

Early Coxcomb Hill ...

McArthur and McArthur in Oregon Geographic Names (2003, Oregon Historical Society) states:

"... Coxcomb Hill, Clatsop. This is the summit of the ridge south of Astoria, between the Columbia River and Youngs Bay. The compiler has been unable to learn who first applied the name. The spelling used is the customary form applied to court fools and jesters who wore an imitation coxcomb, and were frequently called coxcombs. ..."

Image, 2005, Bronze Map, Coxcomb Hill, click to enlarge

Click image to enlarge

Bronze Map on Coxcomb Hill. Bronze map showing the area around Astoria and Coxcomb Hill, located at the base of the Astoria Column. Image taken April 19, 2005.

Astoria Column ...

The Astoria Column stands on top of Coxcomb Hill. It was built in 1926, stands 125 feet high, and has 164 steps spiraling to the top. There are 14 scenes depicted on the column commemorating the history of Astoria. The Astoria Column was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1974 (Structure #74001681).
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Click image to enlarge

Astoria Column, Astoria, Oregon. Image taken May 25, 2004.

Chief Comcomly Burial Canoe Replica ...

Chief Comcomly was one of the Chiefs of the Chinook Tribe at the time of Lewis and Clark, and whose village was located near Chinook Point, today the home of Fort Columbia. In 1961 a concrete replica of a Native American burial canoe was erected on Coxcomb Hill as a memorial to the Chief.
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Click image to enlarge	Cement replica of Chief Comcomly burial canoe, Coxcomb Hill, Astoria, Oregon. Comcomly was a Chinook Chief, much respected by the early Astorians. Image taken April 19, 2005.
Click image to enlarge	Detail, cement replica of Chief Comcomly burial canoe, Coxcomb Hill, Astoria, Oregon. Image taken April 19, 2005.

Views from Coxcomb Hill ...

From Coxcomb Hill to the west views of Astoria and the Astoria-Megler Bridge can be had, and way off to the west are views of Point Adams and Clatsop Spit. On the Washington side there are views of Point Ellice and Cape Disappointment. To the southwest is Saddle Mountain, and to the south is Youngs Bay, and views of Youngs River, Cook Slough and Daggett Point, and the Lewis and Clark River.

Click image to enlarge	Smith Point and Astoria, Oregon, from the Astoria Column on Coxcomb Hill. Looking west at the mouth of the Columbia River, from Coxcomb Hill, location of the Astoria Column. Youngs Bay is to the left and the Astoria-Megler Bridge is to the right. Smith Point is the westerly tip of Astoria. Point Adams can be seen in the upper distance. Image taken April 19, 2005.
Click image to enlarge	Point Adams from Coxcomb Hill. Looking west at the mouth of the Columbia River, from Coxcomb Hill. Point Adams can be seen in the upper distance, with the Clatsop Spit beyond. Smith Point and Astoria are in the foreground. Image taken April 19, 2005.
Click image to enlarge	Cape Disappointment from Coxcomb Hill, Astoria, Oregon. Image taken April 19, 2005.
Click image to enlarge	Astoria-Megler Bridge and the mouth of the Columbia River. View from Coxcomb Hill, Astoria, Oregon. Image taken May 25, 2004.
Click image to enlarge	Astoria-Megler Bridge, Oregon side. View from Coxcomb Hill, Astoria, Oregon. Image taken April 19, 2005.
Click image to enlarge	Astoria-Megler Bridge, Washington side, and Point Ellice. View from Coxcomb Hill, Astoria, Oregon. Image taken April 19, 2005.
Click image to enlarge	Youngs Bay Bridge (Highway 101)as seen from Coxcomb Hill. Image taken April 19, 2005.
Click image to enlarge	Youngs River, Oregon, as seen from Coxcomb Hill. Mouth of the Youngs River entering Youngs Bay. Image taken April 19, 2005.
Click image to enlarge	Lewis and Clark River, Oregon, as seen from Coxcomb Hill. Mouth of the Lewis and Clark River entering Youngs Bay with the Lewis and Clark River Bridge. In the foreground is the Old Youngs Bay Bridge. Image taken April 19, 2005.
Click image to enlarge	Cook Slough and Daggett Point (land in foreground from this angle), as seen from Coxcomb Hill. The channel of Youngs River is just out-of-sight in the foreground. Image taken April 19, 2005.
Click image to enlarge	Saddle Mountain, Oregon, as seen from Coxcomb Hill. Image taken April 19, 2005.

From the Journals of Lewis and Clark ...

Clark, ...

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^*River Miles [RM] are approximate, in statute miles, and were determined from USGS topo maps, obtained from NOAA nautical charts, or obtained from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Website, 2003

Sources: Astoria-Warrenton Chamber of Commerce Website, 2004; Clatsop County Historical Society Website, 2004; Columbia River Maritime Museum Website, 2004; McArthur, L.A., and McArthur, L.L., 2003, Oregon Geographic Names, Oregon Historical Society Press, Portland; National Register of Historic Places Website, 2004; Oregon State Archives Website, 2007; Oregon State Department of Transportation Website, 2004; U.S. Coast Guard Website, 2004; U.S. National Park Service Website, 2004, "Marine Heritage Program".

All Lewis and Clark quotations from Gary Moulton editions of the Lewis and Clark Journals, University of Nebraska Press, all attempts have been made to type the quotations exactly as in the Moulton editions, however typing errors introduced by this web author cannot be ruled out; location interpretation from variety of sources, including this website author.