Fort Astoria

Fort Astoria was a trading post at the mouth of the Columbia River surrounded by a wooden palisade with mounted cannons for protection. Inside the enclosure stood buildings for living quarters, storage, and trade activities that served the fur business.

The Pacific Fur Company founded this post in 1811 as the first American settlement on the Pacific coast. It became a key location in the fur trade and influenced how European and American interests developed along the western coast.

People from different backgrounds worked together at the trading post, creating a diverse community far from their homes. This mix of cultures shaped daily life in ways that were unusual for the time.

The site features a reconstructed blockhouse and archaeological remains that you can explore to learn about trading post operations. Visitors benefit from exploring nearby museum displays that explain the history and daily activities of the settlement.

Excavations at the site uncovered objects from different time periods that reveal how the location changed over decades. These discoveries help archaeologists understand how the fur trade operated and how the city of Astoria eventually grew around it.

Location: Clatsop County

Location: Astoria

Official opening: 1811

GPS coordinates: 46.18820,-123.82700

Latest update: December 18, 2025 11:41