6/30/2019. Astoria, Oregon. Fort Stevens. 1st Television Cable Transmission 1948. Astoria Column

Sandy and I are along the Oregon Coast.  We drove North to the mouth of the Columbia River.  This is where the river opens up to the Pacific Ocean.  Within eyesight of the opening is the city of Astoria.  A number of years ago the President of one of the railroads had a money making idea to offer a traveling train  which would take tourists on an adventure from Chicago to the West Coast. It would travel through a number of western cities.  To create interest he offered the cities money to create/build something that would interest tourist.  The city of Astoria used the money to build the “Astoria Column”. It is a large tower containing a spiral staircase with 162 steps leading to the top.  At the top you overlook the city, the mouth of the Columbia River.  (See Attached)

The Astoria Column is also known as the spot where the 1st Cable Transmission was successfully completed to Seattle on Thanksgiving 1948 and the location of the 1st community Television Antenna February 1949.

The other surprise in the same general area was “Fort Stevens State Park”.  It is a Historic Military Site.  The site was used during the Civil War, World War I, and World War II to protect the Columbia River Channel.  The concern was that enemy submarines could travel down the Columbia River and attack cities internal to the United States.  The fort is actually hidden below ground and cannot be seen from the water level.  In 1863 it was built with twenty six 10” muzzle loading Rodman Cannons due to the presence of British and Confederate Sea Raiders.  In the 1900’s the Fort was updated numerous times.  These updates included 10” disappearing cannons, Mine Docks to deploy floating explodable mines in the rivers channel, 12” mortar, Torpedo loading room, bomb-proof and gas-proof test tanks, as well as a hospital, and other facilities.  The disappearing guns are actually below ground and are raised prior to firing.  The Japanese snuck a submarine into the Columbia River Channel on June 21 1942 by following returning fishing vessels through the net of explodable mines.  They actually fired 17 explosive shells into the surrounding area but since the fort was hidden they never hit the fort.  The commander of the base ordered the fort to turn out all its lights and not to fire back so as not to get discovered.  The concern was that by firing back they would expose their location and that the guns they had available would not reach the submarine. United States Army Air Force on a training mission spotted the submarine and called in a A-29 Bomber to attack.  The submarine successfully avoided the bombs and did escape.