May 10, 2026

This little gem of not quite 9,000 residents has the distinction of being the oldest continuous U.S. settlement west of the Rocky Mountains. In the late 1800’s, Astoria’s salmon canneries, forest and shipping industries turned the area into the liveliest boom town between Seattle and San Francisco.

The famous Western Highway U.S. Highway 101 used to run through Astoria. But, in 1964, the epic 9.2 Good Friday Earthquake in Alaska sent a huge tidal wave into Astoria, wiping out the 101 highway. Isolated, residents started an international sandcastle competition that still attracts tourists every June.

In response to the earthquake, the state of Oregon completed the Astoria-Megler Bridge which spans the Columbia River, linking Oregon and Washington. At 4.1 miles, it’s the longest continuous truss bridge in North America. To assure its safety, the bridge can withstand wind gusts of 150 mph and 9 mph currents.

Astoria’s big claim to fame is that many film companies have trekked to Astoria to film. The Black Stallion, The Goonies, Short Circuit, Free Willy 1 & 2 and The Guardian were just a few made here. Of course, as parents we all cried with our children watching Free Willy. The film that I am most familiar with that was shot in Astoria is Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Kindergarten Cop.

But as I am told The Goonies has a cult following here is a photo for all you Goonies fans that I captured of The Goonies House.

Thanks for traveling with us.

Thirdmill Update: Many years ago, I did an internship at a maximum-security prison in Stockton, California. At that time there was little if any rehabilitative materials available to prisoners. I am proud to announce that situation has changed. Metanoia Prison Ministries is a ministry of the Presbyterian Church in America. They have been working with the EDOVO App group, which is providing tablets for prisons in the US. These tablets have all kinds of learning resources available for prisoners. They currently have about 1 million tablets in prisons across America. As of about three weeks ago, Thirdmill material went live in the EDOVO App through the work of Metanoia. It will be exciting to receive feedback and see how God uses Thirdmill’s Bible content to help restore, rehabilitate and redeem those who are incarcerated.