Maritime Museum Exhibit Storage Facility (an inside location not normally open to the public). 1792 Marine Drive. These large-scale murals were painted by Astoria muralist and artist Jo Brown, when this building was Astoria Builder’s Supply.
Knight Cancer Collaborative at 1905 Exchange Street. Depicts the iconic ‘Blue Marble’ image, from the photo taken December 7, 1972 by NASA astronauts from Apollo 17. This is an interior space not open to the public. Painted by Astoria artist Jo Brown.
Plane Tree Mural in the Healing Garden at the Knight Cancer Collaborative, 1905 Exchange Street. Referred to as a mural, this art is a 2-ton bah relief ceramic tile mosaic of a plane tree. Designed and created by Astoria ceramicist Richard Rowland to inspire healing through nature.
Custard King Mural at 1597 Commercial.
Shallon Winery at 1598 Duane.
U.S.S. Akron mural. The Airship Akron, a helium-filled rigid Navy airship, was based on the West Coast in May and June of 1932. This image is on the Shallon Winery building; view from Commercial or Duane on the west side of the building.
Fort Astoria Mural, in Fort Astoria Park at the intersection of 15th and Exchange. This mural depicts the original Fort Astoria settlement.
Lovell Auto Co. sign is a remembrance of the car dealership that was the original purpose of this building when it was built in 1922. Location is 1483 Duane Street; view on the East side of the George Lovell Showroom.
Ghost signs at Reach Break Brewing, 1348 Duane Street, view on the wall above the food carts.
Restored historical ‘Sunflower Dairy’ sign at 1315 Duane Street.
Luminary Arts painted mandalas and geometric designs. 1296 Duane Street. This business is at the Duane Street end of the 13th Street Alley Mural.
The 13th Street Alley Mural, ‘Ehkahnam’ or ‘Gathering Song’, depicts an abstract interpretation of different types of landscape in Astoria using a color palette taken from native elements. Location is the alley on 13th between Duane and Commercial. Created by Astoria artist Andi Sterling.
’19 M.H. Smith 24′ restored sign at 1263 Commercial. There is faux brick to the left of the doorway and restored sign lettering with gold detail above the doorway.
PEACE sign painted in the front window of Old Town framing Co. at 1287 Commercial. Each letter in PEACE contains the word ‘peace’ in several languages. Painted by Jo Brown as part of a temporary holiday window display several years ago, it has remained in place.
Ghost signs for ‘Astoria Drug Co’ and ‘Donnerberg’ can be seen above Gimre’s Shoes at 239 14th Street. Can also be seen from Marine Drive or the Riverwalk in various locations.
Mo’s Seafood and Chowder Restaurant mural at 101 15th Street. This is a 3-dimensional scene of the Columbia River inside the restaurant’s entrance.
Astoria Riverwalk Murals – murals depict scenes of workers on the historic riverfront incorporated into the building’s architecture. Painted by Astoria artist Jo Brown. View between 11th and 12th on the Riverwalk.
‘Mason, Ehrman & Co.’ ghost sign above the Astoria Riverwalk Mural. This building is now Astoria Food Hub/Astoria Brewing but used to be the Sears Building. There is an homage to this with the business name incorporated into the imagery.
‘New England Fishing Company of Oregon’ restored sign on Buoy Beer. View from the Riverwalk at 6th street. This sign is 150′ long, with 4′ tall letters large enough to be seen by ships on the Columbia. Unfortunately, part of this sign was lost when the roof of Buoy Beer collapsed in 2022.
Historic Fisher Brothers Building has ‘Fisher Bros Company’ ghost sign and ‘The Linen Thread Co. No.42 7th St.’ ghost sign at 42 7th Street.
Astoria Arts Celebration ’98 Mural. View from the Riverwalk at 11th Street. This mural of a historic photographer was created for the 1998 Arts Celebration.
Pencil mural. View from the Riverwalk at 2nd, on a vacant and somewhat derelict building.
Josephson’s Smoke House at 106 W. Marine Drive. This business has signage on all sides; the ‘A. Josephson Fish Co.’ ghost sign is viewable from the Riverwalk.
There is a mural depicting a Native American woman and child, and frontiersmen, on a closed restaurant building at 12 Marine Drive, on the west side of the building, partially obscured by plants. This location is just west of Josephson’s Smoke House on the same side of the street.
TLC Credit Union mural at 85 W. Marine Drive, on west side of the building. Be careful viewing during bank business hours as this is a banking drive-through. Mural depicts views of historical Astoria, the Astoria trolley and the waterfront. Created by Jo Brown, it is currently being restored by her (summer 2023).
At the same location on the side of the building facing Marine Drive.
Lewis and Clark Expedition Mural next to Dots ‘N Doodles Art Supply 303 Marine Drive. This mural, just west of 4th, on the back wall of the art store’s parking lot, tells the history of Lewis and Clark’s journey to Astoria. It is very weathered.
The Dragon Mural adjacent to Children’s Park Playground, depicts a dragon and other symbols honoring Astoria’s Chinese heritage. View from 6th and Commercial.
The exterior of Merry Time Bar and Grill, at 995 Marine Drive, depicts athletes from the 1930s and 1940s on two sides of the building.
Galactix’s wall of ghost signs. By day there are faded signs on an exterior brick wall at 254 9th Street. At night, projection mapping shows images of the original signs that can barely be made out during the day. Portland-based light artist Craig Winslow installed his first permanent ‘light capsule’ here in Astoria. He researched the ghost signs on this wall, then created light projections of the signs as they appeared in Astoria’s past.
Imogen Gallery’s ‘The Wave’ was inspired by Japanese artist Katsushika Hokusai’s woodblock print ‘The Great Wave Off Kanazawa’. 240 11th Street, on the north-facing wall of the building.
Imogen Gallery’s Tom Cramer ‘mural’. The doorway entrance to the gallery is painted in the signature style of Portland artist Tom Cramer. 240 11th Street.
Geometric Mural next to Keepsake Tattoo Studio at 253 11th Street. This is a mural of dynamic black, gray and white geometric shapes.
Silver Salmon Grille at 1105 Commercial Street has a painting on the side door facing 11th of a salmon wearing a chef’s hat.
‘Thiel Bros. Cigars Billiards Lunches’ sign on the back wall of 1105 Commercial (between 11th and 12th on Duane) has recently been restored. An homage to a business that is no longer there.
Botjoy Mural at the 11th and Duane food cart space depicts 73 tiny robots. This mural, created in 2021, is part of an international series by Portland muralist Gary Hirsch.
There are also small painted signs at this location. While not technically murals, these small art pieces serve as signage for various carts.
Hotel Elliott at 357 12th Street, has a mural seen from their rooftop garden that disguises and blends equipment into the panoramic view of the Columbia. This was restored by Jo Brown and her daughter in the summer of 2023.
The Liberty Theatre has a mural on its roof that can be seen from the Hotel Elliott rooftop garden (it was originally created to improve the view from the Elliott). It is currently weathered and in need of restoration.
© 2024 Carol Merwin, All Rights Reserved. Images may not be used without permission.