Scandinavians and Nordic Immigrants in Astoria
Since its founding in 1811, Astoria has gone through several transformations. From its start as a trading outpost to a booming fishing and logging industrial area to its present-day tourist industry, Astoria has ridden the waves of history. It continues to be a rich and culturally diverse area that attracts many new residents and thousands of people to visit each year.
Astoria has been influenced significantly by the people who immigrated to it over the years. A large portion came from Scandinavia and their descendants continue to live in the area. Scandinavian immigration, prompted by poverty and the collapse of traditional farming practices in Scandinavia, peaked in the late 19th century. From 1880 to 1899, 950,000 Scandinavians arrived at Ellis Island. By most definitions, Scandinavians include people from Denmark, Iceland, Norway, Sweden and Finland, even though the Finnish language is considered more closely related to Hungarian and other Eastern European languages.
The State of Oregon was home to only about 47 Scandinavians in 1870 but by the turn of the century they were coming to the Pacific Northwest in droves. Many came to the local area after 1870 when the railroad was completed from San Francisco to Astoria. Most of the large number of immigrants who settled in Astoria were loggers, fishermen, farmers, and small business owners. In 1900, the largest number of foreign born Astorians were from Finland, then Sweden, Norway, Germany, England, and Denmark. By the 1910 census there were 9599 inhabitants in Astoria and 35% of the population identified as Scandinavians. By 1910 the Norwegians had surpassed the Swedes as the second largest Scandinavian immigrant group in Astoria.
Astoria, Oregon was a hotbed of immigration for Scandinavians and is rich in history influenced by its citizens from Scandinavia. Of the immigrant communities at turn of the century, Finns were the most numerous. Most lived in in a neighborhood called Uniontown. They began a Finnish-language socialist newspaper called Toveri in 1907. Circulation peaked at 4,000 in 1916. The Norwegians were the second largest group and settled in a neighborhood called Uppertown. Many locals credit John Warren, the coach of the Astoria High School basketball team that won the state basketball title in 1928, as the unifying force that brought the diverse ethnicities and neighborhoods in the community together.
Today Astoria is still home to many descendants of those early Scandinavian immigrants and several organizations still exist that evolved from the early Scandinavian societies. These organizations and their founding dates include:
United Finnish Kaleva Brothers & Sisters, Astoria Lodge #2 - 1886
Scandinavian Benevolent Society - 1887
Sons of Norway Nidaros Lodge No. 16 - 1910
Daughters of Norway Stjernen Lodge - 1910
Astor Lodge 215 VASA (Swedish) Order of America - 1912
Lower Columbia Danish Society - 1975
Astoria Scandinavian Heritage Association - 2011
The idea for the yearly Scandinavian Midsummer Festival held in Astoria came from a festival held in March 1938. The present-day Scandinavian Midsummer Festival was reformed from this early idea and held for the first time in 1968. Today it has become a major activity for local Scandinavian lodges and descendants and is held the third week of June each summer at the Clatsop County Fairgrounds. No longer limited to Scandinavians only, this festival attracts visitors from near and far who are interested in exploring ethnic cultures through festival activities centered on heritage, tradition, family, food and fun.
Learn more about the Astoria Scandinavian Midsummer Festival at www.astoriascanfest.org.
Since its founding in 1811, Astoria has gone through several transformations. From its start as a trading outpost to a booming fishing and logging industrial area to its present-day tourist industry, Astoria has ridden the waves of history. It continues to be a rich and culturally diverse area that attracts many new residents and thousands of people to visit each year.
Astoria has been influenced significantly by the people who immigrated to it over the years. A large portion came from Scandinavia and their descendants continue to live in the area. Scandinavian immigration, prompted by poverty and the collapse of traditional farming practices in Scandinavia, peaked in the late 19th century. From 1880 to 1899, 950,000 Scandinavians arrived at Ellis Island. By most definitions, Scandinavians include people from Denmark, Iceland, Norway, Sweden and Finland, even though the Finnish language is considered more closely related to Hungarian and other Eastern European languages.
The State of Oregon was home to only about 47 Scandinavians in 1870 but by the turn of the century they were coming to the Pacific Northwest in droves. Many came to the local area after 1870 when the railroad was completed from San Francisco to Astoria. Most of the large number of immigrants who settled in Astoria were loggers, fishermen, farmers, and small business owners. In 1900, the largest number of foreign born Astorians were from Finland, then Sweden, Norway, Germany, England, and Denmark. By the 1910 census there were 9599 inhabitants in Astoria and 35% of the population identified as Scandinavians. By 1910 the Norwegians had surpassed the Swedes as the second largest Scandinavian immigrant group in Astoria.
Astoria, Oregon was a hotbed of immigration for Scandinavians and is rich in history influenced by its citizens from Scandinavia. Of the immigrant communities at turn of the century, Finns were the most numerous. Most lived in in a neighborhood called Uniontown. They began a Finnish-language socialist newspaper called Toveri in 1907. Circulation peaked at 4,000 in 1916. The Norwegians were the second largest group and settled in a neighborhood called Uppertown. Many locals credit John Warren, the coach of the Astoria High School basketball team that won the state basketball title in 1928, as the unifying force that brought the diverse ethnicities and neighborhoods in the community together.
Today Astoria is still home to many descendants of those early Scandinavian immigrants and several organizations still exist that evolved from the early Scandinavian societies. These organizations and their founding dates include:
United Finnish Kaleva Brothers & Sisters, Astoria Lodge #2 - 1886
Scandinavian Benevolent Society - 1887
Sons of Norway Nidaros Lodge No. 16 - 1910
Daughters of Norway Stjernen Lodge - 1910
Astor Lodge 215 VASA (Swedish) Order of America - 1912
Lower Columbia Danish Society - 1975
Astoria Scandinavian Heritage Association - 2011
The idea for the yearly Scandinavian Midsummer Festival held in Astoria came from a festival held in March 1938. The present-day Scandinavian Midsummer Festival was reformed from this early idea and held for the first time in 1968. Today it has become a major activity for local Scandinavian lodges and descendants and is held the third week of June each summer at the Clatsop County Fairgrounds. No longer limited to Scandinavians only, this festival attracts visitors from near and far who are interested in exploring ethnic cultures through festival activities centered on heritage, tradition, family, food and fun.
Learn more about the Astoria Scandinavian Midsummer Festival at www.astoriascanfest.org.