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word
nerd
By RYAN HUME
Clatsop
[klat•səp]
COURTESY OF CLATSOP COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY
A historical photo shows the former Astoria High School below
a quarry on Jerome Avenue, where Clatsop Community Col-
lege was established in 1958.
PHOTO BY PATRICIA BECK-FRIES
Gray Memorial Chapel, commonly known as Pioneer Presbyterian Church, is located in the Clat-
sop Plains. Though the current building was constructed in 1927, the congregation was estab-
lished in 1846 and is the oldest, continuous Presbyterian church west of the Rockies.
Origin:
From the Salish language
family, specifi cally the
Clatsop dialect of the lower
Chinookan. Recorded alter-
natively throughout the 19th
century as Chat-sops, Chad-
sops, Clasops and by Lewis
and Clark as Clat-sops, the
term originated as a place
name, a modifi cation of the
Upper Chinook tlaak’eelak to
the Lower Chinook łät’cαp or
la t cap, which means “place
of dried salmon.” Clatsop
District was created on June
22, 1844 by an act of the
Provisional Legislature.
“It is to be hoped the Legislature will
not forget the case of Clatsop county, in
the multitude of other important matters
they have in hand. The redistricting and
apportionment by the last Legislature
was extremely unjust to Clatsop county.
While other counties having a smaller
population have a full Representative,
Clatsop is left without one. According to
the census of 1870 Clatsop county had
at that time a population of 1, 255. Since
then the population of that county has
increased very rapidly — probably at a
greater ratio than that of any other county
in the State.”
— “Clatsop County,” The Morning Orego-
nian, Tuesday, Oct. 6, 1874, P. 2
“What used to be known as the
Clatsop Plains and which is now
growing into villages and towns such
as Warrenton, Hammond and Flavel is
SUNDAY AFTERNOON
noun
1. a native Salishan
people of the North Oregon
Coast that once occupied
the area below the Co-
lumbia River and north of
Tillamook Head around
present-day Seaside and
Gearhart. Today the remain-
ing 200 members of the
Clatsop Tribe have been
subsumed within other local
tribes, including the Clat-
sop-Nehalem Confederated
Tribes of Oregon and the
Chinook Tribe.
2. the extinct dialect of
the Clatsop people, part
of the Lower Chinookan
language
3. a county situated on
the northernmost point
of the Oregon Coast. The
county seat is Astoria and
the population is 37,039
according to the 2010 U.S.
Census. The term Clatsop has
been affi xed to many place
names within the county
including the Clatsop Plains
and Clatsop Spit
4. Clatsop Community
College: an accredited two-
year public college serving
both northwest Oregon
and southwest Washington
since 1958. The historic
main campus on Lexington
Avenue in Astoria, located
on a hill overlooking the Co-
lumbia River, has been built
up around Towler Hall, the
former site of Astoria High
School. Satellite campuses
include the Marine and
Environmental Research and
Training Station on the east
end of Astoria and South
County Campus located in
Seaside
Live
Presents
A NDY
H ACKBARTH
T RIO
Colorado folklore,
classical guitar and
Nashville experience
create a musical treat!
a stretch of level country twenty miles
long and with an average width of three
miles…. Clatsop county is simply teem-
ing with possibilities for the enterprising
man with small means who wishes
to become independent and form the
foundation of a lucrative business.”
—“A Land of Unlimited Resources,” The
Morning Astorian, Investors’ and Homeseekers’
Edition, Sunday, Feb. 23, 1908, P. 4
PHOTO BY DANNY MILLER
The new welcome pole carved by artist Guy Capoeman and
created in partnership by the Clatsop-Nehalem tribe and the
city of Cannon Beach is at NeCus’ Park in Cannon Beach.
Sponsored by:
• Bud’s Lumber
• Marilyn & Roy Stephens
• Helen Campbell
• Beryl Adams
Sunday
November 6 th
at 2 pm
In the
HISTORIC
RAYMOND
THEATRE
Buy advance tickets at: www.sundayafternoonlive.org
or phone (360) 875-5207
240 11 TH STREET
ASTORIA, OR 97103