About Astoria and the Liberty Theater

Although Astoria was established in 1811, it was not until the 1840s that permanent settlers arrived on the lower Columbia River peninsula.

Astoria's population grew tremendously from the 1870s through the 1890s. The central area of Astoria was largely populated by those who owned commercial or industrial ventures; their houses were constructed above the business district. Districts to either side, called Uniontown and Uppertown--or farther to the east, Alderbrook--were populated by the working class.

Astoria's first cannery, the third in Oregon, was incorporated in 1873. It was called Badollet & Co. and was constructed on the wharf of Christian Leinenweber's Hemlock Tannery. In 1875, Booth & Co. constructed Astoria's second cannery. From then, canneries multiplied quickly; within two years, Astoria operated 11 canneries.

Within 20 years, the number of canneries would double. In 1899, seven canneries combined their plants and equipment to form the Columbia River Packers Association. That same year, 200 fishermen organized their own co-op cannery. It was called the Union Fishermen's Co-op Packing Co.

Houses were constructed on the hill above canneries and sawmills. While those constructed in central Astoria tended to be high-style Victorian, those on the edges were designed in a vernacular Victorian style.

Two major fires took their toll on the downtown. In 1883, a fire burned the eastern portion of the town.

Then, on December 2, 1922, fire broke out along Astoria's waterfront and by the following afternoon, 32 city blocks had been destroyed, including the city's entire business district. Only two lives were lost; however property losses were estimated at over $12 million. It took several years for the town to recover from the devastating inferno. The district was rebuilt, sometimes on the very foundations of former buildings.

Theater culture started with live theater in opera houses, saloons and ethnic meeting halls. For instance, the Ross Opera House on 6th and Commercial was known for dramatic plays, comedies and musicals in addition to vocalists and small orchestras. Liberty Hall near 7th and Bond was more bawdy but nevertheless provided entertainment for the less discriminating. Suomi Hall, however, provided more ethnic entertainment and was a popular stage for folk stories, etc.

The Liberty Theatre and Riviera Theatres, both built in 1925, used vaudeville and film to capture audiences week after week. Both theaters drew upon the exotic, surrounding patrons with Mediterranean-style auditoriums.

The Riviera Theater was designed by architect Charles T. Diamond in 1925. Though smaller than the Liberty Theatre, it too provided vaudeville acts and silent films accompanied by live organ music. Now renamed The Columbian, it remains the only theater in the business district to feature commercial and independent films. But it was the Liberty which was the most successful, eventually buying out the Riviera and others, while updating equipment and changing venues.

Portland architects John V. Bennes and Harry A. Herzog designed the Mediterranean-inspired theater and building in 1925. One of Astoria's finest buildings, the theater featured small vaudeville acts, silent films and a magnificent Wurlitzer organ.

It remains today as one of the jewels of Astoria's business district. The building is individually listed on the National Register of Historic Places.