Praying for Those in Authority: Clatsop County

Flavel House, Astoria, OR

Let them give glory to the Lord, and declare His praise in the coastlands. Isaiah 42:12

Clatsop County is in the top northwestern corner of the state, bordered by the Columbia River and the Pacific Ocean. It is home to the oldest American settlement in the Northwest, Astoria, founded by trappers sent out by John Jacob Astor in 1811. Before that, just a bit south, the Lewis can Clark Expedition spent the winter of 1905-6 at Fort Clatsop. You can still visit a replica on the site. Astoria is the county seat, and the county was created in 1844 from a portion of one of the original four districts, Twality.

Clatsop County, OR

An early settler in Astoria, and one credited with creating modern Astoria, was Captain George Flavel. Born, it is believed, in Ireland, he first caught sight of the little village of Astoria in 1849 when he was shipping supplies during the gold rush. He had sailed around the Horn as a young man from New Jersey to make his fortune in the west. In 1851 he relocated to Astoria and became a licensed marine pilot for Oregon. He saw an opportunity in the dreaded Columbia River Bar that had a well-deserved reputation for wrecking ships and began a business of piloting ships through the dangerous waters. Since he was one of the few in Oregon with a mariner’s license, he and his partners made a fortune on piloting and ship tours on the Columbia River. They had a virtual monopoly. He was one of the first millionaires in Oregon.

He was known as a fearless man, of good character and an astute businessman.

In 1886 he used some of his fortune to build Flavel House, an 11,600 square foot Queen Anne-style mansion in Astoria. It takes up an entire city block. In 1934 a great-granddaughter donated the building to the city. It is currently a museum and one of the must-see places in Astoria.

Captain Flavel had other enterprises, including owning a wharf and serving as president of the First National Bank of Astoria.

Something not mentioned much is that he also donated land to the First Presbyterian Church of Astoria. His wife and daughters were members of the congregation. This church has been in existence for 140 years and has been at its present location for 103 on the land Captain Flavel donated. Currently the church is home to several community outreach services including the Astoria Conservatory of Music, Reach the Stars dance studio, Second Saturday Flea Market, and the Clatsop Food Pantry. They hold worship services at 10 a.m. on Sunday.

The County is governed by a five-member Board of Commissioners, elected for four year terms. Current Commissioners are Mark Kujala, Courtney Bangs, John Toyooka, Pamela Wey, and Lianne Thompson.

Matthew D. Phillips is the County Sheriff, who oversees the 1,085 square miles of mostly rural county. The population is 39,764. He has more than 80 law enforcement and administrative staff in his office.

There is a growing need in Clatsop County for affordable housing, especially along the coastal areas. Pray for the county officials and commissioners as they seek solutions that address the problems.

Pray for all the churches of Clatsop County. Early accounts indicate "church spires" were visible in the village of Astoria in 1849, when the population was just a few houses. Currently, Cannon Beach is known for the Cannon Beach Conference Center, which hosts numerous Christian events through the year.