From the Wheelhouse

History will be preserved where it was made.

project preserves one of Astoria's most historic buildings; however, this project is less about bricks and mortar than it is about capacity building. The restored Depot will provide many cultural and economic benefits to both the Museum and to the community. Preserving culture requires more than collecting and storing artifacts. How the artifacts were made and used is also important, and the best way to do this is through hands-on activities that pass these skills on from generation to generation. This is what the programs planned for the Depot space will do.

Executive Committee

H. Roger Qualman, Chairman

Helena Lankton. Vice Chainnan

Bruce Buckmaster, Treasurer

Capt. Thron Riggs, Secretary

Thomas V. Dukich.

Immediate Past Chairman

Ward Cook, Advisor

George Beall, Advisor

Donald Magnusen. Advisor

Sam Johnson. Executive Director

Trustees

Rick Anderson

Dale Farr

Cheri Folk

Jerry Gustafson

Michael Haglund

Dennis Hall

Ted Halton, Jr.

"50 years of Excellence;' those were the words we used in 2012 to celebrate our 50th Anniversary as one of the finest maritime museums in the United States.

Now, as we move into our second half-century, the Museum continues our pursuit of excellence with the restoration of the historic Astoria Railroad Depot.

The Depot was given to the Museum in 1987 by the Burlington Northern Railroad and had no major alterations since its construction in 1925. Ilowcvcr, in addition to age - related wear and tear, the Nisqually earthquake of 2001 caused structural damage that had to be repaired before the building could be reopened to the public. The choice was clear: fix it up or let it die. In 2010 we chose to fix it up.

With the help of many generous contributers, the Depot has now been restored and stands as a proud reminder of the days when eight trains a day connected Astoria to Portland. Its beautiful Palladian windows, wainscoted and paneled walls, and coffered ceilings once again reflect the elegance of days past.

The successful completion of this

Now renamed "The Barbey Maritime Center for Research and Industry" in honor of the Barbey family, who were pioneers in the Columbia River salmon packing industry, the Depot will support a wide variety of uses. Boat documentation programs, and workshops and classes on the traditional maritime skills and trades of the region will be taught. As we move into the Museum's nexl 50 years, Rolf Klep would be pleased to see how the maritime museum he founded on the banks of the Columbia River continues to grow and expand its scope and reach.

Don Haskell

Bill Henningsgaard

David Hill

Senator Betsy Johnson

Dr. Russell Keizer

S. Kenneth Kirn

Irene Mmiin

James McClaskey

Prudence Miller

David Myers

Larry Perkins

Capt. Jim Richards

Jcanysc Snow

Mike Sorkki

June Spence

Guy Stephenson

Bill Stevens

Charles J. Swindells

Shawn Teevin

Bill Wyatt

Trustee Emeritus

Peter Brix

Richard Carruthers

Walter Gadsby, Jr.

Alan Goudy

Samuel Johnson Executive Director

On the Cover : Professional photographer Michael Mathers captures the Depot and the Peacock on a rare crisp dry December morning.

Louis Larson

Advisory Trustees

Dr. Tuba Ozkan-Haller

Dr James Lerczak

Honorary Trustees

Victor G. Atiyeh

Gloria R. Linkey

Mayor Willis Van Dusen

The Astoria Railroad Depot

Designed by Thomas D. McMahon, the Great Northern Railway architect famous for the Many Glacier Hotel in Glacier National Park, the Astoria Railroad Depot is one of only two examples of McMahon's "Prairie School" style of architecture remaining in the Pacific Northwest. Constructed in 1925 by the Spokane, Portland and Seattle Railroad, the Depot lies at the eastern edge of the Museum's campus, 600 feet from the Museum's main building and anchors the easternmost boundary of Astoria's Downtown Historic District.

The Depot is divided into two sections separated by a covered breezeway: the east wing, where freight was stored, and the west wing, further divided into two beautiful coffered and paneled waiting rooms. The western-most, called the "Women's Waiting Room" served as the ticket office and a waiting room for women and children. The other, called the "Men's Waiting Room'' served as railroad staff offices, luggage storage, and as the men's waiting area.

The Depot serviced up to eight passenger and freight trains a day from Portland until 1952. With the advent of better roads, passenger service was discontinued and thereafter the Depot was used only for freight handling. In 1987 Burlington Northern Railroad gave this historic landmark to the Museum. In 1989 the Depot was used by the Museum as a boat shop to build the replica of a historic sailing gillnet boat now on display in the Museum's Great Hall. Between 2002 and 2005 the Depot served excursion trains as part of the Lewis and Clark Bicentennial. Otherwise, it has been used as a storage area for the Museum. In 2005 the Museum acquired additional storage space , freeing up the Depot for other uses. Restoration, including seismic upgrading, began in 2011 and was completed in 2012.