Astoria and Warrenton encompass the oldest American settlement west of the Rocky Mountains, dating to Lewis and Clark, and preserve a broad record of regional history through sites tied to exploration, military defense, architecture, maritime life, and local heritage. At Fort Stevens, young soldiers in Union blue once guarded the mouth of the Columbia River, and the fort remained active from 1863 until after World War II. The Flavel House, built in 1885 for river bar pilot and entrepreneur Captain George Flavel, reflects the Victorian period in an elegant Queen Anne style home, while the Heritage Museum and the Uppertown Firefighters Museum add to the area's historic sites. The Columbia River Maritime Museum presents shipwrecks, lighthouses, fishing, navigation, naval history, and the lightship Columbia. The Astoria Column stands as a distinctive work of historic architecture depicting the evolution of the area and offering sweeping views of the Columbia River, ocean, bays, and mountains. Fort Clatsop preserves the story and significance of the 1803-1806 Lewis and Clark Expedition, including a replica of the expedition's 1805-06 winter encampment at the forested memorial site.