Captain George Flavel
In Their Footsteps
Lewis and Clark National Historical Park’s virtual “In Their Footsteps” talk is “Captain George Flavel” by Jon Drury.
This video is a replay of the In Their Footsteps event.
Astoria, Oregon, owes its existence as much to a little-known ship captain as to its namesake, John Jacob Astor. Captain George Flavel happened upon this ramshackle village in the fall of 1849, bringing goods during the California Gold Rush. As he subsequently captained and piloted three ships along the Pacific coast he learned of the perilous nature of the Columbia River Bar, sometimes called the “graveyard of the Pacific.” Flavel saw that a wise and knowledgeable pilot could master this peril and possibly build a career. He applied to Oregon for a commission to pilot ships over the sandbars at the mouth of the Columbia and received it in 1850. He then built a piloting team that over more than thirty years successfully guided hundreds of ships over the bar. His story is one of courage, inspiring character, and professional excellence.
Upon discovering that no book had been written about one of the most influential persons in Astoria’s history, Jon Drury determined to remedy that. Drury’s research and writing resulted in the publication of a book titled, “Captain George Flavel,” in 2020. The Flavel House in Astoria showcases the captain, his career, his family, and the home he built in the community they loved.
Jon Drury, a former Air Force pilot, is a nearly thirty-year mentor of writers. He has authored several books and hundreds of articles on various topics.
