Tongue Point Job Corps Center vessels on the Columbia River blasted their horns, and a U.S. Coast Guard Jayhawk helicopter from Air Station Astoria circled over the 17th Street dock.

Dignitaries from all levels of government queued around an unassuming item covered in Visqueen and shrink wrap.

After pomp and circumstance, and speeches aplenty, the gathered few peeled back the covering to unveil a black granite slab proclaiming what locals have known for some time:

Astoria: an official Coast Guard City.

Astoria has been a Coast Guard city, in my opinion, since 1915, said Mayor Willis Van Dusen, standing at a podium backed by 17th Street dock construction that will upgrade it to steel and cement for the Coast Guard cutters Alert and Steadfast homeported there.

But the United States Congress and the Senate approved an application that took about 10 years for us to be officially approved. We had U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden and U.S. Sen. Merkley whats his first name? Jeff Merkley in person, with the governor to present us this proclamation.

After at least a decade-long effort, Astoria was officially designated a Coast Guard city May 1, 2010 and confirmed during the Bicentennial May 21, 2011.

Its very appropriate, because the Coast Guard and Astoria and the mouth of the Columbia River share a very long and illustrious history that goes back over 150 years, said Capt. Bruce Jones, commander of Sector Columbia River.

Astoria joins Newport, which earned the Coast Guard City designation in 2005, and 12 other cities spread across nine states.

That consideration means a lot to us, said Jones, lauding Astorias regular spate of Coast Guard honorings. It carries over to other parts of the community, and its part of what makes it so rewarding for a Coastie to be stationed here in Astoria.

State Rep. Deborah Boone, D-Cannon Beach, who Jan. 1 became the state representative for Astoria after redistricting, spoke at the event along with state Sen. Betsy Johnson, D-Scappoose.

I used to serve on the Hamlet Fire Department, and we had Saddle Mountain and some of the logging country in our district. And very often well have the need for those little whirly birds … to help us rescue someone. The Coast Guard has been there for us. They do more than just water rescue. They do everything.

Coast Guard History

Jones said the Coast Guards history with Astoria began in 1856 when revenue cutter Joseph Lane was stationed in Astoria.

Currently homeported in Astoria are medium-endurance cutters Steadfast and Alert, temporarily located along the Port of Astorias Pier 2 while their usual docks at 17th Street are upgraded from wood to steel and concrete.The buoy tender Fir is located at Tongue Point. In addition, Air Station Astoria is located at the Astoria Regional Airport in Warrenton; the Aids to Navigation Team and Electronic Support Detachment are at Tongue Point; and hundreds of local auxiliary members assist the Coast Guard.

All in all, over 500 members of team Coast Guard, active duty, reserve and civilian, call Astoria and the surrounding community home, said Jones, adding that Coast Guard families have come from all over the country and are involved in every aspect of the community.

Van Dusen said Astorians can get irritated when people comment on how much Astoria must like the additional payroll from the Coast Guard personnel. That is such an insult. The men and women of the U.S. Coast Guard are ready and willing on a daily basis to give their lives for us.

The mayor said they can be found on the library boards, school boards, the Port Commission, on city staff and in every other avenue of community involvement. He then read the proclamation making Astoria an official Coast Guard city.

The reason we integrate into the community so completely and thoroughly is because were made to feel welcome, said Jones. Were made to feel that the talents, the enthusiasm, the values and abilities that our Coast Guard families bring to this community are appreciated, and that isnt true everywhere.

Astoria Coast Guard City

The granite monument, a slab emblazoned with Astoria Coast Guard City and mounted on two more granite pillars on top of a concrete foundation, was made and installed by Hillsboro-based Oregon Memorials and delivered to Astoria Dec. 13.

It cost the city $13,100 Councilman Russ Warr, who owns Astoria Granite, helped design the front image.

Community Development Director Brett Estes offered Clatsop Community College Student Adam Dreke, whose work-study time providing 3D building renderings for the city had recently ended, tuition reimbursement in exchange for an extra 60 hours to create a 3D rendering of the site. Dreke studies computer-aided drafting and design at the college.

I made a 3D model of the whole maritime area with the anchor, obelisk and sign to show the city what it would actually look like, said Dreke, who surveyed and measured much of the site and used Google SketchUp to render it.

The purple hippo

Van Dusen had one more trick in the bag literally and pulled out a highly coveted, purple, hand-me down hippopotamus thats purportedly been passed between the city and the standing Coast Guard commander since 1998s groundbreaking of the Coast Guard housing units. Then-Coast Guard Capt. Rod Leland, who later became Astoria city manager, didnt have a gift to exchange with the other gathered dignitaries, and plucked the hippo from his car seat, gifted it to the city on the fly.

A unique Astoria tradition was born.

Part of the tradition, said Van Dusen, is the commander has no clue what youre doing. Jones was game, though.

Its a rare day … in any persons life to receive a purple hippo, he said. I only hope that each and every one of you, one day, may, if not receive your own purple hippo, know someone who does.