4th Finglish trip August 2006 #1
The annual, national event – FinnFest USA was held in 2006 at Naselle, Washington and Astoria, Oregon at the mouth of the Columbia River. The Finnish Folkdancers of Seattle, which has also toured in Finland, performed in authentic Finnish folk costumes.
The bridge across the mouth of the Columbia River from Oregon to Washington, or vice–versa, leads over Uniontown, which used to be the Finnish area of Astoria. The haali, the present-day Suomi Hall, a Finnish boarding house for single men, a sauna, a restaurant, a saloon, a doctor's surgery and other necessary services were available in the area soon after the Finns began to arrive there in the late 19th century.
Near Astoria, on a dried Columbia River wetland, is a Finnish dairy farm community. The elevated areas surrounding Blind Slough were settled by Finns in the late 1800s. When the dikes were built, more people moved in and the whole community became known as Brownsmead.
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