A popular 1980s movie that helped put Astoria on the Hollywood map will be showcased in a new permanent location thanks to a deal between Clatsop County and a local historical group.
The county is giving the Clatsop County Historical Society the use of the historic old Clatsop County Jail in downtown Astoria as a museum dedicated to “The Goonies” and other made-in-Oregon films.
On Wednesday, Dec. 16 the board of county commissioners voted unanimously to lease the first floor of the building to the historical society for $1 a year.
The society plans to have the new facility up and running by June 2010, in time for the 25th anniversary of “The Goonies” release, according to its executive director, McAndrew “Mac” Burns.
Locations in and around Astoria were used for several scenes in the popular 1985 film, which follows the adventures of a group of treasure-seeking kids. Many of those sites, including the old jail, remain popular attractions today for Goonies fans from around the world.
With the lease approved, the society will begin a thorough examination of the jail space and begin drawing up plans for the new museum as soon as possible, Burns said. All the displays will be created in-house.
“We have some talented staff, some very creative people,” he said of the society, which also owns the historic Flavel House next door to the old jail.
“The Goonies” brings its own “built-in” audience, Burns said, but the society decided to broaden the scope of the museum by including information on the many movies filmed entirely or in part in Oregon ? more than 300 dating back to 1908’s “The Fisherman’s Bride,” shot in Astoria.
The popularity of movie settings was demonstrated recently by the hordes of fans of the 2008 film “Twilight” who’ve descended on the tiny town of Forks, Wash., Burns said. “There’s a market out there ? people want to see where these movies are filmed.”
Oregon has provided locales for notable films such as “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest,” “Drugstore Cowboy,” “Animal House” and “The Shining.”
Along with “The Goonies,” Astoria and Clatsop County have been seen in such movies as “The Black Stallion,” “Kindergarten Cop” and “Free Willy II.”
“We want to explain how Oregon is portrayed in films,” Burns said.
The old county jail dates to 1914, and was in use until 1976. It was the setting for the exciting opening scene in “The Goonies” featuring a break-out by the film’s villainous Fratelli brothers. Some of the original jail cells have long been removed to create workspace, but all the cells on the building’s south side ? including Cell #2, seen in “The Goonies,” are still all intact, bars, bunks and all.
As part of the arrangement with the historical society, the county will lease, also for the same $1 yearly rent, the former Morris Glass building located kitty-corner from the jail at Seventh and Duane streets. That building, owned by Historical Society board member Randy Stemper, will become the new location for the county’s Building and Grounds workshop now located in the old jail.
The county estimates it will cost approximately $5,000 to equip the Morris Glass building to hold the Buildings and Ground shop. New offices for the staff will be set up in the county public services building at 800 Exchange St.
The upper floor the jail, currently used for storage, will remain in the county’s possession and will not be open to the public.
Before casting his vote in favor of the lease, Commissioner John Raichl admitted he still doesn’t “get” the whole Goonies phenomenon, but knows just how devoted the film’s fans are. The former Clatsop County Sheriff recalled how he fulfilled a special request from a group from England to tour the old jail, which is normally closed to the public.
“They came all the way out here just to see where ‘The Goonies’ was filmed,” he said.
The 20th anniversary Goonies celebration in 2005 drew hundreds of fans to Astoria to meet some of the film’s stars and watch special viewings of the movie. Burns said a special Goonies exhibit set up at the historical society’s Heritage Museum brought the group its “busiest weekend, busiest month and busiest summer ever.”
The county is giving the Clatsop County Historical Society the use of the historic old Clatsop County Jail in downtown Astoria as a museum dedicated to “The Goonies” and other made-in-Oregon films.
On Wednesday, Dec. 16 the board of county commissioners voted unanimously to lease the first floor of the building to the historical society for $1 a year.
The society plans to have the new facility up and running by June 2010, in time for the 25th anniversary of “The Goonies” release, according to its executive director, McAndrew “Mac” Burns.
Locations in and around Astoria were used for several scenes in the popular 1985 film, which follows the adventures of a group of treasure-seeking kids. Many of those sites, including the old jail, remain popular attractions today for Goonies fans from around the world.
With the lease approved, the society will begin a thorough examination of the jail space and begin drawing up plans for the new museum as soon as possible, Burns said. All the displays will be created in-house.
“We have some talented staff, some very creative people,” he said of the society, which also owns the historic Flavel House next door to the old jail.
“The Goonies” brings its own “built-in” audience, Burns said, but the society decided to broaden the scope of the museum by including information on the many movies filmed entirely or in part in Oregon ? more than 300 dating back to 1908’s “The Fisherman’s Bride,” shot in Astoria.
The popularity of movie settings was demonstrated recently by the hordes of fans of the 2008 film “Twilight” who’ve descended on the tiny town of Forks, Wash., Burns said. “There’s a market out there ? people want to see where these movies are filmed.”
Oregon has provided locales for notable films such as “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest,” “Drugstore Cowboy,” “Animal House” and “The Shining.”
Along with “The Goonies,” Astoria and Clatsop County have been seen in such movies as “The Black Stallion,” “Kindergarten Cop” and “Free Willy II.”
“We want to explain how Oregon is portrayed in films,” Burns said.
The old county jail dates to 1914, and was in use until 1976. It was the setting for the exciting opening scene in “The Goonies” featuring a break-out by the film’s villainous Fratelli brothers. Some of the original jail cells have long been removed to create workspace, but all the cells on the building’s south side ? including Cell #2, seen in “The Goonies,” are still all intact, bars, bunks and all.
As part of the arrangement with the historical society, the county will lease, also for the same $1 yearly rent, the former Morris Glass building located kitty-corner from the jail at Seventh and Duane streets. That building, owned by Historical Society board member Randy Stemper, will become the new location for the county’s Building and Grounds workshop now located in the old jail.
The county estimates it will cost approximately $5,000 to equip the Morris Glass building to hold the Buildings and Ground shop. New offices for the staff will be set up in the county public services building at 800 Exchange St.
The upper floor the jail, currently used for storage, will remain in the county’s possession and will not be open to the public.
Before casting his vote in favor of the lease, Commissioner John Raichl admitted he still doesn’t “get” the whole Goonies phenomenon, but knows just how devoted the film’s fans are. The former Clatsop County Sheriff recalled how he fulfilled a special request from a group from England to tour the old jail, which is normally closed to the public.
“They came all the way out here just to see where ‘The Goonies’ was filmed,” he said.
The 20th anniversary Goonies celebration in 2005 drew hundreds of fans to Astoria to meet some of the film’s stars and watch special viewings of the movie. Burns said a special Goonies exhibit set up at the historical society’s Heritage Museum brought the group its “busiest weekend, busiest month and busiest summer ever.”
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