The Lewis and Clark expedition spent the winter of 1805-06 on a small Oregon river near the mouth of the Columbia, a river later named after them. They called their camp Fort Clatsop after a local tribe, and the site has long been a National Memorial with a visitor center and replica of the fort based on the expedition’s drawing and descriptions. The site also includes the landing area on the river where dugout canoes were put into and taken out of the water.
Sign at the entrance to the National Memorial, soon to be part of the new L&C National Historical Park, as mentioned in previous blog entries.
I’ve been to Fort Clatsop a few times before now and the visitor center has mostly the same exhibits, although this region will be the location of a big signature event one year from now called "Destination: The Pacific." I imagine new interpretive displays and materials will be developed between now and then.
In an earlier post, I mentioned that only two members of the expedition were ever photographed, and said that I couldn't find the one photograph of Private Willard. Fort Clatsop has a copy. Here he is in later life with his wife.
Also included are these portraits of Meriwether Lewis' mother, Lucy Marks, and Julia Hancock, who married William Clark upon his return.
The visitor center includes exhibits on the Clatsop, Chinook, and other lower Columbia tribes, displays featuring the expedition’s weapons and tools, an exhibit about York, and some information about the sorts of events that followed the expedition (for example, expansion of the fur trade). There is also another fine bronze statue, rare (for its day) in its inclusion of a Native American man.
Life-size bronze statue, "Arrival," by Stanley Wanlass, features Lewis with arms spread, a Clatsop Indian showing Clark a flounder, Clark with quill pen sketching the fish, and Seaman looking on. This statue was commissioned for the 175th L&C anniversary, almost 25 years ago.
One of my favorite exhibits is this small but colorful diorama depicting the expedition's trip to what is now Cannon Beach, Oregon, where they traded with Indians for some blubber and oil from a whale that had washed up on the beach, shown here in the surf. The figures are about 8 inches tall.
The museum bookstore/gift shop has one of the best collections of books, posters, games, DVDs, toys, and other L&C items I’ve yet seen, and a catalog for ordering things online. Ah, the success of merchandising! It worked on me, of course, and I bought several things….
[All photos by K. Dahl, copyright 2005.]
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