(My Theme is places I have visited or Lived)
Lewis and Clark and their expedition has always fascinated me. I am privileged to have approximately a dozen books about them or the expedition including two journals of the trip. I am so privileged to live along a portion of the Lewis and Clark trail and near Ft Clatsop and Seaside, OR where they wintered, hunted, and produced salt.
I was able on a couple of occasions to tour the original (restored in 1955) fort prior to a devastating fire that damaged it and forced a replica to be rebuilt. What a tragic loss of history.
Does anybody wonder if it rains in the Pacific Northwest? It rained everyday but 12 days during their three month stay on the coast. The journals record that their leather clothing actually "rotted" off them while being worn. They voted to leave earlier than planned to escape the steady diet of Elk and the rain.
Fort Clatsop was the
encampment of the Lewis and Clark Expedition in the Oregon
Country near the mouth of theColumbia
River during the winter of 1805-1806. Located along the Lewis and Clark River at the north end
of the Clatsop Plains approximately 5 mi
(8 km) southwest of Astoria,
the fort was the last encampment of the Corps of Discovery, before embarking on their
return trip east to St. Louis.
The Lewis and Clark Expedition
wintered at Fort Clatsop before returning east to St. Louis in the spring of
1806. It took just over 3 weeks for the Expedition to build the fort, and it
served as their camp from December 8, 1805 until their departure on March 23,
1806.
The site is now protected as
part of the Lewis and Clark
National and State Historical Parks, and is also known as Fort Clatsop
National Memorial. A replica of the fort was constructed for the sesquicentennial in
1955 and lasted for fifty years; it was severely damaged by fire in early
October 2005, weeks before Fort Clatsop's bicentennial.
A new replica, more rustic and rough-hewn, was built by about 700 volunteers in
2006; it opened with a dedication ceremony that took place on December 9.
Very interesting to read Gregg. another place I haven't heard of yet today I learned all about it. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteYvonne.
Those folks back then had more fortitude (pun not intended) than I, but I guess you do what you have to when in the situation. How disgusting to have clothes rot off of oneself.
ReplyDeleteIt would be interested to retrace the entire Lewis and Clark trail. I've been on parts of it. Never made it to this fort.
Arlee Bird
A to Z Challenge Co-host
Tossing It Out