Unbeknownst to us until today, Lewis and Clark National Park is made up of twelve parks within a 40 mile stretch of Oregon's northern most coast and Washington's southern.
On this trip. we have visited Long Beach, Cape Disappointment, and Fort Stevens.
Previously we have visited Fort to Sea Trail along with Fort Clatsop (which we are visiting again today).
Fort Clatsop is pretty dang cool.
Fort Clatsop was the winter encampment of Lewis and Clark's Discovery Corps from December of 1805 to March of 1806. Clark journaled about how the Clatsop and Chinook Native Americans came to the encampment almost daily to trade. Although journaling is not a typical activity these days, especially for men, it was a common activity before internet.
Actually, President Jefferson (who funded the expedition) mandated journaling for everyone in the Discovery Corps who could write.
Although the fort is just a replica it is based on the journals and so well represents their daily lives.
You know- journal, make bullets, bargain.
Repeat.
These pilings were used in the sorting and raft making process so they could be towed to local mills.
Fort Clatsop is full of interesting things to observe.
We even heard a gaggle of geese squawk by!
When we put these water sandals on A1 she starts laughing in delight.
If these shoes are going on, fun is about to be had.
Originally we had intentions of hanging out at the beach for an hour and frolicking in the water.
That was until we touched the water.
50 degrees is much too cold. For us. A1 was all about jumping in. But we had to pull the parent card and put the kibosh on her plans.
“A heavy southeast wind blew and a strong current prevailed. Before the vessel could be veered around, she was in the breakers and all efforts to keep her off were unavailing.”
This is what the captain of Peter Iredale wrote in 1906, after his ship became a permanent fixture on the beach just a few miles from where Lewis and Clark spent the winter a century earlier.
(The fogged out picture above was due to a thick, momentary marine layer.)
I would love to see the conditions of the ocean and the air above it on the day of the shipwreck in 1906.
Luckily no one was injured, just the captain's pride.
Forts, shipwrecks, forests, and beaches, all just a few miles away.
Oregon is the best.
Though we have been to a number of the places you have blogged, your attention to detail and sharing of history makes it all seem new. I loved the knowledge about L & C. So cool.
ReplyDeleteI laughed out loud at, "When we put these water sandals on A1 she starts laughing in delight.
If these shoes are going on, fun is about to be had." What fun for you to have that kind of joy around.
Thank you for off this. So dang awesome.