Chapter Logo




  Washington State Chapter  
  Lewis and Clark Trail Heritage Foundation  
  May 1998 Newsletter  





May/June 1998 Newsletter
WASHINGTON STATE CHAPTER
LEWIS AND CLARK TRAIL HERITAGE FOUNDATION

# # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # #

Washington State Chapter Meeting
Date: Saturday, May 30, 1998
Time: 10:00 AM
Place: Spalding Hall at Lewis-Clark State College
8th Avenue and 6th Street, Lewiston
(park in lot behind Administration Building)

Come Join Us for a Great Program:
Welcome from Sue Hattois
Member of Idaho Governor's Lewis & Clark Committee, Clearwater-Snake Bicentennial Committee

Mike Venso, Lewiston Morning Tribune photojournalist
Mike will tell us about the three-month project he is undertaking (leaving that very day!) to retrace the trail, taking photos and submitting a weekly report to the Tribune and to a web site so that others may follow his progress.

Carole Simon-Smolinski
Member of Washington Governor's Lewis & Clark Committee and local historian
Carole will talk about the history of the area.

Visit Lewis and Clark-related sites on campus
Field trips to Lewis and Clark-related sites in the valley
Social get-together with Idaho Chapter members

# # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # # #

Lewiston-Clarkston Area as Seen Through the 1805 and 1806 Journals
contributed by Charles Blair

Today, Lewiston and Clarkston are busy small cities on the edge of the beautiful Palouse agricultural area. Astride the confluence of the Clearwater and Snake rivers, Lewiston is the farthest inland seaport serving the Pacific, 465 miles to the west. Nearly 200 years ago, the region and its aboriginal inhabitants sustained the Corps of Discovery eighteen months after their departure from the Wood River camp on the Mississippi and one month before reaching the Pacific Ocean. The Corps arrived in the Lewiston-Clarkston area the second week in October, 1805. After the arduous crossing of the Bitterroot mountains, the Corpsmen descended into the Weippe Prairie exhausted and on very short rations as game was scarce. Dried salmon and camas root were provided by the Nez Perce whom the Corps met for the first time just west of Weippe on September 20, 1805. The rich diet disagreed with a number of the Corpsmen, who ate dogs purchased from the surprised Nez Perce. The Corps arrived at Canoe Camp, near present-day Orofino, Idaho, on September 26, and proceeded to rebuild the fleet over the following week.

The morning of the seventh was pleasant, and we put the last of our canoes into the water; loaded them, and found that they carried all of our baggage with convenience. We had four large ones; and one small one, to look ahead. About 3 o'clock in the afternoon we began our voyage down the river, and found the rapids in some places very dangerous. One of our canoes sprung a leak. We therefore halted and meded her, after going twenty miles." (Sergeant Patrick Gass' journal, entry began Saturday, October 5, 1805)

The expedition reached the Columbia on Wednesday, October 16. "Set out and proceeded on Seven miles to the junction of this river and the Columbia which joins from the N.W. In every direction from the junction of those rivers the countrey is one continued plain low and rises from the water gradually, except a range of high Countrey on the opposit Side about 2 miles distant from the Columbia. (Captain William Clark's journal)

After a disagreeable wet winter and poor relations with the locals near the Pacific Coast and the mouth of the Columbia, the Corps left Fort Clatsop on March 23, 1806, in three large and two small canoes. During their stay near the ocean, the captains had hoped to encounter a sailing ship and obtain necessary supplies and trade goods for the return trip through the various Indian nations. That hope was not realized. The Corps reached the Lewiston/Clarkston area the second week of May, 1806. By this time, they were trading western medicinal services for aboriginal goods.

While we were encamped last fall at the entrance of the Chopunish river, I gave an Indian man some Volitile liniment to rub his knee and thye for a pain of which he complained, the fellow soon after recovered and have never ceased to extol the virtues of our medicines. near the entrance of the Kooskooske (Clearwater), as we descended last fall I met a man, who could not walk with a tumure on his thye, this had been very bad and recovering fast. I gave this man a jentle pirge cleaned and dressed his sore and left him some casteel soap to wach the sore which soon got well. this man also assigned the restoration of his leg to me. those two cures has raised my reputation and given those nativs an exolted oppinion of my skill as a physician. I have already received maney applications. in our present situation I think it pardonable to continue this deception, for they will not give us any provisions without compensation in merchandize, and our stock is now reduced to a mere handfull." (Captain William Clark's journal entry for Monday, May 5, 1806

Meriwether Lewis observed, "my friend Capt. C. is their favorite physician." (Captain Lewis' journal, May 5, 1806)

The dog meat diet of some Corpsmen continued to gain the attention of their native hosts. "while at dinner an indian fellow very impertinently threw a half starved puppy narly into the plate of Capt. Lewis by way of derision for our eating dogs and laughed very hartily at his own impertinence; Capt. L. - was so provoked at the insolence that he caught the puppy and threw it with great violence at him and struck him in the breast and face, seazed his tomahawk, and shewed him by sign that if he repeated his insolence that he would tomahawk him. the fellow withdrew apparently much moritified and we continued our Dinner without further molestation." (Captain William Clark's journal entry for Monday, May 5, 1806)

Now we use dogs in television commercials to promote the menu of certain national fast food chains. Two hundred years ago, in the Pacific Northwest, dogs were the menu.

Anxious to return home and share the wonders they had experienced with President Jefferson and the young United States, the Corps paddled eastward against the current one more time. Winter's snowpack kept the Corps halted near Kamiah, southeast of Lewiston, for twenty-seven days waiting for the snow to melt along the Lolo Trail. But return home they did, and we now celebrate their achievement, their endurance, and their lasting contribution to the development of the new American nation.

1998 BOARD OF DIRECTORS
President: Don Payne Directors: Murray Hayes
Vice President: Lee Edtl Nicholas Kirkmire
Secretary: Pamela Andersen Rennie Kubik
Treasurer: Dee Roché-Coons A.G. "Doc" Wesselius


Wet, Cold & Unsettled on the Lower Columbia
by Jay Rasmussen & Pam Andersen

Approximately 35 people were enthralled on Saturday, February 28, as Rex Ziak presented an engrossing talk entitled "The Far End of Their Western Trail: Lewis and Clark at the Pacific Ocean. Rex is an Emmy Award- winning cinematographer and recent appointee to the Washington State Governor's Lewis and Clark Trail Committee, representing Pacific County. He is a life-long resident of the Lower Columbia region and has spent a number of years studying Lewis & Clark's travels in this area. Rex covered the period from November 7 - 24, 1805, when the Corps of Discovery was essentially trapped in small, wet and dangerous campsites along the north shore of the Columbia River. He used a number of visual aids such as slides, a calendar marking the progression of time and a 10 foot by 6 foot map of the mouth of the Columbia as it appeared in 1805. After adjournment, Rex led a caravan of the curious on a field trip to see and "feel" the probable Expedition sites along the river. Thanks, Rex, for sharing your thoughts, research and sense of awe regarding what the Expedition put up with during a less than welcome wet Washington November.

Chapter Membership Reaches 90
As of April 1, our new chapter has 90 members! A reminder to members who attend our meetings: please be sure to sign the elk-skin covered member book (donated by "Doc" Wesselius). If you know someone who would like to join, give them the membership form included with this newsletter and bring them to our next meeting.

Thank You for Contributions
A big thank you to Bea Sweeten for donating a videotape of the Ken Burns documentary on Lewis and Clark and the book based on the documentary.

A hearty thank you to Don Popejoy for his generous monetary contribution.

And a sincere thank you to Board Member Doc Wesselius for securing a leather-bound book for the Chapter's photo album; Jim & Angie Wood of Arrow Leather in Centralia provided an in-kind contribution toward this book.

Applause for Vice-President Lee Edtl for the great job of organizing the February 28 meeting , including locating an appropriate site and arranging for and introducing our guest speaker, Rex Ziak. (And thanks to Mary Edtl for the yummy cookies!)

Member Don Popejoy stepped forward in February and volunteered to head up the Membership Committee-thank you, Don!

Thank you, Rennie & Barb Kubik, for undertaking the planning of our September meeting.

A Call to Arms
As your membership chairman, I need your help! I can't cover the whole state, so any member who has time to spare (maybe a couple of hours a month), please contact me for information packets that can be used in your city or area to recruit new members to our chapter. Don Popejoy, East 308 Weile, Apt. #3, Spokane, WA 99208; phone 509-483-3174.


Modern-Day Trailblazer to Aid
Children's Hospital
This summer, chapter member Martin Snoey, retired vice president of Harley-Davidson, and his wife, Barbara, will take to the road solo on his Harley and retrace the entire Lewis and Clark Trail route. The 4,000-mile, four-week adventure begins June 24 in St. Louis and concludes at the mouth of the Columbia River in Ilwaco on July 18. Not only will Martin be fulfilling a personal dream, he'll also be raising money for Seattle's Children's Hospital and Medical Center, which serves the four state region of Washington, Alaska, Montana and Idaho. You can support Martin on his ride with a pledge and/or join him for a Seattle-area End of the Trail Ride & Rally on July 19. To make a pledge or to enter the Seattle-area ride, contact the Rena G. Jones Guild, Children's Hospital Guild Association, P O Box 5371/Mail Stop CL-04, Seattle, WA 98105. (Note: Barbara and Martin are funding 100% of their expenses during the trip.) In addition, proceeds from a raffle for a 1998 Harley-Davidson motorcycle will also benefit Children's. Tickets are available in all Northwest Washington Harley- Davidson dealer outlets or call 1-800-635-1432.


Check Out Lewis and Clark On the Web
Jay Rasmussen continues to do a splendid job updating the web site he developed for our chapter. Check it out at http://www.lcarhive.org/wa_lcthf.html.

The Public Broadcasting Service has a page originally put up to promote the Ken Burns/Dayton Duncan special on PBS in November. Interest has been so strong, PBS plans to leave the site up for a long time, and they're updating it regularly. Check it out at http://www.pbs.org/lewisandclark/archive/ idx-rel.html. Features include an interactive question-and-answer session regularly updated by co-producer Dayton Duncan, author of "Out West." You'll find an extensive archive of excerpts from all known Lewis and Clark journals, which you can search by date and by author; an interactive story; and even a Lewis and Clark screensaver with an animated map and slide show of photos from along the expedition route. You can explore still further by following the site's list of other L&C links.

And don't forget the Foundation's home page at http://www.lewisandclark.org.

Requests
Don Dinsmore is looking for someone to share expenses for the drive to the Foundation's Annual Meeting in Great Falls. If you're interested, please contact Don at 408 NE 175th Ave, Vancouver, WA 98684; phone 360-253-9822.

Board Member Doc Wesselius has started a photo album to record our chapter activities. If you have photos to share, please send copies to Doc at 1608 Big Hanaford Valley, Centralia, WA 98531.


Treasurer's Report
The Treasurer's Report submitted to the Board on February 28: Chapter dues and donations received in the amount of $1157. Expenses and dues to be forwarded to the Foundation totaled $393.98. Our balance was $763.02. Thanks, Dee Roché-Coons.


Great Falls Adventure
If you haven't already done so, we encourage you to send in your registration and reservations for the Foundation's Annual Meeting in Great Falls from June 29 to July 4 (info was included with the February issue of We Proceeded On). The meetings are great fun and you'll learn a lot! Remember, this year we also can join in the dedication of the new Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center in Great Falls on the 4th of July. And many additional activities are planned during the Lewis and Clark Festival. So send in your registrations, pack your bags and join us in exploring some great Lewis and Clark sites.


Meeting Announcements -
Mark Your Calendars Now!

As provided in the Bylaws, chapter members will meet in Great Falls during the Foundation's Annual Meeting. We"ve reserved a meeting room at the Best Western Heritage Inn for Tuesday evening, June 30th so please plan to join us.

The location for our September meeting has been changed to the Tri-Cities. The date and exact location will be announced as soon as Rennie and Barb Kubik have the plans set.


Planning for Our Chapter's Future:
Tell Us What You Think

Our chapter is launched and our membership is growing. Now it is the members who will keep it productive and exciting! This is all a "work in progress." What are your goals for our chapter? What do you want us to work on? Have you got an idea or suggestion for a program or activity? Is there something in particular you"d like to see in your newsletters or on the web page? Do you have ideas for interesting articles? Would you like to write an article? Here's your opportunity to determine what we do. Look for the enclosed member survey form (thanks to Kristy Coomes)-please take a moment to fill it out and send it in now.


Washington State Chapter, Lewis and Clark Trail Heritage Foundation
Member Survey

We're planning for the future of our new chapter . . . and we"d like to hear from YOU concerning your personal interests and your goals for the group. Please fill out this survey, adding your ideas and comments. Thank you!

Mail to:
Lee Edtl, Vice President
Washington Chapter
Lewis and Clark Trail Heritage Foundation
919 22nd Avenue
Longview, WA 98632


Name: ____________________________________________________________________
Address: ____________________________________________________________________
City: ________________________________________ Zip: _____________________
Telephone: ____________________________________________________________________
E-mail address: ____________________________________________________________________


1. What are your primary goals for this chapter?

___ Extending information and education to our communities
___ Developing/sharing opportunities for education with schools
___ Sharing knowledge and interests with other members
___ Supporting activities to mark and/or maintain the expedition trail in Washington
___ Learn what is happening in other states and nationally
___ Other?


2. Would you serve on a committee or provide other assistance?

___ Program Committee for quarterly meetings
___ Awards/Recognition Committee
___ suggestions for speakers or other program ideas
___ outreach to gain new members
___ speaker for community events
___ fund-raising for chapter projects/activities
___ contribute information /articles for the newsletter
___ contribute to our Internet web page
___ photographer
___ other?


3. What types of information would you like to read in the chapter newsletter? Do you have suggestions for articles? People that you think would contribute interesting articles?


4. We"d like to have a regular newsletter column about members. Would you share a couple of paragraphs introducing yourself, and including information about your interests in the Expedition? You can return your biography with this survey; send separately to Pam Andersen, 2374 Crestline Blvd NW, Olympia, WA 98502; or e-mail.


5. Other comments, ideas, topics for discussion?

Opportunity

Nils Peterson from Washington State University has applied for an education technology grant to include school districts that touch the Lewis and Clark Trail; classrooms would make a web-based sign for a point where the Trail crosses a road, dam or park or other public spot. The kids would write/design the signage and then provide links to reference resources on the web. WSU will provide a grad student to broker Lewis and Clark experts to the kids, fielding questions, answering some and sending harder ones on to appropriate experts. If you have the time and the inclination plus e-mail access—in other words, you want to be part of the Lewis and Clark reference network for this proposed project, please contact Jay Rasmussen.

Book Review

The Journals of Patrick Gass: Member of the Lewis and Clark Expedition, by Carol Lynn MacGregor,
Editor; Mountain Press Publishing Co., Missoula,
Montana, 1997, paperback; $20.00.
Excerpts from review by Mike Venso, Lewiston
Morning Tribune, October 24, 1997
This is actually two books: a reprint of the original journals of Gass and the first publication of Gass' account book for several years of his post- expedition life. For those who want a different perspective on an often-told tale, Gass' journals are hard to put down. Readers will likely find themselves, like I did, with two bookmarks, continuously flipping back and forth between the journal and the end notes. This may sound cumbersome, but MacGregor's well-researched end notes are well worth reading, as Gass' simple and succinct style at times begs for more information. She skillfully draws upon the other five published journals [Lewis, Clark, Ordway, Whitehouse and Floyd] to clarify and supplement Gass' entries.

Gass' version of this grand story of exploration and discovery is the layman's view without the burdensome logistical and naturalistic information that some of the other journals provide. My favorite part of the book is "Appendix B" which is a table of hunters and the game they hunted. It's quite entertaining and thought provoking to discover that some days the 33 members survived on the daily take of one duck or nothing at all. Contrast that with the day they feasted on seven buffalo and one grizzly bear.


For information on joining the National Lewis & Clark Trail Heritage Foundation click here.

For information on joining the Washington State Chapter click here.


Return to Washington State Chapter Main Page

Return to L & C Archive List

Updated: July 19, 2000
Posted: May 6, 1998

Send Questions, Comments and Corrections to Jay Rasmussen