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  Lewis and Clark Trail Heritage Foundation  
  June 1999 Newsletter  




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Washington State Chapter Lewis and Clark Trail Heritage Foundation
May/June 1999
 Summer Newsletter



July 17 Activities for Lewis & Clark Buffs in the Columbia Gorge


   Question for the month: what is Opuntia polyacantha? Or Sagittaria latifolia? We know them as prickly pear cactus and wapato roots. On Saturday, July 17, join Dr. Gary Moulton for an educational and entertaining evening in the heart of the Columbia Gorge: The Garden of the Lewis and Clark Expedition. Using slides, quotes from the Journals and anecdotes from his own research, Dr. Moulton will share the fascinating story of the expedition’s well-traveled botanical specimens. His lecture will begin at 7:00 p.m. in the auditorium of the Columbia Gorge Interpretive Center. Your Washington State Chapter is a co-sponsor of this lecture, along with the Columbia Gorge Interpretive Center, the Governor's [Washington State] Lewis and Clark Trail Committee, Skamania Lodge, & the Lewis and Clark Trail Heritage Foundation. The lecture is free & open to the public. We encourage attendees to make a voluntary donation while visiting the Center.

   Dr. Moulton's lecture is one of three activities planned by your chapter on July 17. The day also includes an afternoon board meeting and planning session regarding the future direction of the Washington Chapter from 2:30-5:00 p.m. at the Columbia Gorge Interpretive Center. Our chapter is still new, and this meeting will focus on planning future direction for the chapter, its meetings and projects. One challenge in this planning process is the large number of agencies and groups involved in Lewis and Clark activities, understanding their common and separate missions and objectives, and finding our chapter's unique place in this fabric. To this end, we have invited officers, boards and members of other Lewis and Clark entities that may choose to attend Dr. Moulton's evening lecture at the Center. This will be an informal meeting in which we will try to identify our common interests and differences and could be a step forward in communication and coordination among our various groups. Chapter members are most welcome to attend.

Beacon Rock    Another choice for members who plan to attend the lecture but who prefer a "hands-on" experience instead of the afternoon planning session with the board is an excursion led by Don Popejoy along the Lewis and Clark Highway (State #14) to Beacon Rock State Park; other points of interest will be noted as we progress towards "Beaten Rock." At the park, we will hike to the top of this 848-foot monolith for a marvelous view of the Columbia River, the Gorge and the bottomlands. The trail, 4500 feet long, that we will follow to the summit includes 52 switchbacks and crosses 22 bridges! Captain Clark writes "Beacon in the Gorge...my view...which from the last rapids widened and had every appearance of being effected by the tide...a remarkable high detached rock Stands in a bottom on the Stard. Side." It is here that they detected the tide waters of the Pacific. This eroded volcanic plug is the second largest monolith in the world, the Rock of Gibraltar being the tallest. Here at Beacon Rock, also called Beaten Rock by Lewis and Clark, Pillar Rock and Castle Rock, the river enters the lush, rain-soaked Pacific Northwest that the Corps of Discovery came to love so dearly!? Beacon Rock was also a landmark for Oregon Trail immigrants and for mariners, who once around Cape Horn looked eagerly for this beacon of safety. Lewis and Clark passed this way November 2nd, 1805, and again homeward bound April 6th, 1806, and noted at this time the water level being some 12 feet higher then in late fall! A tour booklet including a narrative, maps and photos will be available for $2.00, which will be donated to the chapter. Please be sure to wear long pants, hiking boots and bring water. The hike is not hard but will be an upward climb of one mile at a 15% grade. We will carpool, and if you have CB's, please bring them as a means to communicate on the drive to and from Beacon Rock. The group will assemble in the parking lot of the Center beginning at 12:30 and depart promptly at 1:00, returning at approximately 5:00 p.m.

July 17: Information on "How to Get There" & "Where to Stay"

Perched on the north bank of the Columbia River near Stevenson, the Columbia Gorge Interpretive Center is a great place to learn about how the gorge was shaped by both nature and people. Address: 990 SW Rock Creek Drive, Stevenson; phone: 509-427-8911. Admission: $6 adults; $5 seniors & students; $4 children ages 6-12; free for children 5 & under. From I-5 southbound, take I-205, then take exit for SR-14 east. From eastern Washington, take SR-14 west. Turn off SR-14 at signs for Skamania Lodge and the Columbia Gorge Interpretive Center (on the west side of Stevenson); the Center is on the right side of Rock Creek Drive.

Hotels/motels in the area: Econo Lodge, Stevenson 1-800-424-4777; Skamania Lodge, Stevenson 1-800-221-7117; Columbia Gorge Motel, Carson 509-427-7777; Carson Mineral Hot Springs Resort, Carson 1-800-607-3678; Best Western Columbia River Inn, Cascade Locks 1-800-595-7108.

RV Parks/Camping in the area: Beacon Rock RV Park, Skamania 509-427-8473; Beacon Rock State Park, Skamania 509-427-8265; Lewis & Clark RV Park, North Bonneville 509-427-5982; Big Foot RV Park, Carson 509-427-4441; Skamania County Parks-Home Valley, Stevenson 509-427-9478; Valley RV Park, Home Valley 509-427-5300; U.S. Forest Service Campgrounds, Wind River Ranger District 509-427-3200 or 1-800-280-2267 for reservations.


President's Message: Meeting Reports & The Future
I was pleased with the success & participation in the joint meeting with the Oregon Chapter at Longview. We enjoyed excellent food, improving weather, & new information during the brunch cruise on the sternwheeler "Columbia Gorge." We then moved to the comfortable St. Rose Parish Hall for a very good program that focused on "hard history" of Lewis and Clark on the Lower Columbia and a very realistic interpret-ation of Sacagewea's life and experience on the Expedition. A meeting of this quality does not "just happen" and we all thank Doc Wesselius and Jay Rasmussen for planning & organizing the program. Doc's history and Joyce Badgley Hunsaker's Sacagewea were outstanding! And thanks also to Lee & Mary Edtl for local arrangements & hospitality, to Don Payne for handling raffle ticket sales, to Virginia Ryan for publicity, to Pam Andersen and Cheryl Essary for ticket distribution, and to all the members of the Oregon and Washington Chapters who were able to participate.

We've added an extra chapter meeting this year to offer a lecture by Dr. Gary Moulton at the Columbia Gorge Interpretative Center at Stevenson, Washington, at 7 PM on 17 July, 1999. For those who may travel to the lecture, we invite participation in one or the other of two additional activities: (1) an excursion to L&C sites & hike to the top of Beacon Rock, or (2) partici-pation in an afternoon board meeting & planning session regarding the future direction of the Washington Chapter. Further details on these events are above in this newsletter.

We have also planned a meeting for members attending the Annual Foundation Meeting in Bismarck, North Dakota, in August. The location time will be announced/posted at the annual meeting.

Plans are also proceeding for our joint meeting with the Idaho Chapter on 18 September. This meeting will include a potluck lunch at Lewis and Clark Trail State Park, and the program will focus on the "Overland Route" of Lewis and Clark during their return journey in 1806. Details are still being developed and will be published in the August newsletter. I urge you to plan ahead to attend this outing.

Finally, in the last newsletter, I asked for ideas and suggestions to guide the chapter in planning its future. I mentioned above that we would devote most of the July 17 board/member meeting to planning. Jo Green has posed a question to the membership: "What do you consider the biggest threat to the Trail of Lewis and Clark?" And she suggests we consider a series of answers: (1) population pressures, (2) more bridges & dams on the Columbia River, (3) privatization of potential historic sites, and (4) commercial developments. Her input suggests a favorite point of mine—its really the land that constitutes the "Trail" and its heritage, and good stewardship of that land can be the greatest good we can do to preserve the heritage.

I INVITE YOUR CONTINUED INPUT.

Murray Hayes
President, WA LCTHF
936 Cameron Road
Sequim, WA 98382
Phone: (360) 582-1069
email: mlhayes@olypen.com

The Lewis & Clark Corner: Info supplied by Don Popejoy [dpoctalc1@aol.com]
Books of interest: Websites of interest:
Lewis and Clark - Voyage of Discovery
Text by Stephen Ambrose; photographs by Sam Abell; National Geographic Society 1998

http://www.gorp.com/gorp/resource/us_trail/lewis&cl.htm

http://www.spiretech.com/~lester/ahapn/links/links.htm#L&AOTIOTSW

Suicide or Murder: The Strange Death of Governor Meriwether Lewis
Vardis Fisher 1964 		http://www.wsu.edu/lcexpedition/resources/wa_lcthf.html
   (our chapter website)


Mark Your Calendar for Upcoming Chapter Meetings

July 17, 1999: Columbia Gorge Interpretive Center, Stevenson. Evening lecture by Dr. Gary Moulton, afternoon field trip, afternoon planning meeting (see above for details).
August 1-4, 1999: Chapter meeting during the Annual LCTHF gathering, Bismarck, North Dakota. Time and place will be announced and posted at the annual meeting venue.
September 18, 1999: Joint Meeting with Idaho Chapter, Lewis and Clark Trail State Park between Waitsburg and Dayton. Starting time is noon; join us for a potluck lunch (bring some food to contribute plus your own plate, cup and utensils). Fun doings, informative talks & a tour of the Expedition's overland route. [Details will be in the August newsletter.] Note: On Sunday, you can also participate in Bruce Mansion Days, a local festival in Waitsburg.
February 2000: Washington State Historical Museum, Tacoma. Lecture by Dave Nicandri.
Spring 2000: Horsethief Lake State Park, Klickitat County. Lecture by Martin Plomondon.
July/August 2000: Annual LCTHF meeting, Dillon, Montana.
September 23, 2000: Bonneville Dam Visitor's Center, Columbia River. Lecture and tour by Don Dinsmore.
Note: If you have suggestions for 2001 meetings, contact Doc Wesselius.


Suggested Reading
from Doc Wesselius

Planning a trip along the Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail in southwestern Washington? You may find the following books helpful.

Cataclysms on the Columbia by John E. Allen and Marjorie Burns (Portland: Timber Press, 1986)
Along the Trail With Lewis and Clark by Barbara Fifer and Vicky Soderbert (Great Falls: Montana Magazine, 1998)
Exploring Washington's Past: A Road Guide to History by Ruth Kirk and Carmela Alexander (Seattle: University of Washington Press, 1990)
The Journals of the Lewis and Clark Expedition, Dr. Gary E. Moulton, ed (Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press). Volume 6: November 2, 1805-March 22, 1806 (1990) and Volume 7: March 23-June 9, 1806 (1991)
Washington State Parks: A Complete Recreation Guide by Ted and Marj Mueller (Seattle: The Mountaineers, 1993)
A Guide to the Indian Tribes of the Pacific Northwest by Robert H. Ruby and John A. Brown (Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, 1992 [1986])
Seeking Western Waters: The Lewis and Clark Trail from the Rockies to the Pacific by Emory and Ruth Strong (Portland: Oregon Historical Society, 1995)


Reading List: Recommendations from Members


Fort Mandan Arises on the Plains:
November 1805 Journal

Not far from the North Dakota Lewis and Clark Interpretive center - site for some of the L&CTHF Annual Meeting events this summer - is the splendid reproduction of Fort Mandan, winter home for the Corps in 1804-05. The replica of Fort Mandan was a labor of love erected by the McLean County Historical Society in the 1970s as part of a park, picnic area and small campground. It is not on the site of the original Fort Mandan, but about 10 miles downstream. The original fort was sited on the east bank of the Missouri, about six miles below the mount of the Knife River.
. . "a verry white frost   all the trees covered with ice, cloud, all the men move into the huts which is not finished.". . .
It was a labor of necessity erected by the Discoverers as shelter from the onrush of winter that was already apparent when they arrived at the villages of the Mandans, Minitaris (Hidatsa) and Amahamis on October 26, 1804. The Corps had struggled upstream with the fully loaded 55-foot keelboat and two pirogues for 164 days after departing Camp Wood, Illinois, on May 14, and covered 1,600 miles of the Lower Missouri.

Patrick Gass notes the beginning of construction of the fort in his November 2nd journal entry: "Captain Clarke and the rest of our party, having dropt half a mile lower down the river, began to clear a place for a camp and a fort. We pitched our tents and laid the foundation of one line of huts." Gass describes the manner in which the fort was built in his November 3rd journal entry. "The huts were in two rows, containing four rooms each, and joined at one end forming an angle. When raised about 7 feet high a floor of puncheons or split plank were laid, and covered with grass and clay; which made a warm loft. The upper part projected a foot over and the roofs were made shed-fashion, rising from the inner side, and making the outer wall about 18 feet high. The part not inclosed by the huts we intend to picket. In the angle formed by the two rows of huts we built two rooms, for holding our provisions and stores."

Sergeant John Ordway wrote in his journal that they used cottonwood for the split planks. Captain William Clark recorded in his November 6 journal entry, "Continue to build the huts, out of Cotton [cottonwood] Timber, &c. this being the only timber we have."

The construction was done in bitterly cold conditions in the first half of November. Sometimes the builders were only able to stay at it for an hour at a time. It was also hazardous duty, as Captain Clark notes on November 16: "continued at work at the fort. Two men cut themselves with an ax . . . ."

Each room was fourteen feet square and equipped with a fireplace and Missouri River rock chimney. The living space totaled 1,600 square feet and accommodated 45 men, and later Touissant Charbonneau and his expectant teen-age wife, Scagawea, a Lemhi Shoshone who had been kidnapped by the Hidasta in a raid near Three Forks, Montana, in about 1800.

Private Joseph Whitehouse recorded the work: "All the men at Camp Ocepied their time dilligently in Building their huts and got them Made comfertable to live in."

The original Fort Mandan was closer to the water than today’s replica and stood in the midst of a magnificent grove of cottonwood trees, all of which would be gone by the spring of 1805, used for heating and cooking during the severe winter.

The Corps moved into Fort Mandan on November 16. Captain Clark wrote, "a verry white frost   all the trees covered with ice, cloud, all the men move into the huts which is not finished." Gass pronounced the fort "completed" in his November 20 journal entry. It was home to the Corps for five months, including their first Christmas on the trail.

The American flag flew for the first time over what was to become North Dakota at Fort Mandan. The modest facility also became North Dakota's first Army Post Office when Captain Lewis sent a letter to President Jefferson on April 7, 1805, via the keelboat which was returning down river to St. Louis with many natural history specimens.

Fort Mandan was lost to a prairie wildfire by the time the Corps returned on their eastward journey 22 months later. The Discoverers spent only three days at the Mandan villages on the return trip. They were anxious to get back home and tell President Jefferson and the nation what they had seen on their Voyage of Discovery.

--submitted by Chuck Blair

Corner of Discovery: Profiles of our Members
prepared by Cheryl Essary

A column featuring Chapter members and their comments concerning their interest in the Lewis and Clark Expedition. Look for more profiles in coming issues!


Richard Vigesaa of Seattle is typical of many of us: he is a history buff and a book collector. As a teenager in Minnesota, he read the Bakeless journals, and his interest was sustained by visits to Montana. He is intrigued by the expedition's contacts with Native Americans and named Ronda's Lewis and Clark Among the Indians as a favorite source of information. He also finds the journals a valuable resource on how the Indians adapted their lives to their surroundings. Richard has an impressive book collection. It includes not only such Lewis and Clark desirables as the Moulton journals (including the atlas), but volumes on Indians, the fur trade, and polar exploration. He is on the lookout for new treasures wherever he goes. He would like to see a major biography of William Clark, whom he finds remarkable. George Drouillard, too, earns his respect as a valued member of the Corps. As for Meriwether Lewis, Richard would like to get to the bottom of the controversy concerning his death once and for all, with an exhumation and DNA tests.

Tania Machnicki is a resident of Vancouver via Chicago and Los Angeles. Not having grown up along the Lewis and Clark trail, she didn't know much about the Corps of Discovery until she came to the Northwest. A neighbor loaned her husband a copy of Undaunted Courage, which she read and enjoyed. Not long after, she came upon the LCTHF while experimenting with her new computer. It strikes Tania as a bit ironic that the expedition members faced huge obstacles every day of the journey and were able to just pick up and go, and that we today face much smaller obstacles but often feel we can't cope. How, too, she wonders, did Meriwether Lewis cross an unknown continent, and a scant few years later, find his life unbearable? The inner strength of the Corps as a whole and the way they worked together as a group also impressed her. She believes that the success of the mission was due in large part to how well Lewis and Clark complemented each other as leaders, their respect for one another, and the balance between their personalities.

Josephine Green of Port Angeles grew up in Portland, the daughter of an Italian immigrant father who was a Lewis and Clark buff in the 1930s and '40s. Despite the fact that her brother told her lies about what really happened on the expedition, she read the journals and learned the truth for herself. Josephine has been to many of the "sacred" sites along the trail, among them the Two Medicine fight site, Fort Clatsop, and Lemhi Pass. She regards Lemhi Pass as her favorite because it is where Lewis topped the hill expecting to see the Columbia River and saw more mountains instead. She would like to be able to ask him what he was thinking just then, as many of us would. Every year on March 23, Josephine makes a pilgrimage to Fort Clatsop, as that is the date that the Corps departed for home. Experiencing the miserable weather at that time of year brings that part of the expedition alive for her. Collecting plants mentioned in the journals has become a great hobby for Josephine. She has a room full of them, framed and pressed. She does not destroy the plant when she takes her specimens; she only prunes enough for her sample. She would like to find anyone else who is collecting or wishes to, in order to exchange plants.


Upcoming Events - Other Chapters

Oregon Chapter: On Sunday, June 12, join the Oregon Chapter in their attempt to locate Clark's point of view atop Tillamook Head. Meet at 10:00 a.m. in the Indian Beach parking lot of Ecola State Park near Cannon Beach, Oregon. About a one mile hike each way; some of the group may elect to continue about 5 miles over the head and shuttle back to the parking lot. Bring your lunch & water, binoculars, camera; wear sturdy hiking boots & be prepared for any kind of weather.   Another opportunity to hear a lecture from Dr. Gary Moulton will occur on Sunday, July 18, at the Governor Hotel in Portland. In addition to the lecture, Dr. Moulton plans to have copies of the atlas available for purchase and autographing.
For more information on these events, contact Keith Hay at 503-538-0924 or KGHay@teleport.com.

Idaho Chapter: For information on the Idaho Chapter's annual Lolo Trail campout on Labor Day weekend, September 3-6, contact Steve Lee, PO Box 102, Colton, WA 99113 or 509-229-3870 or sglee@mail.wsu.edu

Kudos, Opportunities, Announcements

Great News! Don Payne has volunteered to head up our chapter's Project Committee. So contact Don if you have ideas to share or would like to work with him as part of the committee. don.payne@accessone.com or 253-838-5906.

Update on rediscovering the old Mullan Military Road announced in our last issue: Date change from September 18-19 to September 25-26. Contact Don for more info [dpoctalc1@aol.com or 509-328-9368].

The LCTHF's tremendous new Lewis and Clark Curriculum Resource Guide for schools is now available for purchase! This cross-curriculum plan with a number of creative ideas for using Lewis and Clark in the classroom is for use by all teachers and interpreters throughout the country. The guide was developed over the past seven years with funding through the support of the National Park Service and work from many people who donated hundreds of hours to review the material. Why not consider donating a copy to your local school district? Copies are available for $40 each (plus $6 postage) and can be ordered from the Foundation at P.O. Box 3434, Great Falls, MT 59403.

Participate in the Lewis and Clark Days Celebration at Fort Walla Walla Museum on June 5-6. For more information, call 509-525-7703 or 509-527-3260. Also, the museum has a new large Lewis and Clark diorama.

Lewis and Clark in the Land of the Nez Perce, workshop & rendezvous for Lewis and Clark enthusiasts, historians, scholars, teachers & visitors to the Northwest, will be sponsored by Lewis-Clark State College in Lewiston, Idaho, on June 10, 11 & 12. It features scholarly dialogue & open discussion: 1806 Trail from Red Wolf Crossing to Kamiah; intercultural exchanges with the Nez Perce Tribe; historical trail visitations & escorted tours; and a Chief Joseph Powwow. Workshop fee $120, due by June 7; registration at door $135. Call 1-800-879-0458 for more information.

At our April 25 meeting, Wendy Kosloski and Tag Richards (artist/sculptor) presented a model for a statue of Sacajawea and her baby son to be erected in Longview's Lake Sacajawea Park. Tag is dedicated to authenticity in this replication and sees it as a symbol of perseverance, endurance and peace. To be cast in bronze and installed in November 2000, the statue will be 12-14 feet high. Donations may be sent to: Longview Public Service Group, 1339 Commerce Ave, Suite 104, Longview, WA 98632 or contact Wendy at 360-636-0712.

A symphony entitled From the Journals of Lewis and Clark composed by Daniel Bukvich, Professor of Music at the University of Idaho, interweaves readings from the journals through the musical sections. Pierre Cruzatte's fiddle inspired a movement as did the scalp dance of the Teton Sioux, lullaby for Jean Baptiste, and Captain Clark's spelling. A compact disc recording was funded by the Portage Route Chapter and will be available for $10 plus ($2.50 each for shipping) between the end of June and August 1. Send your check or Visa/MC/Discover card number and expiration date to: Great Falls Symphony, P.O. Box 1078, Great Falls, MT 59403 or call 406-453-4102 for information.

Bus to Bismarck. Portage Route Chapter is chartering a bus to depart Great Falls July 31 (overnight near Fort Union to visit the refurbished fort), proceeding to Bismarck for the annual LCTHF meeting, returning to Great Falls August 5. Everyone welcome; secure parking available for those driving to Great Falls, MT. The aim is to cover the cost of the bus, so price is contingent on number of riders & should be quite low. Send $25 deposit (checks to Portage Route Chapter) for reservations or contact Susan Colvin, 287 McIver Rd, Great Falls, MT 59404, 406-727-7469 by June 18.

Another member who is pitching in to support your chapter's activities is Virginia Ryan, who has volunteered to handle publicity through local newspapers for all of our meetings. We really appreciate your great work, Virginia!

The annual Lewis and Clark Festival in Great Falls is June 24-27. Events include botanical walks; bus tours to the mouth of the Marias River & along the portage route; children's discovery camp; Missouri River float trips; a young teen seminar, "Early Life of Lewis"; the Lewis and Clark Encampment & Captain's mess; and a seminar, "Meriwether Lewis and His Virginia Upbringing." For more information, call 406-727-8733; for tickets, call 406-454-0157.

Rex Ziak received the 1998 David Douglas Fellowship Award from the Washington State Historical Society for his achievements this past year in promoting awareness of the events of the Expedition during their 18-day stay in Pacific County. Congratulations, Rex!

Welcome to new member Paul Nolte!

Magellan Corporation & LewisAndClarkTrail.com are searching for the best "Tales on the Trail." If you're traveling the Trail between June 1 - December 1, 1999, submit a picture & your story (200 words or less). LewisAndClarkTrail.com will select 12 "tales" & award 12 winners a Magellan GPS 300 Navigator. Your story & picture will appear on http://LewisAndClarkTrail.com/trailadventures/tales/index.htm. For more information, visit web site: http://LewisAndClarkTrail.com. Send your entry to: LewisAndClarkTrail.com L.L.C, 602 Augusta Circle, Yankton, SD 57078


On the Banks of the Columbia River:
1805 Trek - West of Pasco

When last seen (March 1999 newsletter ), the Corps of Discovery was camped at Rattlesnake Flats resting before the next set of rapids known as the perilous Fish-Hook Rapids. It should be noted that two archaeological sites were found here in 1959, being late prehistoric pit-house villages.

October 16th and 17th, 1805
The Corps of Discovery camps for two days at the confluence of the Snake and Columbia Rivers at what is now known as Sacajawea State Park just outside Pasco on US Route 12 heading towards Walla Walla.

October 16th, 1805
"a cool morning Set out early passed the rapid with all the Canoes except Sgt. Pryors which run on a rock near the lower part of the rapid and Stuck fast." This is a sign that the men are getting tired as more accidents are happening in these very difficult waters. At this point, they unloaded the canoes (dugouts) and portaged three-quarters of a mile which brings them to Five-mile Rapids. Here they meet five Palouse Indians with whom they smoked then continued through the rapids. After dinner they "Set out and proceeded on Seven miles to the junction of this river (Snake River) and the Columbia which joins from the N.W." It seems strange to me that no mention of reaching the Mighty Columbia is to be found in the journals! I am sure that their elation at having reached Thomas Jefferson's ultimate destination, the Columbia River, was overwhelmed by sheer exhaustion. Clark writes in his journal that the country again is a low plain and rises gradually from the water and here notes a range of high "Countrey" which are now known as the Horse Heaven Hills on the Washington side of the Columbia. Here the Corps of Discovery halted just above the point on the Kimooenim River, then named Lewis's River and now called the Snake River. Once again they smoked with the Indians who had gathered in large numbers to see these white men whose intention was to do no harm to them. It was Sgt. Gass who found a piece of driftwood for a fire at this site, Sacajawea State Park. Soon after Cutssahnem of the Wanapans and some 200 of his people came playing drums and singing to the Corps camp site. Smoke was made and the celebration went on for some time. The principal chief, Cutssahnem, was given a large Jefferson Peace medal, a shirt and a handkerchief; and to the chief of the upper village, the Yakamas, was given a small Jefferson Peace medal and a handkerchief. The Wanapams lived a quarter mile up the Columbia on the west bank; this permanent village site dates back 1000 years. The name of this Indian village was K'u'sis (Kosith) meaning Two Rivers. The Yakamas lived at the confluence of the Yakima and Columbia rivers and on both sides of the Columbia River where present day Pasco, Washington, is. It is in this area that Clark mentions the ever-present foe, prickly pear: "Great quantities of a kind of prickley pares, much worst than any I have Seen of a Tapering form and attach themselves by bunches." I have seen this common cactus that grows in abundance along the Columbia River, but have never had the misfortune to feel it's sharp spine pierce my skin & imbed itself into my flesh!

The large medal given to Cutssahnem is probably the one found at the mouth of the Palouse River in an Indian burial ground, in the process of building Lower Monumental Dam. In 1854 George Gilbs was shown this medal by an Indian who said his father was buried at this Palouse burial site and was given the medal by Lewis and Clark while his father was at the Kosith village site at the junction of "the two rivers."

The above mentioned party lasted into the night, then broke up and Clark writes that the chief and several others stayed until he bought dogs and fresh salmon from them, then left when he (Clark) went to bed. How did the Corps feel as they were sleeping on the banks of the Columbia River? They had finally reached their biggest objective, yet nothing was recorded about it! They traveled about 21 miles this day.

October 17th, 1805
This was to be a very remarkable day. The Corps would discover the Yakima River, sagebrush (which was so well known to the Oregon Trail pioneers), a strange and different Indian lifestyle, dead salmon floating in the rivers by the hundreds and the amazing flat heads of the Indians. "A fair morning...I took two men and set out in a Small Canoe with a view to go as high up the Columbia River as the Ist forks...I set out at 2 oClock." Ten miles up on the right shoreline were two large mat lodges of the Yakama Indians who were drying salmon. These were the first mat lodges that the Corps had ever seen, and they were strewn all along the banks of the river. Hundreds of dead floating fish were to be seen as it was the end of the annual salmon migration up the Columbia River. Moulton refers to these salmon as either Coho or Sockeye. "the Cause of the emence numbers of dead Salmon I can't accout for," writes Clark. It was of course not known at this time about the migration pattern of the salmon which died after laying and fertilizing their eggs. It was on this island ten miles up the Columbia and eight mile distance to the Yakima River that an Indian shows Clark "the mouth of a river which falls in below a high hill on the Lard ( left ). . . ." This fork, or the entrance to the Yakima River, was called Ta'pete'tt by the Yakamas. An interesting point: Clark notes that no timber is to be seen anywhere - the point being that the Indians gathered up ALL the dead fish, not to be eaten (although some, I'm sure, was) but to be dried and used as fuel for fires!

While Clark is taking in the grand scenery - the Horse Heaven Hills are to the west and the Blue Mountains are to the east - he makes what I believe to be a very remarkable statement. "The Waters of this river is Clear, and a Salmon may be seen at the depth of 15 to 20 feet." Now not only are the salmon endangered, but the rivers are so polluted and muddy that if there were salmon to be had by the hundreds, they would die before spawning! Clark returns to the Kosith campsite where a great number of Indians have gathered again with Captain Lewis. The Corps is busy at dressing skins, mending their clothing and making sure that their arms are in good working condition.

Great attention and detail was given to the Indian's customs, mat lodges and their living conditions, and so it was here observed for the first time the process they used in flattening their heads. Clark also noted very few horses as the canoe was their chief means of transportation, being mostly river people. Sagebrush, the bane of the Oregon Trail pioneer, was another first for the Corps. This was the "wild Isoop" or big sagebrush. Mat lodges, as mentioned before, replaced the skin tipis of the Plains Indians. The culture of these river Indians is mostly like that of the Northwest Coast tribes that Lewis and Clark were soon to encounter.

It is also interesting to note that the Yakima River was named by the Corps as Flathead River but later renamed for Clark. Since Lewis had his river (the Snake) so must Clark, therefore the Flathead became Clark's River. Clark makes mention that the Indians had sore eyes and that many were partially or totally blind. The teeth were not lost but rather worn away by the fine sand borne by the winds coming out of the Gorge and through Wallula Gap, which settled everywhere and when eaten with their food acted as an abrasive. In 1848 the Canadian artist Paul Kane wrote, "The drifting sand is a frightful feature of this barren waste... the salmon also becomes filled with sand to such an extent as to wear away the teeth of the Indians, and an Indian is seldom met with over 40 years of age whose teeth are not worn quite to the gums."

So ends a day not filled with rapids, wet clothing and baggage, capsized canoes or bruised and battered men, but rather a day of resting and repairing equipment and clothing, a day of exploring the beauty and dangers of nature, and a day of recording a way of life unknown to man before Lewis and Clark's grand adventure. The Corps of Discovery during this two-day stay was indeed properly named!

Map
Local History:
When the Corps of Discovery camped for two days at the mouth of the Snake River, Captain Clark became the first white man known to explore the Kennewick area. The Yakama Indians called this the "grassy place surrounded with water" and used it as their winter campground because of the mild climate. It was known as a winter paradise. On October 17, Clark and two men canoed up the Columbia River a few miles to an island (possibly Clover Island - see map below) where the Indians drew a map showing the Yakima River and local Indian villages. Although Clark never explored the Yakima River because of impending darkness due to a late departing time that afternoon, he did see and note the river's mouth. It can be said that Clover Island is as far north up the Columbia River as the Corps explored. Columbia Point, on the north side of the mouth of Clark's River, was a major winter home of local Indians. Clark advanced as far as the cable bridge where Clover Island is, at the end of Washington street (see map). A marker gives silent testimony to the historic events as you pass under the bridge to the island. After settlers came, the Indians moved their camp site to near the end of the railroad bridge (see map).

The first wagon train to arrive in this area was the Longmire group who left the Oregon Trail and built rafts of driftwood to cross the Columbia River from Wallula in 1853. "They continued north through present day Finely, Richland and Yakima and over the Naches Pass to Puget Sound. This route became known as Old Emigrant Road and as Naches Road. In later years, hay was shipped by freight wagons and by barges to Umatilla on the Oregon Trail, where the pioneers used it to feed their weary livestock. It is also known that a Hudson's Bay Company trail crossed the Hanford Reservation. One last historical note: On July 9th, 1811, David Thompson of the North West Company camped at the same site that Lewis and Clark had in 1805. It was here that he erected a pole topped with a British flag and a note claiming this territory for Britain! Then on August 14, 1811, traders from John Jacob Astor's Pacific Fur Company came to pay a visit. Little did the Indians realize that Manifest Destiny would soon bring strangers by the tens of thousands along the Oregon Trail, slowly at first, then as a flood in 1843. The Great Migration had begun.

submitted by Don Popejoy
dpoctalc1@aol.com



Please note the following correction from Don Popejoy: Regarding my article in the Spring newsletter, Walt Gary corrected me on the fact that the Jefferson Peace Medal that was found on the Palouse River is not at WSU but is, in fact, at the Nez Perce Historical Site at Lapwai, Idaho. Thanks, Gary!

Meriwether and William:
The Original "Science Guys!"


Lewis and Clark described 122 animals and 178 plants not previously catalogued for science. Here are a few of the species of wildlife and vegetation they noted in their journals while traveling through the Pacific Northwest:
California condor
Columbia white-tail deer
Canada geese
Big-horn sheep
Elk
Turkey vulture

Wapato roots (an important food source for them)
Big leaf maple
Cottonwood
Vine maple
Large-head clover
(with thanks to Bicentennial Newsletter)

1999 Chapter Officers and Board Members

Please feel free to contact any of us with your questions or suggestions.

President: Murray Hayes
  360-582-1069
Vice Pres.: Cheryl Essary
  509-488-9074
Secretary:
 Pam Andersen
  360-943-3979
Treasurer: Dee Coons
  509-758-9850
Board: Lee Edtl
  360-577-0485
Rennie Kubik
  360-546-5989
Lyle Soule
  360-394-1755
"Doc" Wesselius
  360-736-6106
Membership: Don Popejoy
  509-328-9368
Past Pres.: Don Payne
  253-838-5906


Planning for educational programs & events Bicentennial to start

The Washington State Historical Society will organize committees to work with local communities along the Lewis and Clark Trail on the planning process for educational programs & events for the Bicentennial Anniversary of the Expedition. The Historical Society plans to retain consultants to assist in the process. Also, several volunteers have expressed interest in being involved in the planning process. If you'd like to be involved or would like more information, contact Jean Peterson at 360-586-0219 or jpeterson@wshs.wa.gov.

WASHINGTON STATE CHAPTER
Lewis and Clark Trail Heritage Foundation
2703 8th Avenue
Clarkston, WA 99403-1602

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MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION/RENEWAL

CHAPTER MEMBERSHIP
$10.00 per year for any person,
family, firm, association or
corporation. Please make checks
payable to:
Washington State Chapter LCTHF

Dues are kept as low as possible to
encourage wide membership. In
addition, members are encouraged
to make additional donations to
support the organization.
Name(s)_____________________________________________

Street _____________________________________________

City _______________________________________________

State _______________ Zip _________________________

*Phone: (h)____________________ (w)________________

*E-mail: ___________________________________________

*Optional-will be included with membership roster

Above dues are for Washington State Chapter only. Bylaws state that Chapter members must be current members of the National Foundation. Annual dues are: Individual, $30 per year; Family, $40 per year. Membership includes the quarterly magazine We Proceeded On. Send Foundation dues to: Lewis and Clark Trail Heritage Foundation, PO Box 3434, Great Falls, MT 59403.


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News and Activities from Near and Far

WASHINGTON STATE CHAPTER
Lewis and Clark Trail Heritage Foundation
2374 Crestline Blvd NW
Olympia, WA 98502



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

For information on joining the Washington State Chapter click here.


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Posted: June 3, 1999
Updated: November 11, 1999

Send Questions, Comments and Corrections to Jay Rasmussen