On this day in 1805, the Lewis and Clark expedition left its camp among the Mandan tribe and resumed the journey West.
The Corps of Discovery had begun its adventure the previous spring, and arrived at the large Mandan and Minnetaree villages along the upper Missouri River (north of present-day Bismarck, North Dakota) in late October.
Once at the villages, Meriwether Lewis and William Clark directed the men to build a sturdy log fort. The following winter was a harsh one, but the expedition had plenty of provisions. The two captains made the best of their enforced halt, making copious notes in their journals and preparing maps of their route. Most importantly, they met frequently with the local Native Americans, who provided them with valuable information about the country that lay ahead.
One of my favorite places to learn more about Lewis and Clark and their expedition was at the Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center located at Cape Disappointment on the Pacific Coast.
Almost at the top of the hill, the first thing visitors see is the decommissioned military fortification that served as a military base during the Civil War and World War II.
Following the trail to the very top of the hill offers a spectacular view of where the Columbia River meets the Pacific Ocean.
In November of 1805, the U.S. Corps of Volunteers for Northwest Discovery, led by Meriwether Lewis and William Clark, reached the mouth of the Columbia River and the Pacific Ocean.
"Great joy in camp," Clark wrote in his journal, "we are in view of the ocean, this great Pacific Ocean which we been so long anxious to see."
Cape Disappointment was already a notable landmark in the Pacific Northwest, named before the Lewis and Clark expedition arrived. The first known documentation of the area was in 1775 by Spanish explorer Bruno Heceta, who named it “Bahia de La Asuncion,” or Bay of the Assumption. Then in 1788, British trader John Meares named it “Cape Disappointment” when he mistakenly believed that the mouth of the Columbia River was only a bay.
The Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center stands high on the cliffs of the state park located at Cape Disappointment. A series of mural-sized timeline panels guide visitors through the journey of the expedition, using sketches, paintings, photographs, and snippets from journals written by the Corps members. The center also has a nice short film presentation about the Corps, a glassed-in observation deck with incredible views, as well as various maritime and military displays.
It took us almost two hours to go through the whole thing and look around outside, but it was time well spent.
This journal entry from Meriweather Lewis made me smile. I think I would have also been heartily tired of the national hug.
Also, thank goodness for modern medicine.
It truly was so interesting to read the details shared and get a much better idea of what the people who made this trip experienced. There are also some wonderful artifacts on display too!
Do you have any favorite museums you've visited to learn more about their journey?
USA Today Bestselling Author Shanna Hatfield grew up on a farm where her childhood brimmed with sunshine, hay fever, and an ongoing supply of learning experiences.
Shanna creates character-driven romances with realistic heroes and heroines. Her historical westerns have been described as “reminiscent of the era captured by Bonanza and The Virginian” while her contemporary works have been called “laugh-out-loud funny, and a little heart-pumping sexy without being explicit in any way.”
When this award-winning author isn’t writing or testing out new recipes (she loves to bake!), Shanna hangs out at home in the Pacific Northwest with her beloved husband, better known as Captain Cavedweller.
