Meriwether Lewis and William Clark led the first United States expedition (1804–1806) to the Pacific Coast. "The object of your mission," Jefferson wrote,"is to explore the Missouri river, & such principal stream of it, as, by it's course ... may offer the most direct & practicable water communication across this continent, for the purposes of commerce.
The Corps of Discovery was one of the most brilliantly conceived and best executed voyages of discovery of all times. Thomas Jefferson commissioned Lewis and Clark to undertake that mission not only to find the Northwest Passage (which didn't exist), but to map, document, describe and take samples of the flora, fauna, soil and minerals of the continent. Their daily journals are still read with interest by historians and adventurers. (free in ebook format at Amazon)The louisiana purchase had secured for America all the territory drained by the missouri and mississippi rivers, from New Orleans to the water shed of North America in the then unknown Rocky Mountains.
After crossing that watershed in the treacherous Bitterroot mountains of Idaho, the explorers descended the Columbia river to the Pacific. The Shoshone indian Sacagawea, made that descent possible by securing horses from her tribe in the monutains She made the long journey with the Corps of Discovery, with her baby and explorer husband. When the Corps arrived at the Shoshone nation, she found her indian chief brother from whom she was kidnapped many years before, and identified herself to him. It was a happy reunion and made it possible for Lewis and Clark to descend the Columbia River to the Pacific ocean.
The Astoria Tower commemorates their arrival at the mouth of the Columbia
After crossing that watershed in the treacherous Bitterroot mountains of Idaho, the explorers descended the Columbia river to the Pacific. The Shoshone indian Sacagawea, made that descent possible by securing horses from her tribe in the monutains She made the long journey with the Corps of Discovery, with her baby and explorer husband. When the Corps arrived at the Shoshone nation, she found her indian chief brother from whom she was kidnapped many years before, and identified herself to him. It was a happy reunion and made it possible for Lewis and Clark to descend the Columbia River to the Pacific ocean.
The Astoria Tower commemorates their arrival at the mouth of the Columbia.
and shows pictures of experiences they had there
and shows pictures of experiences they had there
The Pacific, south of the Columbia Bar, 2010 summer
Something about a B and W ocean view-- nice shot...
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