Symbolic of the First Integrated Society in the Oregon Country
THE LEWIS AND CLARK EXPEDITION LEFT ITS WINTER CAMP
(FORT CLATSOP) NEAR THE OREGON COAST, MARCH 23, 1806 TO BEGIN
THE RETURN JOURNEY. ON MARCH 30, CAPTAIN WILLIAM CLARK FIRST
SAW AND NAMED MT. JEFFERSON. "I CAN PLAINLY SEE MT. JEFFERSON,"
WROTE CAPTAIN CLARK IN HIS JOURNAL AFTER HE, WITH SEVERAL MEN,
DISCOVERED AND BEGAN EXPLORING THE MULTNOMAH (WILLAMETTE)
RIVER ON APRIL 2, 1806.
CLARK'S PARTY STAYED OVERNIGHT AT AN INDIAN VILLAGE A
SHORT DISTANCE DOWNSTREAM FROM HERE. IN THE VICINITY OF THIS
BLUFF LIES THE FARTHEST POINT REACHED BY THE EXPLORERS OF
THE RIVER. ON APRIL 3, THEY REJOINED CAPTAIN MERIWETHER LEWIS
AND THE REST OF THE EXPEDITION CAMPED ALONG THE COLUMBIA
RIVER, OPPOSITE THE MOUTH OF THE QUICKSAND (SANDY) RIVER. FROM
THERE, THEY ALL CONTINUED THEIR JOURNEY TO ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.
THIS MONUMENT DEPICTS CAPTAIN CLARK POINTING TO MT.
JEFFERSON. WITH CLARK IS YORK, HIS BLACK SLAVE (LATER FREED
BY CLARK), AND AN UNNAMED AMERICAN INDIAN GUIDE. THESE STATUES
STAND AS A VISUAL REMINDER THAT THREE RACES CONTRIBUTED TO
THE SUCCESS OF THE LEWIS AND CLARK EXPEDITION -- SYMBOLIC OF
THE FIRST INTEGRATED SOCIETY IN THE OREGON COUNTRY.
SCULPTURE BY MICHALE FLORIN DENTE
DEDICATED 1988
Submitted by Sheila Paske