This morning, we rose to a calm and beautiful day with National Geographic Sea Bird anchored at the confluence of the Snake and Columbia Rivers. We boarded the Zodiacs for a short ride to meet the bus at Sacajawea State Park in Pasco, WA, the site where the Lewis and Clark expedition camped October 16-18, 1805.
The first stop in the Walla Walla Valley was to the Whitman Mission National Historic Site. Dr. Marcus Whitman and his wife, Narcissa, started a mission in 1836 to work with the Cayuse people. Miscommunication, cultural misunderstanding, and an outbreak of the measles influenced some members of the Cayuse people to attack the mission in 1847, resulting in the deaths of Marcus and Narcissa Whitman and eleven others. We were able to learn about the history of the mission and walk around the beautiful grounds.
Our next stop was a short ride to the Three Rivers Winery. We were treated to a winery tour, a tasting, and a delicious lunch. The final stop of the day was at the Fort Walla Walla Museum. We toured the museum to learn about frontier life and the history of Walla Walla. We were also able to walk the grounds at the site of the former Fort Walla Walla, which is now a city park.
