Today we followed in the wake of Lewis and Clark along the lower Columbia River to the Pacific Ocean, which the Corps of Discovery reached in late 1805. They spent the winter at Fort Clatsop, a replica of which is pictured here. Leaders of the expedition named it in honor of the nearest Indian tribe. After enduring an exceedingly damp and disagreeable winter (only twelve days were free of rain), members of the Lewis and Clark expedition headed for home on March 23, 1806. On September 23, 1806, they reached Saint Louis, where they were greeted with great rejoicing.
The Fort Clatsop replica is located near the modern city of Astoria, Oregon. It is a national historical site run by the National Park Service.
