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Corps of Discovery at Cottonwood Beach LbNA #5574 (ARCHIVED)

Owner:Adoptable
Plant date:Sep 5, 2003
Location:
City:Washougal
County:Clark
State:Washington
Boxes:1
Found by: SmokyMountainLILY
Last found:Aug 20, 2004
Status:FFF
Last edited:Sep 5, 2003
BOX TEMPORARILY PULLED DUE TO EXTENSIVE CONSTRUCTION AT THE
PARK. THE PARK WILL BE DEDICATED SOMETIME IN 2006 TO COMMEMORATE THE BICENTENNIAL OF THE CORPS OF DISCOVERY.


On their return to the East in the spring of 1806 the Corps of Discovery rowed their canoes up the Columbia to reach the Nez Perce tribe in Idaho who were caring for their horses for the winter. They rowed as much as 20-24 miles a day against the strong spring current. When they reached a "handsome prairie" a couple of miles upriver from the Seal River (now the Washougal River) they stopped for the night. Early the next morning as they were setting off they came upon a large group of Indians moving downstream on the Columbia. The Indians reported scant game on the east side of the Cascades. They had gone through their supply of dried salmon and the spring run was late so they were returing to the fertile valley for food.
The Corps decided to stay at Cottonwood Beach until they had put up stores for the journey to the Nez Perce. For the next week the men dried elk meat and braided the hides to use as ropes to move the canoes past the falls on the Columbia. The Indians told Clark about a large river that they had missed on both the down and upriver trips which they called Mult-no-ma (the Willamette). Clark explored the river and camped near present day St Johns. The stay and reprovisioning at Cottonwood Beach was crucial to the successful return of the Corps of Discovery to the East.

TO THE LETTERBOX:

To find the Corps of Discovery at Cottonwood Beach letterbox, from Portland, head east on (what else) the Lewis and Clark highway to Washougal. Turn south on 32nd St. and turn east on Index. You will see a sign for William Clark Park at Cottonwood Beach (What happened to Lewis?). Park at Gate #4. Walk through the gate, across the dike road and into the cottonwoods following the road to the fork and head east. Walk until you find a juvenile tree next to a post. From that spot, you are 39 steps at 20 degrees magnetic away from the box. It lives in the rotting base of a tree that amazingly is still alive.