Fort Clatsop

Fort Clatsop (1805-1806) - A Lewis and Clark Expedition fort established in 1805 as the winter quarters for expedition in present day Clatsop County, Oregon. Lewis & Clark and the 33-member Corps of Discovery built the log fort as winter quarters in 1805-06 with seven cabins surrounded by a 50 ft square log stockade. Abandoned in the early spring of 1806 to local Indians when the Corps of Discovery began their journey back east.

History of
The Corps built the original fort between 7 Dec 1805 and 30 Dec 1805 according to a plan that Clark had drawn on the back of his elk skin covered journal. They named the fort after a neighboring tribe of friendly Indians.

The site of Fort Canby, on the other side of the Columbia, is said to be the location where, on 15 Nov 1805, members of the Corps of Discovery first stepped into the breaking surf of the Pacific Ocean.

The party left Fort Clatsop on 23 Mar 1806 and began the journey back east, abandoning the fort to the local Indian tribes.

Current Status
Must See! The fort was reconstructed in 1955 on a site what was thought to be close to the original site. It became Fort Clatsop National Memorial Park in 1958. In 1963 a visitor center was added and the park became a part of the Lewis & Clark National Historical Park in 2004.

On 3 Oct 2005 the 1955 replica of the fort was destroyed by fire. The replica was rebuilt during 2006 and was reopened to the public on 9 Dec 2006.

See Also:
 * Meriwether Lewis
 * William Clark
 * Lewis and Clark Expedition
 * Lewis & Clark Camps

Sources:
 * , page 132-133
 * , page 365
 * , page 663-664
 * Oregon Military History, Forts-Camps-Roads

Links:
 * Norh American Forts - Fort Clatsop
 * Fort Catsop National Memorial Park
 * Imagining Fort Clatsop includes a day by day account of construction on the original fort.