Fort Clatsop
Fort Clatsop was the encampment of the Lewis and Clark Expedition in the Oregon Country near the mouth of the Columbia River during the winter of 1805–1806. Located along the Lewis and Clark River at the north end of the Clatsop Plains approximately 5 miles (8.0 km) southwest of Astoria, the fort was the last encampment of the Corps of Discovery, before embarking on their return trip east to St. Louis.
Fort Clatsop National Memorial | |
The 2006 replica of Fort Clatsop | |
Near mouth of Columbia River, Oregon Fort Clatsop (the United States) | |
| Location | Clatsop County, Oregon, USA |
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| Nearest city | Astoria, Oregon |
| Coordinates | 46°8′1″N 123°52′49″W |
| Area | 125.2 acres (50.7 ha) |
| Built | 1805 |
| NRHP reference No. | 66000640 |
| Added to NRHP | October 15, 1966 |
The Fort Clatsop National Memorial located southwest of Astoria.
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The Lewis and Clark Expedition wintered at Fort Clatsop before returning east to St. Louis in the spring of 1806. It took just over three weeks for the Expedition to build the fort, and it served as their camp from December 8, 1805 until their departure on March 23, 1806.
The site is now protected as part of the Lewis and Clark National Historical Park, part of which was formerly known as Fort Clatsop National Memorial until 2004. The original Fort Clatsop decayed in the wet climate of the region but was reconstructed for the sesquicentennial in 1955 from sketches in the journals of William Clark. The replica lasted for fifty years, but was severely damaged by fire in early October 2005, weeks before Fort Clatsop's bicentennial. A new replica, more rustic and rough-hewn, was built by about 700 volunteers in 2006; it opened with a dedication ceremony that took place on December 9. The site is currently operated by the National Park Service.