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Caterpillar Island, Washington, with "boxy boat".
Image taken September 22, 2007.
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Caterpillar Island ...
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Caterpillar Island is located on the Washington side of the Columbia River at River Mile (RM) 98. The island is a long not-too-wide island separated from Shillapoo Wildlife Area by a narrow slough. Immediately across the Columbia on the Oregon side is Sauvie Island.
Caterpillar Island is managed by the Washington State Department of Natural Resources (2002 information), and it's four picnic sites are accessible only by boat.
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Caterpillar Island.
View from Shillapoo area boat ramp.
Image taken September 22, 2007.
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Early Caterpillar Island ...
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The 1863 Washington Territory Cadastral Survey (Tax Survey) for T3N R1W shows
George Beaty and David Sturgess having Donation Land Claims covering most of the area of today's Caterpillar Island. David Sturgess (Claim No.46, 164.60 acres) was to the south and George Beaty's claim (Claim No.45, 176.45 acres) was to the north. There was no island depicted.
The 1888, U.S. Coast & Geodetic Survey's "Columbia River Sheet No.6, Fales Landing to Portland" (Chart No.6145) has Post Office Lake named. Other nearby features are "Lake River" (Lake River) and "Shallowpool Lake", today's Shillapoo Lake located south of Post Office Lake. Between Shillapoo Lake and the Columbia River is a stretch labeled "Upper Willow Bar" which runs from "Hewlett's Pt." (Hewlett Point) south to "Round Lake" (still Round Lake) north. "Upper Willow Bar" is today's Frenchmans Bar and Caterpillar Island. On the Oregon side across from Post Office Lake is "Lower Willow Bar", the location of today's Willow Bar Islands, and "Willow Bar Pt.", today's Willow Point. "Lower Willow Bar" is shown as a mixture of small islands and sloughs.
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Views of Caterpillar Island ...
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Caterpillar Island and slough.
View from Shillapoo area boat ramp.
Image taken September 22, 2007.
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Shore of Caterpillar Island with boat in slough.
View from Shillapoo area boat ramp.
Image taken September 22, 2007.
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"Boxy boat" passing Caterpillar Island (left).
The Columbia River can be seen in the distance on the right.
Image taken September 22, 2007.
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Caterpillar Island (left), slough (foreground), and sailboat on the Columbia River (distance).
View from Shillapoo area boat ramp.
Image taken September 22, 2007.
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Boat Launch across from Caterpillar Island.
Image taken September 22, 2007.
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Houseboats in slough, with Caterpillar Island behind.
Image taken September 22, 2007.
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From the Journals of Lewis and Clark ...
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