Click image to enlarge
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Major Creek, Washington, looking upstream.
View from Washington State Highway 14.
Image taken November 11, 2004.
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Major Creek ...
Major Creek is located on the Washington side of the Columbia at River Mile (RM) 177.5, downstream of Lyle and the Klickitat River, and upstream of Bingen and the White Salmon River. According to the U.S. Forest Service (2006):
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"...
Major Creek, Catherine Creek, and a host of smaller, unnamed drainages flow primarily from northwest to southeast.
Between each of the drainages is an even, sloping ridge with a southeastern aspect. Major creek, the largest drainage, has cut
a deep, rugged canyon. Catherine creek is a much smaller drainage. Tracy Hill separates these two drainages. Following the
same northwest-southeast trend is a series of sheer cliffs. The largest of these cliffs is Coyote Wall. The second large cliff
overlooks the eastern edge of Rowland Lake, called the Rowland Wall. ..."
Across and slightly upstream of Major Creek is Memaloose Island, a place Lewis and Clark called "Sepulchar Rock". Lewis and Clark camped at Major Creek on April 14, 1806.
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Click image to enlarge
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Major Creek, Washington, from Washington State Highway 14.
Image taken November 11, 2004.
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Campsite of April 14, 1806 ...
Lewis and Clark's campsite of April 14, 1806, was on the Washington side of the Columbia River at Major Creek. Just upstream was Memaloose Island, which the men called "Sepulchar Rock".
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"... after dinner we pursued our voyage; Capt. Clark walked on shore with Charbono. I ascended the river about six miles at which place the river washed the base of high clifts on the Lard. side, here we halted a few minutes and were joined by Capt. C. and Charbono and proceeded on to the entrance of a small run on N. side a little below a large village on the same side opposite the sepulchre rock. ..."
[Lewis, April 14, 1806]
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"... I joined Capt Lewis and the party at 6 miles, at which place the river washed the bottom of high Clifts on the N. Side. Several Canoes over take us with families moveing up. we passed 3 encampments and came too in the mouth of a Small Creek on the N. Side imediately below a village and opposit the Sepulchar rock. ..."
[Clark, April 14, 1806]
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"... halted at a small creek on the north side, where there are a number of Indian lodges ..."
[Gass, April 14, 1806]
Lewis and Clark's previous campsite was near Dog Mountain.
Their campsite of April 15 to the 17th, 1806, was on the Oregon side of the Columbia River at Rock Fort.
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Early Major Creek ...
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The name "Major Creek" appears on an 1869 cadastral survey (tax survey) for T3N R12E.
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Click image to enlarge
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Major Creek drainage, Washington.
View from Memaloose Overlook off of Interstate 84, Oregon.
Image taken March 20, 2004.
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Click image to enlarge
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Major Creek drainage, Washington.
Memaloose Island is visible on the right. View from Memaloose Overlook off of Interstate 84, Oregon.
Image taken September 29, 2003.
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From the Journals of Lewis and Clark ...
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Clark, April 14, 1806 ...
This morning at 7 oClock we were joined by Sgt. Pryor and they three hunters they brought with them 4 deer which drewyer had killed yesterday. we took brackfast and departed at 9 A. M. [from their camp near Dog Mountain] the wind rose and <proceeded on> Continued to blow hard all day but not so violent as to prevent our proceeding. we kept Close allong the N. Shore all day. the river from the rapids [Cascade Rapids] to the Commencement of the narrows [The Dalles] is from ½ to ¾ of a Mile in wedth, and possesses but little Current. the bead is rock except at the enterence of Labiech's river [Hood River] which heads in Mt. Hood [Mount Hood, Oregon] and like the quick Sand River [Sandy River] brings down from thence Vast bodies of Sand the Mountains through which the river passes nearly to Cataract River [Klickitat River] are high broken rocky, particularly Covered with fir and white Cedar, and in maney places very romantic scences. Some handsom Cascades are Seen on either Side tumbling from the Stupendious rocks of the mountains into the river. I observe near the river the long leafed Pine which increas as we assend and Superseeds the fir altogether about the Sepulchre rock [Memaloose Island]. We find the trunks of maney large pine trees Standing erect as they grew, at present in 30 feet water [Submerged Forest]; they are much doated and none of them vegitateing. at the lowest water of the river maney of those trees are in 10 feet water. the Cause I have attempted to account for as I decended. at 1 P M. we arrived at a large village Situated in a narrow <village> bottom on the N. Side [between the White Salmon River and Bingen, Washington] a little above the enterance of Canoe Creek [White Salmon River]. their houses are reather detached, and extend for Several Miles. they are about 20 in number. those people Call themselves Wil-la-cum.
... We halted at this village Dined
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after dinner we proceeded on our voyage. I walked on Shore with Shabono on the N. Side through a handsom bottom [Bingen area]. met Several parties of women and boys in Serch of herbs & roots to Subsist on maney of them had parcels of the Stems of the Sun flower. I joined Capt Lewis and the party at 6 miles, at which place the river washed the bottom of high Clifts on the N. Side [Bingen Gap]. Several Canoes over take us with families moveing up. we passed 3 encampments and came too in the mouth of a Small Creek [Major Creek] on the N. Side imediately below a village and opposit the Sepulchar rock [Memaloose Island]. this village Consists of about 100 fighting men of Several tibres from the plains to the North Collected here waiting for the Salmon. ...
made [blank] miles
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