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Sacajawea State Park, Washington.
Lewis and Clark camped at this location (the actual location is now under the waters of Lake Wallula, behind McNary Dam) October 16 and October 17, 1805.
Image taken September 29, 2003.
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Sacajawea State Park ...
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Sacajawea State Park is a 284-acre marine, day-use park located in Pasco, Washington, at Columbia River Mile (RM) 325, where the
Snake River merges with the Columbia. Eight miles upstream lie
Bateman Island - the furthest upstream the expedition explored - and the mouth of the Yakima River. Ten miles downstream lie Wallula, Washington, and the mouth of the Walla Walla River.
On the right bank of the Columbia, directly across from Sacajawea State Park is
Two Rivers County Park, which has and excellent view looking back towards the State Park. Behind Two Rivers County Park rises the Horse Heaven Hills. Sacajawea State Park is located on a plain of the great
Lake Missoula floods which swept through the area 12,000 years ago.
It features 9,100 feet of freshwater shoreline with the park's lands being sand dunes interspersed with wetland ponds. The property was deeded to Washington State Parks in 1931, and was named for Sacajawea, a Shoshoni Indian woman who traveled with the Lewis and Clark expedition.
Lewis and Clark spent two nights here in October 1805.
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Sacajawea State Park, Washington.
Image taken September 29, 2003.
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Click image to enlarge
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Sacajawea State Park, Washington.
Lewis and Clark camped at this location (the actual location is now under the waters of Lake Wallula, behind McNary Dam) October 16 and October 17, 1805.
Image taken September 29, 2003.
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Looking downstream, Columbia River, as seen from Sacajawea State Park.
Image taken September 25, 2005.
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Campsite of October 16-17, 1805 ...
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Lewis and Clark reached the junction of the Snake River with the Columbia River on October 16, 1805, and they set up camp in the vicinity of today's Sacajawea State Park, on the Columbia side, a little upstream of the point.
The men remained there for two days.
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"... We halted a Short time above the Point and Smoked with the Indians, & examined the Point and best place for our Camp, we Camped on the Columbia River a little above the point ..."
[Clark, October 16, 1805, first draft]
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"...We halted above the point on the river Kimooenim to Smoke with the Indians who had collected there in great numbers to view us, ... after Smokeing with the Indians who had collected to view us we formed a camp at the point near which place I Saw a fiew pieces of Drift wood ..."
[Clark, October 16, 1805]
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"... towards evening we arived at the big forks. the large River which is wider than the Columbia River comes in from a northerly direction. the Country around these forks is level Smooth plain. no timber. not a tree to be Seen as far as our Eyes could extend. a fiew willows Scattering along the Shores ..."
[Ordway, October 16, 1805]
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"... Having gone 21 miles we arrived at the great Columbia river, which comes in from the northwest. We found here a number of natives, of whose nations we have not yet found out the names. We encamped on the point between the two rivers. The country all round is level, rich and beautiful, but without timber. ..."
[Gass, October 16, 1805]
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"... towards evening we arived at the forks of the river which came from a northly direction and is larger than this Columa. R. the country around these forks is level Smooth barron plains not even a tree to be Seen as far as our eyes could extend a fiew willows along the Shores. we found about 2 hundred or upwards Camped on the point between the two Rivers. a verry pleasant place. we Camped near them on the point. ..."
[Whitehouse, October 16, 1805]
A good view of the Columbia River, the "Point" the men camped on, and the mouth of the Snake River can be had from Two Rivers County Park, across the Columbia from Sacajawea State Park.
On October 18, 1805, Lewis and Clark began their journey down the Columbia. Their campsite of October 18, 1805, was downstream at Spring Gulch.
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Sacajawea State Park, Washington.
View of greenery of Sacajawea State Park as seen from Two Rivers County Park, Pasco, Washington. The mouth of the Snake River is to the right.
Image taken September 29, 2003.
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Wanapum Village ...
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During the summer of 2005 Sacajawea State Park hosted a re-creation of a traditional Wanapum native village, built by the Wanapum Band of Native Americans, Grant County PUD, and the Wanapum Heritage Center.
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Sacajawea State Park, Washington.
Re-creation of a traditional Wanapum native village, built by the Wanapum Band of Native Americans, Grant County PUD, and the Wanapum Heritage Center.
Image taken September 25, 2005.
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Click image to enlarge
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Sacajawea State Park, Washington.
Re-creation of a traditional Wanapum native village, built by the Wanapum Band of Native Americans, Grant County PUD, and the Wanapum Heritage Center.
Image taken September 25, 2005.
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Views from Sacajawea State Park ...
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Windmills on Horse Heaven Hills, Washington, as seen from Sacajawea State Park.
Looking across the Columbia River towards the Horse Heaven Hills. Image taken September 25, 2005.
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From the Snake River looking towards the Columbia River.
Looking across the Columbia River towards the Horse Heaven Hills. View from Sacajawea State Park.
Image taken September 29, 2003.
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Homes of Kennewick, Washington, and the Horse Heaven Hills.
Looking across the Columbia River towards the Horse Heaven Hills. Image taken from Sacajawea State Park, Washington, September 29, 2003.
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Columbia River looking downstream from Sacajawea State Park.
Image taken September 29, 2003.
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Pasco-Kennewick "Cable Bridge", as seen from Sacajawea State Park.
Image taken September 29, 2003.
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Pasco-Kennewick "Cable Bridge", as seen from Sacajawea State Park.
View of old railroad bridge is in the foreground.
Image taken September 25, 2005.
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Columbia River as seen from Sacajawea State Park.
From boat dock near "the point" at Sacajawea State Park, looking downstream Columbia River.
Image taken September 25, 2005.
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Confluence of the Snake with the Columbia River ...
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Lewis and Clark arrived at the junction of the Snake River with the Columbia River on October 16, 1805, and gazed upon the Horse Heaven Hills.
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"... after getting Safely over the rapid and haveing taken Diner Set out and proceeded on Seven miles to the junction of this river and the Columbia which joins from the N. W. ... In every direction from the junction of those rivers the Countrey is one Continued plain low and rises from the water gradually, except a range of high Countrey which runs from S. W & N E and is on the opposit Side about 2 miles distant from the Collumbia and keeping its derection S W untill it joins a S W. range of mountains ..."
[Clark, October 16, 1805]
The men spent two nights at this location, during which time Captain Lewis journeyed up the Columbia as far as Bateman Island, and Captain Clark measured the junction of the two rivers.
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Measured the width of the Columbia River, from the Point across to a Point of view is S 22° W from the Point up the Columa to a Point of view is N. 84° W. 148 poles, thence across to the 1st point of view is S 28½ E
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Measured the width of Ki moo e nim River, from the Point across to an object on the opposit side is N. 41½ E from the Point up the river is N. 8 E. 82 poles thence accross to the Point of view is N. 79° East
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Distance across the Columbia 960¾ yds water
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Distance across the Ki-moo-e nim 575 yds water ..."
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[Clark, October 18, 1805, first draft]
Shortly after noon on October 18, 1805, Lewis and Clark began their journey down the Columbia River, in their quest for the Pacific Ocean.
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Took our leave of the Chiefs and all those about us and proceeded on down the great Columbia river
..."
[Clark, October 18, 1805]
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Mouth of the Snake River looking towards the Columbia River, at the Horse Heaven Hills.
Fishing docks are at Sacajawea State Park.
Image taken September 25, 2005.
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Horse Heaven Hills, Washington.
The Horse Heaven Hills as seen from Sacajawea State Park.
Image taken September 29, 2003.
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Looking up the Snake River.
View from Sacajawea State Park, from boat dock near "the point" at Sacajawea State Park, looking upstream Snake River.
Image taken September 25, 2005.
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Looking up the Columbia River.
View from Sacajawea State Park.
On October 17, 1805, Captain Clark took a few of the men and one of the canoes and journeyed up the Columbia River as far as Bateman Island.
Image taken September 29, 2003.
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Looking down the Columbia River.
View from Sacajawea State Park.
On October 18, 1805, Lewis and Clark left their camp at today's Sacajawea State Park, and began their journey down the Columbia River.
Image taken September 25, 2005.
"... This morning Cool and fare wind from the S. E.
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Took our leave of the Chiefs and all those about us and proceeded on down the great Columbia river
..."
[Clark, October 18, 1805]
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Columbia River Railroad Bridge, as seen from Sacajawea State Park.
From boat dock near "the point" at Sacajawea State Park, looking downstream Columbia River.
View is of the "Kalan Drawbridge".
Image taken September 25, 2005.
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"The Golden Age of Postcards" ...
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The early 1900s was the "Golden Age of Postcards", with the "Penny Postcard" being a popular way to send greetings to family and friends.
Today the Penny Postcard has become a snapshot of history.
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Penny Postcard: Sacajawea State Park, Washington, ca.1940s.
Penny Postcard, ca.1940s, "Sacajawea State Park, State of Washington."
In the private collection of Lyn Topinka.
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From the Journals of Lewis and Clark ...
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Clark, October 16, 1806, first draft ...
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S. 28 W. 6 ½ miles to the Junction of Columbia R. in the Point Stard [Sacajawea State Park, where the Snake River joins the Columbia River]
Passed the rapid opposit the upper Point of the Said Island
and Passed a Small Isd. on Lard Side opposit, passed the
lower point of the Island on Stard Side at 2 1/2 miles a
gravelley bare in the river at 3 miles, river wide Countrey
on each side low, a rainge of hills on the west imedeately in
front of the opposit side of Columbia [Horse Heaven Hills. Today Two Rivers County Park is located across from the Snake River at the base of the Horse Heaven Hills.]
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Clark, October 16, 1805 ...
and having taken Diner Set out and proceeded on [on the Snake River]
Seven miles to the junction of this river and the Columbia which joins from the N. W.
[junction of the Snake with the Columbia, location of today's Sacajawea State Park]
passd. a rapid two Islands and a graveley bare, and imediately in the mouth a rapid above an Island. In every direction from the junction of those rivers the Countrey is one Continued plain low and rises from the water gradually, except a range of high Countrey
[Horse Heaven Hills, Two Rivers County Park is located across from the mouth of the Snake River at the base of the Horse Heaven Hills.]
which runs from S. W & N E and is on the opposit Side about 2 miles distant from the Collumbia and keeping its derection S W untill it joins a S W. range of mountains
[Blue Mountains].
We halted above the point on the river Kimooenim [Snake River]
to smoke with the Indians who had collected there in great numbers to view us, ... we formed a camp at the point [Sacajawea State Park] near which place I Saw a fiew pieces of Drift wood after we had our camp fixed and fires made, a Chief came from their Camp which was about 1/4 of a mile up the Columbia river ...
Great quantities of a kind of prickley pares, much worst than any I have before Seen of a tapering form and attach themselves by bunches
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Gass, October 16, 1805 ...
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Having gone 21 miles [they are on the Snake River]
we arrived at the great Columbia river, which comes in from the northwest. We found here a number of natives, of whose nations we have not yet found out the names.
We encamped on the point between the two rivers
[location of today's Sacajawea State Park].
The country all round is level, rich and beautiful, but without timber
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Whitehouse, October 16, 1805 ...
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Towards evening we arrived at a large fork that came into this River [Snake River] from a Northerly direction & was much large than the fork which we descended which we supposed to be the Columbia River -- The country round where the forks of these two River lay was level & smooth barren plains, with not a Tree to be seen as far as our Eyes could extend. Along the Shores grew a few Willows.
We found upwards of 200 Indians, that were encamped on a point of land, that lay between these two Rivers, in a very pleasant situated place.
We Encamped near those Indians on the same point of land [Sacajawea State Park].
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Clark, October 18, 1805, first draft ...
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Measured the width of the Columbia River, from the Point [location of today's Sacajawea State Park] across to a Point of view is S 22° W from the Point up the Columa to a Point of view is N. 84° W. 148 poles, thence across to the 1st point of view is S 28½ E
Measured the width of Ki moo e nim River [Snake River}, from the Point across to an object on the opposit side is N. 41½ E from the Point up the river is N. 8 E. 82 poles thence accross to the Point of view is N. 79° East
Distance across the Columbia 960¾ yds water
Distance across the Ki-moo-e nim 575 yds water ..."
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Clark, October 18, 1805 ...
This morning Cool and fare wind from the S. E.
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Took our leave of the Chiefs and all those about us and proceeded on down the great Columbia river
[They left their camp at today's Sacajawea State Park, located at the junction of the Snake River with the Columbia. The men will pass the mouth of the Walla Walla River, reach the Wallula Gap, and camp for the night near Spring Creek Gulch.]
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Ordway, October 18, 1805 ...
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. a clear pleasant morning. we delayed here untill after 12 oClock to day Capt. Clark measured Columbian River and the Ki mo e nem Rivers [Snake River] and found the Columbia River to be 860 yards wide, and the ki moo e nem R. to be 475 yards wide at the forks.
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