Click image to enlarge
|
Steigerwald Lake NWR, Washington, as seen from Crown Point, Oregon.
Early explorers and traders called the area of Washougal and Steigerwald Lake "Tea Prairie".
Image taken October 21, 2006.
|
"Tea Prairie" ...
|
Early fur traders called the Washougal and Steigerwald Lake National Wildlife Refuge area "La Prairie du The", or, "Tea Prairie". The traders use to stop to pick a form of wild mint that became a substitute for tea.
-
"... We encamped at dusk about five miles above La Prairie du The, so called by the Canadians from a species of mint which grows in it, and which they are fond of using as a substitute for tea. ... "
[Ross Cox, April 21, 1817, published 1832]
|
"... Early explorers and fur traders who passed through the Steigerwald Lake area often described it as a prairie. In 1805 and 1806, Lewis and Clark mapped the area as 'prairie'. In his journal, Lewis described the diversity of trees and evergreen shrubs in the bottomlands and the 'sand rush which are luxuriant and abundant in the river bottoms.'
Over the following two decades, the bottomlands at Steigerwald Lake became known as the 'Tea Prairie", perhaps because of the abundance of wild mint growing in the area. Land surveyor notes from 1856 described the river bottom as prairie that was 'unfit for cultivation due to inundation'. Early settlers attempted to farm the area, but annual spring flooding by the Columbia River and Gibbons Creek made farming difficult, if not impossible. By 1880 the agricultural emphasis switched from farming to dairying. Drainage and diking efforts between 1920 and 1950 made possible the planting of some row crops and small orchards. Annual freshets persisted until the major dam building projects of the 1950s. The bottomlands were diked in 1966 and expulsion pumps were installed in preparation for the development of the Washougal Industrial Park at the western margin of Steigerwald Lake.
..."
Source:
U.S. Department Fish and Wildlife, Steigerwald Lake, Franz Lake, and Pierce National Wildlife Refuges Comprehensive Conservation Plan
|
|
"Tea Prairie River" ...
|
Presumably John C. Fremont's "Tea Prairie river" is the Washougal River.
-
"... In the course of a few hours, and opposite to small stream coming in from the north, called the Tea Prairie river, the highlands on the left declined to the plains, and three or four miles below disappeared entirely on both sides, and the river entered the low country. ..."
[J.C. Fremont, November 7, 1843]
|
Early Maps ...
Click image to enlarge
|
Map detail, 1843-1844, showing Fort Vancouver, the Hudson's Bay Company's "mill" and "sawmill", and the location of the "Tea Prairie".
Original map: "Map of an Exploring Expedition to the ... Oregon & North California in the Years 1843-44" by Brevet Capt. J.C. Fremont of the Corps of Topographical Engineers. Original map courtesy U.S. Library of Congress, 2005.
|
- 1805 and 1806, Lewis and Clark ...
- 1817, Ross Cox ...
- 1831, Chief Factor Peter Warren Dease ...
- 1833, Nathaniel Wyeth ...
- 1834, Nathaniel Wyeth ...
- 1836, John Kirk Townsend ...
- 1840, Oregon Trail (published 1877) ...
- 1843, Captain John C. Fremont ...
- 1908, Sunset Magazine ...
|
1805 and 1806, Lewis and Clark ...
|
Lewis and Clark first passed the prairie of what would become "La Prairie du The" or "Tea Prairie" on November 3, 1805, on their way to the Pacific. Clark wrote about the prairie while near the mouth of the Sandy River. On their route maps [Moulton, vol.1, map#79 and map#88] they label the area of today's Steigerwald Lake NWR as "Prairie".
-
"... Passed a Small Prarie on the Stard. Side above, a large Creek opposit qk Sand River on the Stard. Side, extensive bottoms and low hilley Countrey on each Side (good wintering Place) ..."
[Clark, November 3, 1805, first draft, while near the mouth of the Sandy River]
-
"... on the Opposit Side of the Columbia a large creek [NB: Small river called Seal river] falls in above this Creek on the Same Side is a Small prarie. extensive low country on each Side thickly timbered. ..."
[Clark, November 3, 1805, while near the mouth of the Sandy River]
On their return the men camp for six days on this prairie, a camp now known as Cottonwood Beach. The "Seacalf river" is today's Washougal River. The route maps show their camp to be on the east side of the area they labeled "Prairie".
-
"... "... we proceed on about 2 miles above the enterance of this Seacalf river and imedeately opposit the upper mouth of the quick Sand river we formed a Camp in a Small Prarie on the North Side of the Columbia where we intend to delay one or two days to make Some Selestial observations, to examine quick sand river, and kill Some meat to last us through the Western Mountains which Commences a fiew miles above us and runs in a N.N.W. & S.S.E. derection. ..."
[Clark, March 31, 1806]
|
1817, Ross Cox ...
The first use of the name "Prairie du The" or "Tea Prairie" that this web author could find was in explorer Ross Cox's journel entry of April 21, 1817 (published 1832).
"... On the 21st we arose with the dawn, and embarked. Some of the canoes having struck on sunken trees, we were obliged to put ashore for a couple of hours to repair the damage and dry the goods. We encamped at dusk about five miles above La Prairie du The, so called by the Canadians from a species of mint which grows in it, and which they are fond of using as a substitute for tea ..."
Source:
Ross Cox, April 21, 1817, published 1832.
|
|
1831, Chief Factor Peter Warren Dease ...
"Thursd 30
This Morning Mess. Black & Annance Came back with Thomas & Crew with 14 Ps of the property picked up from the confined Eddy at the Portage a great intermixture of baggages took place the Whole baggages were Examined to ascertain the Pieces lost with an account of which M' Annance with 16 men will be dispatched to Vancouver -- will take the Boat which was found below Tea Meadow [Prairie du The] also in order to come up lighter & mor Expeditiously -- Wrote to C.F. McLoughlin informing him of the sad events and requesting that the Pieces of which a list is sent May be replaced as it would bear very hard upon the Posts for the trade during the season
..."
Source:
Chief Factor Peter Warren Dease, June 30, 1831, Journal of the Brigade from New Caledonia to Fort Vancouver and Return, 7 May - 13 September 1831, IN: James R. Gibson, 1997, The Lifeline of the Oregon Country: The Fraser-Columbia Brigade System, 1811-47, in reference to a boat being damaged while trying to navigate the Cascades.
|
|
1833, Nathaniel Wyeth ...
Nathaniel Wyeth organized and led two expeditions to the fur country, hoping to establish a good trade. He spent time in the Columbia River area between 1832 and 1836. In 1834 Wyeth established Fort Hall (the location of today's Pocatello, Idaho), and in the spring of 1835 he briefly established Fort William, a trading post on Sauvie Island, Oregon. In Wyeth's two journals, one from his first expedition in 1832 to 1833, and the other from his second expedition from 1834 to 1835, Wyeth mentions "Prairie du Li", "Lea Prairie", and "Tea Prairie".
|
"... 31st to the 3rd. Feb. we had warm and wet weather on the 3rd at 10 ock. we started for Wallah Walla I had with me two men and am in company with Mr Emmatinger of the H.B. Co. who has in charge 3 boats with 120 pieces of goods and 21 men. I parted with feelings of sorrow from the gentlemen of Fort Vancouver their unremitted kindness to me while there much endeared them to me more so than it would seem possible during so short a time Doct McGlaucland the Gov. of the place is a man distinguished as much for his kindness and humanity as his good sense and information and to whom I am so much indebted as that he will never be forgotten by me this day we came to the Prarie Du Li[s] 15 miles raining most of the day.
4th Left the prairie Du Li on the lower end of it this prairie is about 3 miles long and through it the River Du Li a small creek enters the Columbia we made but 2 miles when one of our boats ran foul of a rock and was stove it landed its cargo without wetting much this accident detained us till 1/4 before 12 ock when we started and kept on till 2 ock and stopped 20 minutes to dine then kept on till 1/2 past 5 ock making 17 mils this day this River is at medium water the rivers banks high precipitous and rocky from the Lea prairie in one place the bank on the N. side rises to 200 feet perpendicular I saw a hawk light on a projecting crag about half way up which gave me a good idea of the height of the rock from this rock a small stream casts itself into the Com. w[h]ether a permanent one or not cannot say but should think not there are here many white headed Eagles one skunk we saw today the timber appears much smaller than below no rain but cloudy this day wind west and Ther. about 40 deg. now at 8 ock at night the full moon is looking down calmly upon us aparently thinking that the cares of us humble individuals concern her little.
5th We left camp at 7 ock and made 4 miles to breakfast and in 7 mils more the foot of the Cascades our breakfast was made on a small island abreast of a rock rising perpendicular from the bed of the river as I should think 400 feet high Lewis & Clark call it I think 700 feet this rock is nearly surrounded by the waters of the river
Source:
Nathaniel Wyeth, January 31 to February 5, 1833.
|
|
1834, Nathaniel Wyeth ...
"17th. Took the gig and went up to Tea Prairie to see about a location but found none."
Source:
Nathaniel Wyeth, September 17, 1834.
|
|
1836, John Kirk Townsend ...
|
"... At 11 o'clock next day we arrived at the cascades, where we made the long portage, and at nine in the evening encamped in an ash grove, six miles above Prairie de The.
On the 8th, reached Vancouver ..."
Source:
John Kirk Townsend, September 7, 1836, IN: Narrative of a Journey across the Rocky Mountains, published 1839
|
|
1840, Oregon Trail (published 1877) ...
"... To return to our immigrants. On leaving the Dalles they proceeded on down the south side of the river as far as practicable, or opposite to the Wind Mountain. At this point the Indians assisted to cross them over to the north side, when they again made their way along the river as far as Tea Prairie above Vancouver.
..."
Source:
Francis Fuller Victor, published 1877, Eleven Years in the Rocky Mountains and life on the frontier, "Down the Columbia", Columbian Book Company, Hartford, Conn., writing about September 1840, Robert Newell and Joseph L. Meek wagons journeying to the Willamette Valley.
|
|
1843, Captain John C. Fremont ...
|
In 1843 Captain John C. Fremont, of the U.S. Exploring Expedition, led his men down the Columbia River to Fort Vancouver. His goal was to link his survey of the west with that of Captain Charles Wilkes, who reached the Columbia in 1841.
-
"... Being now upon the ground explored by the South Sea expedition under Captain Wilkes, and having accomplished the object of uniting my survey with his, and thus presenting a connected exploration from the Mississippi to the Pacific, and the winter being at hand, I deemed it necessary to economize time by voyaging in the night, as is customary here, to avoid the high winds, which rise with the morning and decline with the day. ..."
[Fremont, November 6, 1843]
While Fremont doesn't mention "Tea Prairie" in his text he does mention the "Tea Prairie river", presumably today's Washougal River. Fremont's map of the expedition however has "Tea Prairie" labeled over an area stretching from today's Camas and Washougal on the west to the eastern end of the Steigerwald Lake National Wildlife Refuge. Fremont shows a river entering the Columbia just behind an unnamed island. This matches the location of the Washoughal River and Lady Island.
"As we advanced, the hills on both sides grew constantly lower; on the right, retreating from the shore, and forming a somewhat extensive bottom of intermingled prairie and wooded land. In the course of a few hours, and opposite to small stream coming in from the north, called the Tea Prairie river, the highlands on the left declined to the plains, and three or four miles below disappeared entirely on both sides, and the river entered the low country."
Source:
J.C. Fremont, November 7, 1843.
|
|
1908, Sunset Magazine ...
"... As the employes of the fur companies completed their terms of service or grew too old for the strenuous life of the mountain and portage, they set up house-keeping in semi-Indian style on some spot the trapper had selected during his time of service. Tea Prairie, French Prairie, Tualatin and Clatsop Plains were cheerful openings in the pervading forest, and selected as homes by settlers as early as 1830.
..."
Source:
John Gill, 1908, "On Clatsop Plains", IN: Sunset Magazine, vol.20, no.3, January 1908.
|
|
|
From the Journals of Lewis and Clark ...
|
Clark, November 3, 1805 ...
Clark, March 31, 1806 ...
|
|
Return to