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Youngs Bay and Saddle Mountain, Oregon.
Image taken February 2, 2013.
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Youngs Bay ...
Youngs Bay in 1792 ...
Lewis and Clark and Youngs Bay ...
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In 1805 Lewis and Clark named today's Youngs Bay "Meriwether Bay" after Captain Meriwether Lewis, and they named the eastern point of the bay "Meriwether Point", now Smith Point, Astoria, Oregon.
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"... proceeded around this Bay which I have taken the liberty of calling Meriwethers Bay the Cristian name of Capt. Lewis who no doubt was the 1st white man who ever Surveyed this Bay ..."
[Clark, December 7, 1805]
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"... Meriwethers Bay is about 4 miles across deep & receves 2 rivers the Kil how-â-nah-kle and the Ne tul and Several Small Creeks - we had a hard wind from the N. E. and Some rain about 12 oClock to day which lasted 2 hours and Cleared away. ..."
[Clark, December 7, 1805]
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Youngs Bay as seen from the Youngs Bay Bridge, Astoria, Oregon.
Image taken August 2, 2003.
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Campsite of November 29, 1805 (Captain Lewis) ...
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On November 29, 1805, Captain Lewis and five men left the main camp at Tongue Point and proceeded down the Oregon side of the Columbia River looking for a place for their winter camp. Captain Lewis's camp of November 29 was approximately two miles into Youngs Bay along the eastern shore. On November 30, Lewis and his men proceeded up the Bay and explored the Skipanon River and the Lewis and Clark River before setting up camp on Youngs River, approximately six miles up from its mouth with Youngs Bay.
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"... continued our rout up the large arm of the bay about 6 miles and encamped on the Stard. side on the highland. the water was quite sweet. therefore concluded that it must be supplyed from a large crick. at our camp it is 120 yds. wide, tho' it gets narrower above. <about 2 miles>
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[Lewis, November 30, 1805]
On December 1, 1805, Captain Lewis is still at camp on the Youngs River. Here his journal entries end. Captain Lewis rejoins Captain Clark at Tongue Point on December 5.
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From the "Coast Pilots" ... 1869, 1903, 1942
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From the 1869 U.S. Coast Survey "Coast Pilot":
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"... Young's Point, on the southern side of the river, is the first point made after passing eastward of Clatsop Beach. Immediately behind it the land is high and densely wooded; and around its southern face opens Young's River. It was called "Point George" by Broughton in 1792; "George Point" by Belcher in 1839; "Young's Point" by the United States exploring expedition in 1841; "Smith's Point" by the Coast Survey, in the triangulation of 1852; but it is, we believe, generally known as Young's Point. ..."
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"... Young's Bay lies between the eastern part of Clatsop Beach (called Tansey Point) and Young's Point. Into it empty Young's River, discovered, examined, and named by Broughton; Lewis and Clarke's Rivers, examined by them in 1805; and one or two small streams or slues."
From the 1903 U.S. Coast Survey "Coast Pilot":
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"... Youngs Bay, about 7 miles inside the entrance on the south bank of the river, is the widening of the mouth of Youngs River, which enters at this point. It is of no commercial importance, being traversed only by light-draft steamers navigating Youngs River. The Astoria and Columbia River Railroad crosses the bay on trestlework, a suitable drawbridge being situated in the channel. ..."
From the 1942 U.S. Coast Survey "Coast Pilot":
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"... Youngs Bay, on the southern side of the river, about 10 miles inside the entrance, is shoal; it receives the waters of Youngs River and Lewis and Clark River. Traffic on these two rivers is confined chiefly to towboats handling log rafts from rafting grounds just above the two highway bridges. Small towboats operate to the town of Olney, but only at high tide, as the channel is reported bo be practically dry at low tide. The portion of the bay southeastward of Smith Point is under improvement intended to privide additional frontage for the city of Astoria. The shipyards of Youngs Bay are no longer in operation. A power house with a prominent white concrete stack is located on the northern shore of the bay, just westward of the highway bridge. On the eastern side of the highway bridge at its northern end, are the moorings of the Astoria Yacht Club.
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The project for Youngs Bay and River provides for a channel 10 feet deep from the Columbia River to the foot of Haven Island. In June 1941, the controlling depths were 9 feet below the highway bridge and 10 feet to Haven Island; thence about 4 feet for 1.5 miles to the head of navigation.
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Youngs Bay is crossed by a railway and a highway bridge. The railway bridge has 130 feet width of openings; vertical clearance when closed is 10.5 feet. The signal for opening is one long blast of the whistle, followed quickly by one short blast. The highway bridge has 150 feet width of opening; the vertical clearance when closed is 6 feet. The signal for opening is one long blast followed quickly by two short blasts. The Lewis and Clark River is crossed by a highway bridge with a draw span of the bascule type, having an opening of 87 feet clear and a vertical clearance, when closed, of 5 feet. The signal for opening is 1 long blast, followed by 3 short blasts. ..."
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Views ...
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Smith Point and Youngs Bay as seen from Highway 101, Astoria, Oregon.
Image taken July 31, 2012.
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Smith Point, Astoria, and Youngs Bay, as seen from the mouth of the Lewis and Clark River.
Image taken November 15, 2005.
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Coxcomb Hill and the Astoria Column as seen from across Youngs Bay.
Image taken May 25, 2004.
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Saddle Mountain across Youngs Bay, Oregon.
Image taken May 25, 2004.
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Youngs Bay and Youngs River, Oregon, as seen from Coxcomb Hill.
Mouth of the Youngs River entering Youngs Bay.
Image taken April 19, 2005.
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Youngs River (bottom) and Lewis and Clark River (top), as seen from Coxcomb Hill.
View of the mouth of the Lewis and Clark River entering Youngs Bay. The old Youngs Bay Bridge is visible on the bottom and the Lewis and Clark River Bridge on the top.
Image taken April 19, 2005.
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- "Net Pens" ...
- "Old" Youngs Bay Bridge ...
- Youngs Bay Bridge ...
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"Net Pens" ...
Since 1976 Clatsop County, Oregon, has maintained a project along the Lower Columbia River, with salmon "net pens" first set up in Young Bay, and, as the project proved worthwhile, net pens were added in Blind Slough and near Tongue Point.
Fingerlings were raised and then released in the Columbia River as smolts.
[More]
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View across Youngs Bay from Tide Point.
Looking towards entrance to Cook Slough. Fish-rearing pens (net pens) in the foreground. View from Tide Point along east side of Youngs Bay.
Image taken April 19, 2005.
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"Old" Youngs Bay Bridge ...
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The original Youngs Bay Bridge, now referred to as the "old" Youngs Bay Bridge, was built in 1921, and is an example of a "double leaf bascule drawspan", designed by Conde B. McCullough.
The buildings located at the bascules are the bridge operator's houses.
McCullough designed many of the bridges along the Coast Highway 101, including the nearby Lewis and Clark River Bridge.
Good views of the old Youngs Bay Bridge and the Lewis and Clark River Bridge can be had from Coxcomb Hill and the Astoria Column. A nice view of the old Youngs Bay Bridge can also be had from the deck of the restaurant/grocery/marina at "Tide Point".
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Old Youngs Bay Bridge, Astoria, Oregon.
View from Tide Point, upstream of the old Youngs Bay Bridge.
Image taken April 19, 2005.
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Youngs Bay Bridge (Highway 101) ...
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Youngs Bay is crossed the U.S. Route 26/101 vertical-lift highway bridge with clearances of 45 feet down and 80 feet up. The 4,200-foot-long bridge is located approximately 0.3 miles above the mouth of Youngs Bay.
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Looking towards mouth of Youngs Bay towards Highway 101 Bridge.
Image taken May 25, 2004.
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Youngs Bay Bridge (Highway 101) as seen from Coxcomb Hill.
Image taken April 19, 2005.
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Crossing Youngs Bay Bridge.
Image taken November 15, 2005.
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Smith Point, Astoria, Oregon, with Astoria-Megler Bridge.
View of the Astoria-Megler Bridge and Smith Point, with the eastern end of the Youngs Bay Bridge reaching Smith Point (on the right). View from truck while crossing the Youngs Bay Bridge (U.S. Highway 101).
Image taken August 2, 2003.
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From the Journals of Lewis and Clark ...
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Lewis, November 29, 1805 ...
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the wind being so high the party were unable to proceed with the perogues. I determined therefore to proceed down the river on it's E. [Oregon side] side in surch of an eligible place for our winters residence and accordingly set out early this morning [from their camp on the west side of the neck of Tongue Point] in the small canoe accompanyed by 5 men. drewyer R. Fields, Shannon, Colter & labiesh. proceeded along the coast.
S. 40 W. 5 m. to a point of land passing twow points one at 3 m. bearing
S 10 W. and the 2ed at 1½ further a little retreating from the 1st land high and woods thick.
S. 35 W. 2 ml. along the point [Smith Point, location of Astoria, Oregon], land still high and thickly timbered here a
deep bay commences runing [Youngs Bay]
S. 40 E. 2 m. along the bay. the land more open, pass a small prarie at
1 M.
send out the hunters they killed 4 deer 2 brant a goos and seven ducks, it rained upon us by showers all day. left three of these deer and took with us one encamped [on the shores of Youngs Bay] at an old Indian hunting lodge which afforded us a tolerable shelter from the rain, which continued by intervales throughout the night.
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Lewis, November 30, 1805 ...
Clark, December 4, 1805 ...
Some rain all the last night [the men are camped on the west side of Tongue Point], this morning it increased with the wind from the S. E. I Set out Sergiant Pryor and 6 men to the Elk he had killed with directions to Carry the meat to a bay [Youngs Bay] which he informed me was below and as he believed at no great distance from the Elk, and I Should proceed on to that bay as Soon as the wind would lay a little and the tide went out in the evening— ...
a Spring tide to day rose 2 feet higher than Common flood tides and high water at 11 oClock— Hard wind from the South this evening, rained <hard> moderately all day and the waves too high for me to proceed in Safty to the bay as I intended, in Some part of which I expected would be convenient for us to make winter quarters, the reports of seven huntes agreeing that elke were in great abundance about the Bay below. no account of Capt. Lewis. I fear Some accident has taken place in his craft or party [Captain Lewis is out searching for a place to build their winter camp - Fort Clatsop]
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Clark, December 7, 1805, first draft ...
Clark, December 7, 1805 ...
Gass, December 7, 1805 ...
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About 12 last night the rain ceased and we had a fine clear morning. We put our canoes into the water, loaded them, and started for our intended wintering place [Fort Clatsop]. We coasted down the south side about a mile, and then met with the six men, who had gone for meat. They had brought four of the skins but no meat, the distance being great and the weather very bad. The swells being too high here to land we went two miles further and took the men in. We then proceeded round the bay [Youngs Bay] until we came to the mouth of a river [Lewis and Clark River] about 100 yards broad, which we went up about 2 miles to the place fixed upon for winter quarters, [Fort Clatsop] unloaded our canoes, and carried our baggage about 200 yards to a spring, where we encamped.
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Ordway, December 7, 1805 ...
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the morning clear we put our canoes in the water loaded up and set out and proceeded on down the River. the Shore is covred thick with pine and under brush. passd. Several Spring runs. the waves ran verry high. we could not land untill we turned a point [Smith Point, location of Astoria, Oregon] in a bay [Youngs Bay] where we halted and cooked a young Deer which the hunters had killed the other day.
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we proceed. on round a bay [Youngs Bay] then went up a River [Lewis and Clark River] abt. 3 miles and landed at the place appointed for winters quarters [Fort Clatsop]. this River [Lewis and Clark River] is about 100 yds wide at this place but the tide water extends further up. we unloaded the canoes and carried all our baggage about 2 hundred yards on a rise of ground and thicket of handsom tall Strait pine and balsom fir timber and Camped here we intend to build a fort and Stay if game is to be found thro. this winter Season.—
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Whitehouse, December 7, 1805 ...
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This morning clear & cold, We put our Canoes into the River & loaded them. We set off to go to the place appointed for our Winter Quarters [Fort Clatsop] & proceeded down along the Coast. We passed a number of fine Springs or Spring runs, which came in along the Shore. The Country was covered with pine Trees & under brush.—
The wind rose, & the wind caused the Waves to rise also. We saw our 6 Men, who had been for the Elk meat, on the Shore. The Waves ran so high, that we could not land where they were, and had to turn a point of land [Smith Point, Astoria, Oregon], to make a harbour; the 6 Men joined us at this place.
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We set off, the Waves running very high.— Captain Clarks negroe Man servant, not having come up, with the Men whom he had went out with, he waited with his Canoe for him. We proceeded on to a deep bay [Youngs Bay] about 8 Miles, & went up <the> a River, [Lewis and Clark River] which was about 100 yards wide. We then unloaded our Canoes & carried all our baggage, about 200 yards to piece a rising ground in a thicket of tall pine Trees; where we intend building Cabbins, & stay if Game is to be had through the Winter season
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