March 2005, Volume 5, Issue 2

PLANKHOUSE - HOUSE WARMING

Lewis & Clark noted 14 Chinookan Plankhouse as they started their journey up the Columbia River on March 29, 1806. Today, the Cathlapotle village is on the Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge. A project to replicate one of the plankhouses will be complete on March 30 and open to the public. The traditional, Chinookan style Plankhouse is 76 feet long by 36 feet wide, made entirely of cedar trees. LaCenter carver, Adam McIsaac and Chinook artist, Tony Johnson created the artwork on the massive center posts. The carvings represent family life in the Plankhouse.

Enter through the traditional round door and smell the smoke from the fire as Grandmother tells stories of gathering food, deer, elk and berries from the nearby forest. Learn about life in the Plankhouse as it was almost 200 years ago.

The Plankhouse is on the Carty Unit of the Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge in Ridgefield, Washington. The Plankhouse will be open to the public from March 30-April 2 with a series of demonstrations. Consult www.plankhouse.org for a list of events. With advance notice, access to the site will be available for those needing assistance, contact Yvette Donovan at 360-887-4106, or yvette_donovan@fws.gov.

END OF OUR VOYAGE: LEWIS AND CLARK IN WASHINGTON

A Surprise 2-month opening in the schedule. April 5 - May 26, 2005
Reduced exhibit fee of $375.00
Please contact Melissa Parr"
360/753-2580
E-mail mparr@wshs.wa.gov

"End of Our Voyage" commemorates the bicentennial of Lewis and Clark's Corps of Discovery. Most of their journey in the Pacific Northwest was in what is now Washington State. Explore the state through the eyes of the Corps of Discovery. "End of Our Voyage" features excerpts from the diaries of Lewis and Clark, text written by expert historians, rare historic photographs, and maps are presented in this informative exhibition. It was designed by OTAK and fabricated by Turner Exhibits Inc; the National Park Service provided substantial financial support.

DESTINATION: THE PACIFIC LAPEL PIN

At right is the new "Destination: The Pacific" Lapel Pin. The pins are 1-1/2" tall by 5/8" wide, litho, 4-color process in a gold finish backing, with a butterfly clutch. They are available "wholesale" as follows:

Pins come polybagged.
Pricing includes all set ups.
Shipping and Handling not included.
This item is available for retail sale at: www.whateverendeavor.com/stores/destinationmarketplace

Please call or email with any questions that you may have.
Whatever Endeavor
503.598.8029
503.598.7869 fax

LEWIS AND CLARK CRUISE

The Washington State History Museum invites you to retrace the steps of Lewis & Clark... Set sail on the Empress of the North for a seven-night cruise. This voyage of discovery takes you back to an era of enduring elegance, when over 300 sternwheelers carried passengers in refined style along the Columbia, Snake and Willamette Rivers.

All-included shore excursions take you to explore historic Fort Clatsop, Whitman Mission and Fort Walla Walla, and the Columbia River Maritime Museums. Take a thrilling jet-boat ride through scenic Hells Canyon.

Departs April 24, 2005 from Portland, Oregon.
Prices for a category CC* - $2,723.25 per person.
(Other room categories are available)
*Category CC - first class stateroom with a veranda.
Limited space available.

For more information regarding this cruise, call Debbie Meyer- Meyer's House of Travel- (360) 943-1735.

WEBSITE OF THE MONTH

By Sharon Hultman, WSHS Digital Projects Manager

LEWIS AND CLARK HISTORICAL ARTICLES
U. S. Department of the Interior/Bureau of Land Management/Idaho

Idaho's Bureau of Land Management has put together a highly informative and apparently well-researched website on the Lewis & Clark Expedition, with a focus on content rather than graphics. The story begins with President Jefferson's confidential proposal to the U. S. Congress in January 1803, seeking financial support for an American expedition into territories occupied by the Indians, France, Britain, Spain, and even Russia.

The site covers the preparations for the journey and the selection of the members, in several articles under the Personnel section. Most sites feature Meriwether Lewis and William Clark, or Sacagawea and York, but this site has chosen instead to place lesser known members of the Corps such as William Bratton, John Collins, Hugh McNeal, and Alexander Willard in the spotlight.

In addition to the articles about expedition members, the user can peruse a series of 200 Years Ago this Week in the Lewis and Clark Expedition pages as well. Starting with October 12-18, 1803, Lewis meets Clark in Louisville, and Jefferson urges Congress to approve the treaty for the Purchase of Louisiana. Each week of the Expedition receives similar treatment, right up to April 2, 1805. Presumably this is a work in progress, which will eventually encompass the entire journey, and end with the passing of the Bicentennial commemoration. The site will hopefully continue to stand as a useful tool for students of Lewis and Clark well after the current public interest has waned.

EVENTS LISTING

We are now listing bicentennial events and promotions in a large, searchable database, with several different search criteria, freeing up space in the electronic newsletter for more news-related items. If you would like to have an event or promotion listed in this new database, please direct all information to Mark Vessey at mvessey@wshs.wa.gov and he will post the listing.

To access this new feature, visit our website at www.washingtonhistory.org/lewisandclark and click the Bicentennial Events Calendar Database at the top of the page —or click on the link below.

PLEASE LOOK for additional information and updates on Bicentennial planning activities and projects in next month's e-newsletter.

ALSO - if you have articles or news-worthy information that you would like to contribute to this e-newsletter or to Washington's quarterly bicentennial newsletter, please contact Mark Vessey at 360.586.0219 or mvessey@wshs.wa.gov.

The Washington State Historical Society, lead agency of the state's Agency Assistance Team (AAT) for bicentennial planning, will send this newsletter via e-mail on a monthly basis to provide updates on events, projects, and activities going on around the state in preparation for the commemoration.

Your name is in the state's Lewis and Clark Trail database as someone who has expressed interest in the bicentennial. If you do not want to continue to receive this newsletter and/or other bicentennial communications, reply to this e-mail or contact Mark Vessey at the Heritage Resource Center 360.586.0219.