Lewis and Clark
Expedition for kids: Facts about Fort Clatsop
The following fact sheet provides short, interesting facts
about Fort Clatsop. |
Lewis and Clark
Expedition: Facts about Fort Clatsop
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Fort Clatsop
Fact 1: |
The above picture shows
a floor plan of Fort Clatsop which was found in the journals
of Captain William Clark. |
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Fort Clatsop
Fact 2: |
The men of the Corps
of Discovery had many skills including carpentry and blacksmithing
and these abilities were invaluable when building Fort Clatsop
and making furniture for the cabins. The construction was
made of horizontal logs and picket fences. The roofs of
the cabins would have been covered with anything that would
prevent them from leaking. |
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Fort Clatsop
Fact 3: |
The Dimensions: The dimensions
are clearly marked as 50 x 50 feet. The complex consisted
of 1 row of buildings with three rooms and another row of
buildings that consisted of 4 rooms. Between the two rows
of cabins was a small parade ground. |
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Fort Clatsop
Fact 4: |
The construction took
just over 3 weeks to build. It began on December 7, 1805
and they stayed until March 23, 1806. |
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Fort Clatsop
Fact 5: |
The men of the Corps
of Discovery were billeted in the rooms. Meriwether Lewis
and William Clark shared a room. One room was used as a
storage facility for stores and provisions |
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Fort Clatsop
Fact 6: |
Fort Clatsop was built
facing south and there were two gates (a main gate and a
water gate) which were shut and secured at sunset. A sentry
box was built next to the main gate.. |
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Fort Clatsop
Fact 7: |
Fireplaces would have
been made from either stone or mud brick and lined with
clay. |
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Fort Clatsop
Fact 8: |
Floors: William Clark’s
journal mentions a puncheon (rough plank) floor |
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Fort Clatsop
Fact 9: |
The fresh water spring
was located 75 yards from the fort complex. |
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Fort Clatsop
Fact 10: |
The winter quarters housed
the 33 members of the Lewis and Clark expedition who had
reached the Pacific coast. They included Captains Lewis
and Clark, 27 enlisted personnel, York, Captain Clark's
servant, Toussaint Charbonneau, his wife Sacajawea and baby
Baptiste. |
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Fort Clatsop
Fact 11: |
Members of the Clatsop
and Chinook Native Indian tribes visited Fort Clatsop on
almost a daily basis taking the opportunity to trade. William
Clark described them as 'close bargainers'. |
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Fort Clatsop
Fact 12: |
The Corps of Discovery
spent a total of 106 days at Fort Clatsop. According to
Chief Cliff Snyder of the Chinook Tribe there were only
12 days without rain during their stay. |
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Fort Clatsop
Fact 13: |
During their stay the
men suffered from influenza, colds, rheumatism, and other
different ailments. Their physical strength had been drained
during their long, arduous journey had be severely drained. |
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Fort Clatsop
Fact 14: |
As the winter spent at
Fort Clatsop was subject to almost constant rain the men
spent much of their time indoors. Time was spent on the
care and maintenance of their weapons, making clothes for
the return journey and making candles. |
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Fort Clatsop
Fact 15: |
Clark and Lewis and other
men of the expedition who kept journals updated their entries
and spent time making additional notes on the plants and
animals in their immediate vicinity. They also had the time
to write good descriptions of the wildlife and were able
to draw excellent sketches. |
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Fort Clatsop
Fact 16: |
Captain William Clark
took the opportunity to work on the maps he had drawn during
the journey. |
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Fort Clatsop
Fact 17: |
On March 23, 1806 the
Lewis and Clark expedition left Fort Clatsop began their
journey home. |
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Fort Clatsop
Fact 18: |
A replica of Fort Clatsop
can be visited at the
Lewis
and Clark National Historical Park |
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Lewis and Clark
Expedition: Facts about Fort Clatsop
|