Date:
Wednesday, October 12, 2005
Contact:
Dave Nicandri, Washington State Historical Society, 253-798-5900
Doug Wilson, National Park Service, 360-696-7659 x. 24
Sylvia Ross, WSDOT - Southwest Region, 360-905-2058
What is this project?
In 1999, a statewide Lewis and Clark Trail Scenic Byway Corridor Study identified a number of priority projects along the Washington-Oregon border that could be constructed for the Lewis and Clark Bicentennial commemoration. Expansion of the existing Station Camp State Park was the highest ranked project identified by the study.
On November 2, 2004 President George W. Bush signed a bill into law creating the Lewis and Clark National Historic Park. The legislation expanded the former Fort Clatsop National Memorial into a multi-unit national park in Oregon and Washington. The units contained in this bi-state park include Dismal Nitch (also known as the Washington State Department of Transportation's Megler Safety Rest Area), Station Camp, Cape Disappointment, Fort Clatsop, Fort Stevens, Salt Works, Netul Landing, the Fort to Sea Trail, Ecola Beach and the Jefferson Memorial.
Station Camp is located on US 101 a few miles west of the Astoria-Megler Bridge near the mouth of the Columbia River in Pacific County. The closest small towns are McGowan and Chinook.
The Station Camp project has two components: the US 101 highway realignment and the park expansion. They are being designed and constructed in conjunction with each other. The highway realignment project will shift a section of US 101 approximately 250 feet north of its current alignment. This will help improve safety on this section of the highway by eliminating a substandard curve, and provide space for the park expansion. The existing 1-acre Station Camp Park will then be expanded to 9-acres.
Concept Drawing of Proposed Park
Concept Drawing of Proposed Park Entrance
Click to enlarge
Concept Drawing of Proposed Chinook Plank House within the Park
Click to enlarge
What is the significance of Station Camp to the Lewis and Clark Trail?
Station Camp is generally considered to be one of the most significant locations along the Lewis and Clark Trail. A week prior to the Corps of Discovery's arrival at Station Camp, Clark wrote in his journal, "Great joy in camp we are in View of the Ocian, this great Pacific Octean which we been So long anxious to See and the roreing or noise made by the waves brakeing on the rockey Shores (as I Suppose) may be heard distinctly."
After weathering the most "disagreeable" storm Clark and the Corps of Discovery had yet encountered and after several failed attempts to round Point Distress, the miserable group finally pulled their canoes ashore at what would be called Station Camp on November 15, 1805 (Lewis and a few others had gone on ahead of the Corps some time earlier). Upon arrival at this site, members of the Corps of Discovery knew they had accomplished the mission set for them by President Thomas Jefferson, and expedition member Sergeant Patrick Gass wrote: "we've reached the end of our voyage."
High tides and large waves convinced the Corps to make camp, and Station Camp would be their home for the next ten days. During this stay at Station Camp, the party - including Clark's slave York and native woman Sacagawea - voted with other Corps of Discovery members to spend the winter across the river in a more protected area near present-day Astoria named Fort Clatsop.
Who are the project partners?
As lead agency for the Station Camp project, the Washington State Historical Society brought together a multi-agency project team to help guide the design and construction of the highway realignment and park expansion. The project partners include the National Park Service, the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT), the Federal Highway Administration and the Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission.
How is the Chinook Nation involved with this project?
The Chinook Nation is an important stakeholder in this project because the site is within their tribe's ancestral homeland. The Nation has been involved with the project's development from the start. On July 2, 2004, the Chinook Nation and all the project partners signed a Programmatic Agreement related to compliance with Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act. Among other things, this agreement covered identification and evaluation of cultural resources at the site and development of a Treatment Plan for any archeological finds including consultation with the tribe about the finds. The Chinook Nation also is actively involved in development of the interpretive elements of the park expansion part of the project, and have been monitoring the archeological work at the site. On July 15, 2005, the Chinook Nation signed a settlement agreement with the Washington State Historical Society allowing the project to move forward after additional archeological work is completed.
When was archeological work performed at the project site?
As part of Section 106 compliance related to the National Historic Preservation Act, archeological testing was performed at the Station Camp project site for the first time in October 2002 with permission of the Garvin family, who owned the property at that time. This work was lead by the National Park Service and test pits and auger drilling were used. After this initial work, it was determined that additional surveying should be conducted.
In spring 2003, the National Park Service returned to perform additional archeological work at the site. It was noted during this visit that the concrete foundation of an old turn of the century barn was located within the proposed new alignment of the highway. Although the foundation couldn't be moved while the Garvin family still owned the property, the National Park Service archeological team suggested that additional testing beneath the foundation be conducted after the property was purchased by the state. Ownership of the property was transferred to WSDOT in November 2004, and the National Park Service performed more extensive archeological work from November 28, 2004 to February 14, 2005.
After the July 2005 settlement agreement was signed by the Washington State Historical Society and the Chinook Nation, the National Park Service began the most recent round of archeological work at the project site in August 2005. That work was completed on September 14, 2005.
Why is the construction currently on hold?
Originally, all archeology work at the project site was scheduled to end on January 28, 2005, with construction of the highway realignment portion of the project beginning on January 31, 2005. However, over the January 22-23, 2005 weekend the National Park Service's archeological team discovered a "plank feature" within the proposed new alignment of the highway.
After reviewing the information about the find and consulting with the Chinook Nation, the project partners decided that the archeologists should be given additional time to assess the plank feature and determine its function and significance, and the start of construction was delayed.
Since that time, the Washington State Historical Society has been working closely with the Chinook Nation to develop an agreement related to the continuation of the project. On July 15, 2005, that agreement was signed.
Work on the project resumed on September 19, 2005. On September 27, 2005, human remains, later identified as Native American artifacts, were discovered on the project site. Collaboratively, the Washington State Historical Society and the Chinook Tribe asked that any work be temporarily stopped in order to identify further course of action. Washington Department of Transportation has therefore stopped any work on site and is awaiting further instructions from the Washington State Historical Society and the Chinook Tribe.
When will construction start?
It is unknown at this time when the construction will proceed on the highway realignment project.
How much will the project cost?
The total budget for this project, including design, environmental work, right of way acquisition and construction of both the highway realignment and the park expansion is approximately $5.6 million.
How much of this has already been spent?
As of January 2005, $1.4 million has been spent on design, environmental work and right of way acquisition for both the highway realignment and the park expansion. Of that total, WSDOT has expended $304,712 on design of the highway reconstruction portion of the project.
Press Releases:
•10-5-05: US 101 Station Camp Update
•9-27-05: US 101 Station Camp Inadvertant Discovery
•9-15-05: Highway Realignment Portion of US 101 Station Camp Project in Pacific County Begins Construction September 19
• 7-26-05: Chinook Nation and Washington State Historical Society Reach Historic Agreement on US 101 Relocation
• 2-12-05: US 101 Station Camp Project Update: Project Partners Meet with Chinook Tribal Council
• 1-26-05: WSDOT Delays Construction on US 101 Realignment Project at Station Camp
• 1-21-05: US 101 Station Camp Realignment Project Begins January 31
For more information, please contact:
Overall project history and general information:
Dave Nicandri, Washington State Historical Society, 253-798-5900
Archeological work:
Doug Wilson, National Park Service, 360-696-7659 x. 24
The US 101 highway realignment portion of the project:
Sylvia Ross, WSDOT - Southwest Region, 360-905-2058
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