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60-575: The Lewis and Clark Expedition wintered at Fort Clatsop before returning east to St. Louis in the spring of 1806. It took just over three weeks for the Expedition to build the fort, and it served as their camp from December 8, 1805 until their departure on March 23, 1806. The site is now protected as part of the Lewis and Clark National Historical Park , part of which was formerly known as Fort Clatsop National Memorial until 2004. The original Fort Clatsop decayed in

120-740: A German immigrant to the United States. During its heyday in the early 19th century, the company dominated the American fur trade. The company went bankrupt in 1842 and was dissolved in 1847. During the 18th century, furs had become a major commodity in Europe, and North America became a major supplier. Several British companies, most notably the North West Company (NWC) and the Hudson's Bay Company , were eventual competitors against Astor and capitalized on

180-640: A New York merchant. It is likely that these considerations were discussed with Astor during his visits to Montreal and the Beaver Club . Despite not originating the idea to create a venture on the Pacific coast, Astor's "ability to combine and use the ideas of other men" allowed him to pursue the idea. Astor joined in on two NWC voyages charted to sail to the Qing Empire during the 1790s. These were done with American vessels to bypass British commercial law , which at

240-584: A fort at the entrance of the Columbia River. Once the pelts were collected from the extensive outposts they were to be loaded and shipped aboard ships owned by Astor to the Chinese port of Guangzhou, where furs were sold for impressive profits. Chinese products like porcelain , nankeens and tea were to be purchased; with the ships then to cross the Indian Ocean and head for European and American markets to sell

300-732: A monopoly in the Great Lakes region and the Midwest. In the 1820s the AFC expanded its monopoly into the Great Plains and the Rocky Mountains , dominating the fur trade in what became Montana by the mid-1830s. To achieve control of the industry, the company bought out or beat out many smaller competitors, like the Rocky Mountain Fur Company . By 1830, the AFC had nearly complete control of

360-403: A tribe they had come to dislike, viewing them as untrustworthy and prone to theft. Ultimately, the group's time along the Columbia River merely served as a place to spend the winter and recoup. The men were suffering from a number of different illnesses and conditions, including venereal diseases and respiratory problems, and felt that departing would make them all feel better. Toward the end of

420-631: Is currently operated by the National Park Service . In 1803, Thomas Jefferson completed the Louisiana Purchase from France. As much of the area had not been explored by Europeans, Jefferson commissioned an expedition to be led by his secretary, Meriwether Lewis , along with William Clark . Jefferson set a number of goals for the expedition, most notably to determine what the land contained, including plants, animals, and natural resources. Jefferson also wanted to establish good relations with

480-471: Is no documentation of this and it is more likely that he had sent a copy of the map to Congress due to personal pride. Pond later became a founding member of the North West Company (NWC) and continued to trade in modern Alberta. In time Pond had an influence upon Alexander Mackenzie , who later crossed the North American continent. In 1802, Mackenzie promoted a plan form the "Fishery and Fur Company" to

540-796: The Astor Library in New York City. Later it merged with the Lenox Library to form the New York Public Library . On the frontier, the American Fur Company opened the way for the settlement and economic development of the Midwestern and Western United States. Mountain men working for the company improved Native American trails and carved others that led settlers into the West. Many cities in

600-559: The Hudson's Bay Company , in a short time the HBC controlled the majority of the fur trade across the Pacific Northwest. This was done in a manner that "the Americans were forced to acknowledge that Astor's dream" of a multi-continent economic web "had been realized... by his enterprising and far-sighted competitors." The South West Company handled the Midwestern and Southwestern fur trade. In

660-572: The Mayor of New York City , DeWitt Clinton , Astor explained that a state charter would offer a particular level of formal sanction needed in the venture. He in turn requested the Federal government grant his operations military support to defend against Indians and control these new markets. The bold proposals were not given official sanction however, making Astor to continue to promote his ideas among prominent governmental agents. President Thomas Jefferson

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720-551: The National Register of Historic Places on October 15, 1966. On October 30, 2004, it was redesignated Lewis and Clark National Historical Park with expanded jurisdiction over multiple sites, including: Ecola State Park was the site of the Corps of Discovery's 1806 trek over difficult terrain to see a beached whale. Today, it features several miles of hiking trails through old-growth forest and several beaches. Haystack Rock and

780-613: The Pacific Ocean , the Corps of Discovery camped at Fort Clatsop in the winter of 1805–1806. The park features a replica of the fort and a nearby visitor center. Also included in the park are several sites on the north bank of the river in Washington and other sites in Oregon. The federal park began as Fort Clatsop National Memorial which was established on May 29, 1958. The memorial was listed on

840-730: The Qing Empire . Chinese products were, in turn, to be purchased for resale throughout Europe and the United States. A beneficial agreement with the Russian-American Company was also planned through the regular supply of provisions for posts in Russian America . This was planned in part to prevent the rival Montreal based NWC to gain a presence along the Pacific Coast, a prospect neither the Russian colonial authorities or Astor favored. Demand for furs in Europe began to decline during

900-694: The Royal Navy forced the sale of all company assets across the Oregon Country. This was formalized on 23 October 1813 with the raising of the Union Jack at Fort Astoria . On 30 November HMS Racoon arrived at the Columbia River and in honor of George III of the United Kingdom , Fort Astoria was renamed Fort George. After the forced merger in 1821 of the North West Company into their long time rivals,

960-559: The 1830s, competition began to resurface. At the same time, the availability of furs in the Midwest declined. During this period, the Hudson's Bay Company began an effort to destroy the American fur companies from its Columbia District headquarters at Fort Vancouver . By depleting furs in the Snake River country and underselling the American Fur Company at the annual Rocky Mountain Rendezvous ,

1020-455: The 1850s. In 1834, John Jacob Astor sold his interest on the river to replace the old fur company. He invested his fortune in real estate on Manhattan Island, New York, and became the wealthiest man in America. After 1840, the business of the American Fur Company declined. During its heyday, the American Fur Company was one of the largest enterprises in the United States and held a total monopoly of

1080-687: The British government. In it he called for "a supreme Civil & Military Establishment" on Nootka Island , with two additional posts located on the Columbia River and another in the Alexander Archipelago . Additionally this plan was formed to bypass the three major British monopolies at the time, the Hudson's Bay Company , the South Sea Company and the East India Company for access

1140-455: The Chinese markets. However the British government turned down the offer, leaving the NWC to pursue MacKenzie's plans alone. Another likely influence upon Astor was a longtime friend, Alexander Henry . At times Henry mused at the potential of the western coast. Forming establishments on the Pacific shoreline to harness the economic potential would be "my favorite plan" as Henry described in a letter to

1200-701: The Chinese wares. To begin his plans of a chain of trading stations spread across the Rocky Mountains to the Pacific Northwest , Astor incorporated the AFC subsidiary, the Pacific Fur Company . Astor and the partners met in New York on 23 June 1810 and signed the Pacific Fur Company's provisional agreement. The fellow partners were former NWC men, being Alexander McKay , Duncan McDougall , and Donald Mackenzie . The chief representative of Astor in

1260-400: The Columbia River, based on a recommendation of the local Clatsop Indians . The group decided to vote on the matter, with everyone, including the young Native American woman Sacagawea and African American slave York , participating. The group was given three choices: stay on the Washington side of the Columbia River, and be subjected to diets of fish and rainy weather, move upriver, or take

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1320-412: The Columbia River, is part of the park. His explorations gave the United States a strong position in its later territorial contests with Great Britain . Chinook Point was named a National Historic Landmark in 1961. American Fur Company The American Fur Company ( AFC ) was a prominent American company that sold furs, skins, and buffalo robes. It was founded in 1808, by John Jacob Astor ,

1380-499: The Columbia and reach the mountains, the group was desperately in need of canoes. The Clatsops had a number of them, but refused to trade with Lewis and Clark. Eventually, an agreement was reached for one canoe, but Lewis decided they had no choice but to steal a second one, since they couldn't all travel without at least two boats. On March 22, the Corps of Discovery began the long journey back to St. Louis. Lewis decided not to send any of

1440-456: The Corps of Discovery began the short journey to the location chosen by Lewis. Upon arrival, the men split into different groups: Clark led a party to the Pacific Ocean in search of salt, while Lewis split the remaining men into two groups. One group was in charge of hunting, while the other was in charge of cutting down trees to be used in the construction of the fort. Construction of the fort

1500-499: The HBC effectively ruined American fur trading efforts in the Rocky Mountains. By the 1840s, silk was replacing fur for hats as the clothing fashion in Europe. The company was unable to cope with all these factors. Despite efforts to increase profits by diversifying into other industries like lead mining, the American Fur Company folded. The assets of the company were split into several smaller operations, most of which failed by

1560-486: The Midwest, it also competed with regional companies along the upper Missouri, upper Mississippi, Platte rivers and as far south as New Mexico. These competitors were mostly companies based in Saint Louis, Missouri , which were active in the fur trade as well as in trade of general merchandise, and which were typically founded and led by French colonial families, such as Pratte, Chouteau , Cabanne and Ceran St. Vrain amongst

1620-517: The Native Americans of the area. Additionally, Jefferson was very interested in finding a water route to the Pacific Ocean, which would have cut the travel time from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean considerably. In late November 1805, after spending a number of days in what is today the state of Washington , Lewis and Clark proposed that the Corps of Discovery move to a location along

1680-667: The Needles are visible from many sites in the park. Fort Stevens , with its 3,700-acre (1,500 ha) park, offers exploration of history, nature, and recreational opportunities. The fort was the Oregon component of the three-fort Harbor Defense Command area at the mouth of the Columbia River ( Fort Canby and Fort Columbia were the other two). Sunset Beach is the terminus of the Fort To Sea Trail, which begins in Fort Clatsop. Sunset Beach also provides visitors with direct access to

1740-592: The Pacific Coast. Peter Pond , an active American fur trader, offered maps of his explorations in modern Alberta , Saskatchewan and the Northwest Territories to both the United States Congress and to Henry Hamilton , Lieutenant Governor of Quebec in 1785. While it has been conjectured that Pond wanted funding from the Americans to explore the Pacific Coast for the Northwest Passage , there

1800-470: The Pacific Ocean and the Columbia River made it a natural site for the fur trade, which expanded rapidly in the years after Lewis and Clark left. Numerous fur trading companies, including the American Fur Company and the Hudson's Bay Company , constructed headquarters in the region. Since then, there have been two reconstruction efforts. The first, in 1955, lasted for 50 years until a fire destroyed

1860-495: The Pacific Ocean with expansive views from Cape Disappointment to the north and Tillamook Head to the south. Cape Disappointment State Park , formerly known as Fort Canby State Park, is a 1,882-acre (762 ha) camping park on Cape Disappointment on the Long Beach Peninsula , fronted by the Pacific Ocean. The park offers 27 miles (43 km) of ocean beach, two lighthouses, an interpretive center, hiking trails, and

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1920-419: The United States and engaging in trade with Native Americans. Congress passed this law at the urging of John Jacob Astor with the caveat that a special exemption to this law could be granted exclusively by the president. Later this power would be given to Native American tribes and some territorial officials. One years time was enough that John Jacob Astor and the American Fur Company has sufficient connections in

1980-505: The abundant elk that the Clatsop had talked about. In the meantime, Clark had not heard from his companion in a number of days and became increasingly worried. During Lewis' absence, the group performed a number of housekeeping tasks, including fixing their clothes from the wear they had suffered during the long and arduous journey. Finally, Lewis returned with the news that he had found an adequate location in which to winter. On December 7, 1805,

2040-547: The advice of the Clatsop Indians and explore the area to the south of the River. The expedition overwhelmingly decided to take the advice of the local Indians to explore the idea of spending the winter on the southern shore of the River. Lewis decided to explore the area before moving the entire group. He and five men left to scout the area, leaving Clark and the rest of the group behind. Lewis became frustrated when he could not find

2100-527: The area to fill the void left by the banning of the British Companies that formerly held control of the Chicago fur trade. By 1808, Astor had established "an international empire that mixed furs, teas, and silks and penetrated markets on three continents." He began to court diplomatic and government support of a fur trading venture to be established on the Pacific shore in the same year. In correspondence with

2160-510: The area. This foundation began with a partnership between the American Fur Company and two British companies that supplied trade goods to the Chicago area. The terms of this arrangement were such that the partnership would last for five years or until the American government prohibited the use of foreign capital in the United States. This partnership was short lived as after the War of 1812 the United States government banned foreign investors from entering

2220-510: The business as Pratte, Chouteau & Company. For a time, it seemed that the company had been destroyed but, following the war, the United States passed a law excluding foreign traders from operating on U.S. territory. This freed the American Fur Company from having to compete with the Canadian and British companies, particularly along the borders around the Great Lakes and in the West. The AFC competed fiercely among American companies to establish

2280-471: The construction of the Beaver in 1803 to expand his trade fleet. By the early 1800's the Chicago area was already a large center for the fur trade. The city was largely occupied by soldiers stationed at Fort Dearborn and fur traders in small camps. Prior to the War of 1812 the British maintained control of the area. However, in 1811 John Jacob Astor's American Fur Company began to lay the foundation to move into

2340-499: The country. Astor planned for several companies to function across the Great Lakes , the Great Plains and the Oregon Country to gain control of the North American fur trade. Comparatively inexpensive manufactured goods were to be shipped to commercial stations for trade with various Indigenous nations for fur pelts. The sizable number of furs collected were then to be brought to the port of Canton , as pelts were in high demand in

2400-682: The daily operations was Wilson Price Hunt , a St. Louis businessman with no outback experience. From the outpost on the Columbia , Astor hoped to gain a commercial foothold in Russian America and China. In particular, the ongoing supply issues faced by the Russian-American Company were seen as a means to gain yet more furs. Cargo ships en route from the Columbia were planned to then sail north for Russian America to bring much needed provisions. By cooperating with Russian colonial authorities to strengthen their material presence in Russian America, it

2460-399: The early 19th century, leading to the stagnation of the fur trade by the mid-19th century. Astor left his company in 1830, the company declared bankruptcy in 1842, and the American Fur Company ultimately ceased trading in 1847. Before John Jacob Astor founded his enterprise in the Oregon Country , European descendants throughout previous decades had suggested creating trade stations along

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2520-405: The enlisted men's quarters, where earlier in the day there had been an open hearth fire burning. It took 18 months to build the 1955 reconstruction, much longer than the 3.5 weeks it took to build the original. Shortly after the fire, a second replica was built and finished in 2006. In spite of the loss, the fire renewed archaeological interest in the site, as excavations had not been possible while

2580-428: The entire structure in the late evening of October 3, 2005. Federal, state, and community officials immediately pledged to rebuild it. A 9-1-1 operator's insistence that the fire was no more than fog over the nearby Lewis and Clark River delayed firefighters’ arrival by about 15 minutes, possibly impacting their ability to save part of the structure. Investigators found no evidence of arson . The fire started in one of

2640-411: The former Fort Clatsop National Memorial ), located in the vicinity of the mouth of the Columbia River , commemorates the Lewis and Clark Expedition . Administration of the park, which includes both federal and state lands, is a cooperative effort of the National Park Service and the states of Oregon and Washington . The National Historical Park was dedicated on November 12, 2004. After reaching

2700-406: The fort in the near future. Because of the heavy rainfall of the region, the original Fort Clatsop had rotted away by the middle of the 19th century. The Clatsops used the fort as a useful base for security and other purposes, though they did strip away part of the wood for other uses. The area soon became a very important site for the fur trade in the Pacific Northwest. The location of the fort near

2760-499: The fur trade in the United States. The company's time at the top of America's business world was short-lived. Sensing the eventual decline of fur's popularity in fashion, John Jacob Astor withdrew from the company in 1834. The company split into smaller entities like the Pacific Fur Company. The Northern Division of the midwestern outfit continued to be called the American Fur Company and was led by Ramsay Crooks . To cut down on expenses, it began closing many of its trading posts. Through

2820-494: The lucrative trade in furs . Astor used a variety of commercial strategies to become one of the first trusts in American business and a major competitor to the British commercial dominance in North American fur trade . Expanding into many former British fur-trapping regions and trade routes , the company grew to monopolize the fur trade in the United States by 1830, and became one of the largest and wealthiest businesses in

2880-430: The lucrative fur trade in the young nation by the 1820s. Through his profits from the company, John Jacob Astor made numerous, lucrative land investments and became the richest man in the world and the first multi-millionaire in the United States. The German-born Astor is ranked as the eighteenth-wealthiest person of all time, and the eighth to create his fortune in the United States. He used part of his fortune to found

2940-508: The men back with a copy of his notes by sea, as was usually customary, because of the small number of people in the group. Instead, Lewis decided that the group would travel two different routes, in order to see as much of the territory as possible on the way back to St. Louis. As a parting gift, Lewis gave Fort Clatsop to Coboway, the chief of the Clatsops. Lewis and Clark had no use for the fort, as they were returning east with no plans to revisit

3000-417: The men lived in one structure, while Lewis, Clark, Sacagawea , her husband Toussaint Charbonneau , and their son, Jean Baptiste , stayed in the other. The winter of 1805–1806 was very long and rainy, leading to boredom and restlessness for the Corps of Discovery. They passed the time with various activities, including hunting the abundant deer and elk in the region. The deer and elk meat spoiled quickly, but

3060-461: The monotonous winter they spent at Fort Clatsop, the men were desperate to return east. Everyone was sick and quite restless, and the steady diet of elk was becoming unbearable. Moreover, even the elk were becoming more difficult to find. Originally, Meriwether Lewis determined the departure date would be April 1, but it was later moved up to March 20. Ultimately, they didn't leave until two days after that due to poor weather. In order to travel back up

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3120-407: The most prominent, both before and after the Louisiana Purchase or Astor setting up his company. Competition in the wilderness areas between men of the companies sometimes erupted into physical violence and outright attacks. In 1834, the American Fur Company sold its Western Division to Bernard Pratte and Pierre Chouteau Jr. , with whom they had been already cooperating, with the latter continuing

3180-514: The remains of Fort Canby . The Cape Disappointment Historic District was listed on the National Register on August 15, 1975. Fort Columbia State Park preserves Fort Columbia, a coastal artillery post along the north side of the Columbia river outlet. At 593 acres (240 ha), the park includes an interpretive center focused on the fort and regional history. Chinook Point , the site from which an American captain, Robert Gray , first saw

3240-510: The replica was standing. Additionally, the new replica was built utilizing information on the original fort that was not available for the 1955 replica. The 2006 replica also features a fire detection system. The replica of the fort isn't in the exact location of the original, as no remains of the original fort have been found. However, it is thought to be quite close to the exact location. Lewis and Clark National Historical Park The Lewis and Clark National Historical Park (including

3300-404: The skins were used to make clothing and moccasins. Realizing the importance of their trip, Lewis spent most of his time at Fort Clatsop documenting the journey, taking notes on the wildlife, terrain, and other features. Lewis also made maps of the area, which would be especially helpful to future settlers of the Pacific Northwest. Finally, Lewis and Clark occasionally traded with the Clatsop Indians,

3360-642: The time prohibited any company besides the East India Company from commerce with China. These were financially profitable ventures, enough so that Astor offered to become the NWC agent for all shipments of furs destined for Guangzhou . However Alexander Mackenzie denied his offer, making Astor consider financing voyages to China without the Canadian traders. Now a fully independent international merchant, Astor began to fund trading voyages to China along with several partners. Cargoes often amounted to $ 150,000 (equivalent to about $ 4 million in 2023) in such as otter and beaver pelts, in addition to needed specie. Astor ordered

3420-435: The wet climate of the region but was reconstructed for the sesquicentennial in 1955 from sketches in the journals of William Clark . The replica lasted for fifty years, but was severely damaged by fire in early October 2005, weeks before Fort Clatsop's bicentennial . A new replica, more rustic and rough-hewn, was built by about 700 volunteers in 2006; it opened with a dedication ceremony that took place on December 9. The site

3480-541: Was contacted by the ambitious merchant as well. Astor gave a detailed plan of his mercantile considerations, declaring that they were designed to bring about American commercial dominance over "the greater part of the fur-trade of this continent..." This was to be accomplished through a chain of interconnected trading posts that stretching across the Great Lakes, the Missouri River basin, the Rocky Mountains, and ending with

3540-500: Was hoped by Astor to stop the NWC or any other British presence to be established upon the Pacific Coast. A tentative agreement for merchant vessels owned by Astor to ship furs gathered in Russian America into the Qing Empire was signed in 1812. While intended to gain control of the regional fur trade, the Pacific Fur Company floundered in the War of 1812 . The possibility of an occupation by

3600-459: Was slow, due to the incessant precipitation and unyielding wind that made working conditions less than ideal. On December 23, people started to move into the dwelling, even though it didn't yet have a roof. The next day, Christmas Eve, everyone moved in. On Christmas Day it was named "Fort Clatsop" in reference to the local Indian tribe. The structures of Fort Clatsop were relatively simple, consisting of two buildings surrounded by large walls. All of

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