09.22.06

Dismal Nitch Site Added to Lewis and Clark National Historical Park

Parcel is new park’s first acquisition on Washington side of Columbia River; Cantwell and Baird championed park’s creation

VANCOUVER, WA – Friday, following the finalization of an agreement transferring Clark’s Dismal Nitch to the National Park Service, U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA) and Congressman Brian Baird (D-WA) applauded the deal, calling it an important step toward preserving the Northwest’s natural and cultural heritage. Cantwell and Baird sponsored legislation, signed into law in 2004, establishing Lewis and Clark National and State Historical Parks along the lower Columbia River in time for the bicentennial of the Corps of Discovery’s arrival at the Pacific. Recently, the Conservation Fund and the Park Service completed a deal transferring the Dismal Nitch property to the Park Service with the help of $1.6 million Cantwell and Baird secured for the Lewis and Clark National and State Historical Parks in the fiscal year 2006 appropriations bill.

“By permanently protecting the Dismal Nitch site, we’re preserving a key piece of Pacific Northwest history and providing an important window into one of the greatest challenges overcome by the Corps of Discovery during their remarkable journey,” said Cantwell. “This key site will not only ensure that future generations can appreciate Lewis and Clark’s historic expedition, but will also boost local tourism and the economy of southwest Washington.”

“The Dismal Nitch acquisition will enhance the park’s allure and help educate Americans and visitors from around the world about the important history of Lewis and Clark,” said Baird. “This site will bring more jobs and tourism dollars to our region and protect Southwest Washington’s natural resources for future generations to enjoy.”

The Conservation Fund purchased the Dismal Nitch site from Hancock Timber in 2005. The site was included in the park’s boundary by the original Cantwell-Baird legislation, but was still privately owned until this August. The Dismal Nitch site marks the place where the expedition remained trapped during a horrific six-day storm on their way to the Pacific. It also is the location where the expedition got their first view of the Pacific Ocean. Today is the 200-year anniversary of Lewis and Clark’s return to St. Louis, Missouri, marking the completion of their historic mission.

The National Historical Park Designation Act, sponsored by Cantwell and Baird and signed into law in 2004, protected several sites totaling 560 acres on the lower Columbia River that played crucial roles in the Corps of Discovery’s dramatic arrival at the Pacific Ocean. The legislation also set aside Station Camp, where the Expedition camped for 10 days, one of their longest stops on their entire journey. Station Camp also marks the spot where Lewis and Clark held a historic democratic vote among all the group members—including Sacagawea and the African American slave York—on where the expedition should stay for the winter. Cantwell secured $500,000 to purchase the Station Camp site for the park in legislation passed by the Senate in June.

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