Explorers and Early Non-Native Use

RIVERS

No navigable rivers are located in the Mark O. Hatfield Wilderness. Flowing bodies of waters are numerous, but they are creeks that are not suitable for  running in a craft. While in this area there are no   water craft activities, however it does over look the Columbia River. The Columbia River is the largest river in the Pacific northwest and is the 1, 243 long waterway that connects the Great Basin with the Pacific Ocean. 

TRAIL BLAZING

The first and most famous non-Native explores to reach the Columbia River Gorge Area were Lewis & Clark. In October 1805, they arrived in the Columbia River Gorge. As their journey continued along the river until they reached the Cascades they likely spent time enjoying the incredible scenery that is now designated part of the Hatfield Wilderness Area. Interestingly enough as they traveled through the more westward parts of the Columbia river they were accompanied by escorts from the Nez Perce. "Chiefs Twisted Hair and Tetoharsky, announced they were returning home because, from this point, they no longer could serve as diplomats and translators. Since the expedition had left the Rocky Mountains behind, these chiefs had voluntarily traveled with them, going ahead to introduce the white strangers to Columbia Plateau tribes who spoke languages related to theirs"( Discovering Lewis & Clark Columbia Gorge, 2009). As Lewis and Clark traveled along the Columbia they met with local tribes. Specifically the Sahaptian, Chinookan. Generally realations between Lewis & Clark and the Native Americans were posative. In some instances one tribe would warn that they were at war with another ant that for Lewis & Clark to associate with them would risk havig their enmeies engage in agression toward Lewis in Clark. Still, relations were generaly good and much was learned by both people.

                                                                  

           

           William Clark                                                                                        Meriwether Lewis

Links for Lewis and Clark:

http://lewis-clark.org/content/content-article.asp?ArticleID=2719

http://lewis-clark.org/content/content-article.asp?ArticleID=2729

http://www.nationalgeographic.com/lewisandclark/

http://lewisclark.net/

http://lewis-clark.org/

http://www.nps.gov/lecl/index.htm

Numerous European explores would follow Lewis and Clark but two have left a lasting impact on the Columbia River Gorge are Samuel Hill and Samuel Lancaster. Both had numerous dealings in the Pacific Northwest the left one of the greatest marks when the build the Columbia River Highway. This historic road runs along the Columbia River Gorge and sits just outside the wilderness area. 

Hill was a successful business man who had turned his sights on seeing better roads in the state of Oregon. Lancaster hired engineer Samuel Lancaster to build an experimental road on his Mayhill ranch. Lancaster did experimental work with road grades, designs and paving materials. On February 9, 1913, Hill invited representatives to come and witness the success of Hill's work. The representatives must have responded favorably because on February 28, 1913 stat lawmakers created the Oregon Sate Highway commission. Shortly thereafter Hill became a member of an advisory board for these roadways. By August the decision to build the Columbia River Highway was made and Lancaster went to work. He hired a man named John B. Yeon, a retired lumberman, to oversee construction. Yeon was so determined to see the completion of the project that he took a dollar a year for compensation. In July of 1915 the highway officially opened.

It may not seem like the Columbia River Highway has much direct relationship to the Mark O. Hatfield wilderness aside from running along side it. Reality, is quite the opposite. The highway opened up an unprecedented desire for recreation and tourism in the Northwest. This led to the building and use of many area for recreation that have now been designated with various protections. Some area are now National or State Parks and National Forest. One of these Areas that was opened to recreation and influenced by the Columbia River Highway is the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area, part of which is now designated as the Mark O. Hatfield Wilderness Area.

All of the movement towards recreation that occurred during this time lead to the creation of the Eagle Creek Campground which is considered the first Forest Service campground built in the United States. In addition it featured the first flush toilets found in one of their campgrounds. The campground was built in 1915 and was soon connected to the Eagle Creek trail, built in 1916, which runs through the Mark O. Hatfield wilderness. More about the beautiful and popular trail can be found on the Wilderness Features post.   

Links To Columbia River Highway

http://www.oregon.gov/ODOT/HWY/HCRH/Pages/index.aspx

http://www.hcrh.org/

http://www.columbiariverhighway.com/columbia_river_highway_history.htm

http://oldcolumbia.blogspot.com/

Lancaster & Hill Links

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samuel_Lancaster

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samuel_Lancaster

TRAPPING, MINING, LOGGING

 Trapping, mining, and logging have all been done in the wilderness area in the past. Thankfully, none of these were done so heavily that they left the area unable to be preserved as a wilderness. The old growth forests stand as a beauty and have survived much of the reckless logging that occurred in Oregon prior to an awareness of the need for preservation. Most of what remains as the mark of man with the exception of a few roads that extend in to the wilderness are the areas where trails were blasted out of the sides of the cliffs.