Fort Clatsop Administrative History

Development Of Interpretive Programs, 1970 to 1985

Volunteer in Park Bobby Usher working on a dugout, 1989.
(FOCL photo collection)

In 1970, Superintendent Paul Haertel and Chief Ranger Al Stonestreet placed emphasis on the development of the memorial's "living history" programs. Memorial staff researched other topics for presentation. Seasonals were allowed to research aspects of the Expedition of interest to them and to develop their own programs. They were to develop talks that were thoroughly researched and presented in appropriate format for park visitors. The growing library collection at the memorial, stocked mostly through the donation of books by the FCHA, and trips to conferences and workshops about the Expedition or about 1805-1806 era frontier life and skills, provided a knowledge base for these programs. Members of the Lewis and Clark Trail Heritage Foundation, especially Robert Lange, Dr. Eldon Chuinard, and Irving Anderson, also provided technical assistance to the memorial staff in accurately developing these programs. The theme of the "living history" demonstration programs centered around the presentation of life at Fort Clatsop during the winter of 1805-1806 and the skills employed by the Expedition to stay alive.

The journals of the Expedition, of Meriwether Lewis, William Clark, Sergeants John Ordway and Patrick Gass, and Private Joseph Whitehouse, indicate the types of activities the Expedition members engaged in on a daily basis, not only at Fort Clatsop, but along the entire Expedition route. From these journal entries, the living history programs were developed. [4] Demonstrations include the basic flintlock loading and firing demonstration; sewing of clothing and moccasins; processing of game animals, including hide tanning and processing meat into jerky; making candles through an animal fat rendering process; lead bullet molding; flint and steel fire starting; and the carving of dugout canoes at the canoe landing site. Demonstration of these skills and various lectures were developed and delivered by the interpretive staff in third person presentations.

While the demonstration programs increased in number and variety, the fort replica's role and appearance also changed. The replica became the backdrop of these demonstration programs. Beginning in 1972, the interpretive staff furnished the replica with items similar to those used by the Expedition. Such items included hides, blankets, furs, barrels, journals and writing utensils, plant specimens, cooking utensils, and many other items. [5] Furnishings centered originally around the captains' room, but expanded to the Charbonneau room and the squad rooms. The meat room was opened for hanging meat strips (when game was available for such programs) and the demonstration of the Expedition's meat preservation techniques, as well as for storage of kegs, barrels, wood, rope, and other such items. The FCHA funded the purchase of interpretive items for furnishing the replica and providing materials for the demonstration programs. FCHA continues to provide funds for these materials.

A new Interpretive Prospectus was completed for the memorial in 1975. The study team for the new prospectus included Superintendent John Miele; James Richardson, Interpretive Management Specialist, Pacific Northwest Region; David McLean, Division of Museums, Harpers Ferry Center; Richard Krepela, Division of Audiovisual Arts, Harpers Ferry Center; and the study team captain, L. Clifford Soubier, Interpretive Planner, Division of Planning, Denver Service Center. The prospectus reviewed the interpretive programs at the memorial, identified weaknesses, and set guidelines for the future.

In its critique of memorial interpretation, the prospectus identified seven weaknesses. The auditorium was too small to accommodate summer visitation or visiting school groups, a weakness identified in 1964 by Superintendent Peterson. Second, the wall map in the visitor center exhibit was too cluttered with information and was difficult to follow. Third, wooden barriers in front of exhibit cases blocked the view of small children. Fourth, the whale diorama conveyed no significant interpretive message. Fifth, the slide program duplicated the information presented in the interpretive film, therefore providing no useful additional information. Sixth, the approach to the fort lacked any wilderness atmosphere. Finally, the fort and fort grounds were devoid of interpretive devices for when staff was not available at the replica to provide interpretive information.

To alleviate these problems, the team made five recommendations. These were: 1) develop a new audio/visual slide program, 2) make small revisions to the museum exhibit (refining the wall map to include the geopolitical implications of the Expedition and rewording American Indian exhibits to avoid stereotyping), 3) screen the trail to the fort with native vegetation, 4) design wayside exhibit signs at the fort and canoe landing, and 5) develop an environmental study area to hold school classes. The recommendations were implemented over time as funding was available.

From 1970 to 1985, the costumed demonstration programs continued to be refined. Programs such as "discovery" or "nature" walks, guided by park rangers and emphasizing natural and cultural aspects of the area and the Expedition, became a daily summer program. Other talks included the medical aspects of the Expedition, beaver trapping and the fur trade, and the local American Indian communities. In 1979, David Moffitt was added to the interpretive staff as a seasonal ranger. Moffitt's fiddling skills became the basis for the demonstration of nineteenth century fiddle music and jig dances which provided entertainment for the Expedition members. The memorial was successful in continuing this special program through the 1980s. Through the volunteer efforts of an area neighbor, a black Newfoundland dog was occasionally available at the fort to represent Lewis' dog. One program idea suggested but never developed was the development of a replica Clatsop house or village near the fort replica for further interpretation of the local American Indian community. In August 1979, the memorial's current head of interpretation, Curt Johnson, arrived at the memorial. Under Johnson, the interpretive staff have brought interpretation to its height.

Canoe carving was initiated as a popular demonstration program in 1973. From 1973 to 1975, seasonals worked on digging out a canoe at the canoe landing site, using traditional tools and fire. The first was finished in 1975. In 1977, a new cedar log was obtained and work continued on another dugout canoe. This demonstration encouraged visitors to venture to the canoe landing and join in other interpretive programs.

Visitation to the memorial by local school groups continued on a regular basis. In 1979-80, a pre-site visit teacher's packet was designed to help schedule and plan field trips to the park. The packet was well received by participating school groups, which allowed them to schedule specific time and group size. On-site visitation by local schools continues to bring thousands of students, mostly fourth and fifth graders, to the memorial for educational opportunities. In 1980, the memorial began an environmental living program. This program was done in coordination with the Washington County Education Service District and provided teacher workshops, educating teachers about the memorial's environmental and problem-solving educational programs. Following the teacher workshops, seven to nine day-long student workshops would be held. These workshops provided a hands-on learning experience for the students in environmental education and problem-solving skills. This program operated on limited funding for three years.

New slide shows were developed to replace the original one, eliminating the duplication of information identified by the 1975 interpretive prospectus. In 1981, park staff developed a new slide program, called "A Wet, Disagreeable Winter," which incorporated scenes of the fort and rangers in costume. Also in 1981, two members of the Harpers Ferry Center staff, Shirley Wilt and Tom Gray, spent four days at the memorial, taking pictures of local actors in costume for the development of another new slide program. This HFC slide program, called "The Corps of Discovery," was completed in 1983 and was incorporated into interpretive programs. "The Journals of Lewis and Clark" continued to be the program's main film, showing daily and interspersed with the two new slide programs.

The native vegetation planting program became a major project during the years 1974 to 1985. The use of native vegetation and landscaping to screen the replica from the visitor center was continued. Target areas included trails between the fort, canoe landing, spring, and picnic area, as well as the open field spaces along the western edge of the county road and between the residential and utility buildings. In 1980, the trail between the fort replica and the visitor center was redirected to bring the visitor around to the fort's main gates. In combination with vegetation screening, this helped foster a separate environment from the visitor center. Also during this time period, an area was designated for black powder firing demonstrations.

Special events marked by interpretive programs during this time period included the National Parks Centennial in 1972, the memorial's one millionth visitor in 1972, the American Bicentennial in 1976, and the 175th anniversary of the Expedition in 1980. In 1974, the memorial began hosting special interpretive programs around Christmas and New Year's Day, the two holidays the Expedition spent at Fort Clatsop in 1805-06. The 1972 National Parks Centennial was marked with special events such as off-site talks by memorial staff about the NPS and its function, and an art contest at local schools. The 175th anniversary of the Expedition's stay at Fort Clatsop was marked by a significant addition to the visitor center exhibit, the "Arrival" statue.

In 1981, the Fort Clatsop Wayside Exhibit Plan was completed by the Harpers Ferry Center Wayside Exhibit branch. Written by David J. Guiney and designed by Daniel D. Feaser, the plan called for 17 wayside signs. Large exhibit signs were developed for the Fort Clatsop replica and for the Canoe Landing site, which fulfilled the recommendation in the 1975 interpretive prospectus. Fifteen other signs were developed for interpreting natural scientific information along the memorial's trails. One introduction sign and fourteen individual plant signs were placed along the trails, providing the common and scientific name, an appropriate quote from the journals (if available), and a small sketch.

Curt Johnson preparing fat for candle rendering, 1989.
(FOCL photo collection)

Between 1970 and 1984, the interpretive staff grew considerably. In 1973, the interpretive staff consisted of five people, 2 permanent and 3 seasonal rangers. In 1984, the interpretive staff had doubled to ten people, 2 permanent and 8 seasonal rangers. By 1985, the interpretive staff grew again through the assistance of volunteers and by the Volunteers In Parks program. Many of the memorial's seasonals traditionally return for more than one season. For example, in 1983, of eight seasonal rangers, four were returning from previous seasons. [6]

During the first fifteen years of the memorial's demonstration programs, emphasis was placed on the demonstrations as "living history." In classifying the programs as "living history," only representatives of members of the Expedition were utilized in costume at the fort replica. Aside from Euro-American men, the persons of York and Sacagawea could also be represented. The memorial was active in trying to hire an African-American man and an American Indian woman to represent these two Expedition members in the memorial's demonstration programs. Over the years, a few American Indian women and two African-American men have represented these two people. [7]

The representation of York and Sacagawea was not always successful, for a couple of reasons. First, it was difficult to find people to hire as seasonals. Second, the rangers representing these two individuals had to deal with prejudice present in the general public. [8] Women rangers representing Sacagawea faced becoming a novelty, the stereotyped "squaw," and experienced a lack of authority as park rangers.

The portrayal of these two individuals as functioning members of the Expedition raises difficult historical issues regarding their relationships to the rest of the Expedition. In reality, Expedition journals state very little of substantive value regarding these two people. While representing them is a way to approach the involvement of people of different cultures in the Expedition, specifically African-American and American Indian, it also brings up the social roles of slaves and American Indian women in nineteenth century frontier culture.