WALLACE W HANSEN

Native Plants of the Northwest

Native Plant Nursery & Gardens

2158 Bower Ct S.E., Salem, Oregon 97301 E-Mail: Wallace W Hansen
PHONE (503)581-2638 FAX(503)581-9957

Updated October 31, 2003

Wallace Hansen Celebrates Lewis and Clark's Bicentennial

Botanical Discoveries of the Lewis and Clark Expedition

Snowbrush (Ceanothus velutinus)

Collected along the Lolo Trail in Idaho on June 24, 1806

Meriwether Lewis writes: An evergreen. A shrub about 8 or 9 feet high. On the Rocky mountains, waters of the Looshosokie.

Ceanothus velutinus is a member of the same family as the beloved Blue Blossom (Ceanothus thrysiflorus). It is evergreen, well-behaved, never aggressive, gives us lovely white flowers and a spicy fragrance. An added benefit of this plant is that it fixes nitrogen in the soil. This is a very great feature as the shrub is used much for restoration projects after fires. The fire itself stimulates C. velutinus seed germination and this pioneer shrub begins healing work immediately as it grows. Most valuable and most attractive!

At this time in 1804:

Pretty much business as usual in 1804. Parlay with Native Peoples was progressing well. The Corps went about their business trading, hunting and surviving. The weather was not too harsh at this point and no unrest or discontent among the expedition.

Two chiefs came to have some talk: one the principal of the lower village, the other the one who thought himself the principal man, and requested to hear some of the speech that was delivered yesterday. They were gratified; and we put the medal on the neck of The Big White, to whom we had sent clothes yesterday, and a flag. Those men did not return from hunting in time to join the council. They were well pleased. (Second of those is a Cheyenne.) I took 8 men in a small pirogue and went up the river as far as the first island, about 7 miles, to see if a situation could be got on it for our winter quarters. Found the wood on the island, as also on the point above, so distant from the water that I did not think that we could get a good wintering ground there; and as all the white men here informed us that wood was scarce, as well as game above, we determined to drop down a few miles near wood and game.

On my return, found many Indians at our camp. Gave the party a dram. They danced, as is very common in the evening, which pleased the savages much. Wind S.E. A fine morning. The chief of the Mandans sent a second chief to invite us to his lodge to receive some corn and hear what he had to say. I walked down and, with great ceremony, was seated on a robe by the side of the chief. He threw a handsome robe over me, and after smoking the pipe with several old men around, the chief spoke:

Said he believed what we had told them, and that peace would be general, which not only gave him satisfaction but all his people: they could now hunt without fear, and their women could work in the fields without looking every moment for the enemy; and put off their moccasins at night. [Sign of peace: undress.] As to the Arikaras, we will show you that we wish peace with all, and do not make war on any without cause. That chief-pointing to the second-and some brave men will accompany the Arikara chief now with you to his village and nation, to smoke with that people. When you came up, the Indians in the neighboring vil1ages, as well as those out hunting, when they heard of you, had great expectations of receiving presents. Those hunting, immediately on hearing, returned to the village; and all were disappointed, and some dissatisfied. As to himself, he was not much so; but his village was. He would go and see his Great Father, &c.

He had put before me two of the steel traps which were robbed from the French a short time ago, and about twelve bushels of corn, which were brought and put before me by the women of the village. After the chief finished and smoked in great ceremony, I answered the speech, which satisfied them very much, and returned to the boat. Met the principal chief of the third village, and the Little Crow, both of whom I invited into the cabin, and smoked and talked with for about one hour.

Soon after those chiefs left us, the grand chief of the Mandans came, dressed in the clothes we had given, with his two small sons, and requested to see the men dance, which they very readily gratified him in. The wind blew hard all the after part of the day from the N.E., and continued all night to blow hard from that point. In the morning it shifted N.W. Captain Lewis wrote to the N.W. Company's agent on the Assiniboine River [fort, &c., there, about 150 miles hence] about nine days' march north of this place.

Captain Clark, 31 October 1804

Current events:

Lewis and Clark Bicentennial Murals Exhibit, Vancouver, Washington

Lots of excitement at this new art exhibit celebrating the bicentennials of the Lewis and Clark Expedition. This is a cumulative exhibit of art by Heidi D Hansen. Just unveiled is an interior mural featuring Western Red Cedar:

Much more is planned for this exhibit at City Dog Wash at 18th and Main in the Uptown Village District. See www.nwplantsart.com for more details.

From the Lewis & Clark Bicentennial Oregon website at http://www.lcbo.net/:

July 13 - November 15, 2003: Reflecting On Lewis & Clark: Contemporary Native American Viewpoints, Maryhill Museum of Art. Curated by Pat Courtney Gold, Wasco Nation of the Warm Springs Confederated Tribes of Oregon, this exhibit features contemporary artwork by nationally recognized Native American artists who have created paintings, sculptures, and traditional artifacts that interpret and express their thoughts on the Lewis and Clark expedition of 1803-06. Reception on July 13 will include a solo flute performance by James Greeley (Hopi/Wasco) and traditional tribal dances by Native American dancers. Contact: Maryhill Museum of Art, (509) 773-3733.

Location: 1726 Washington Street, Oregon City, OR 97045

(503) 657-9336 (503) 557-8590

End of the Oregon Trail Interpretive Center Website staff@endoftheoregontrail.org

Description: The End of the Oregon Trail Interpretive Center was built in 1995 on the former Donation Land Claim of the first elected governor of the Oregon Country, George Abernethy. A merchant and miller by trade, Abernethy had a vested interest in the continued growth of Oregon City, so he permitted newly arrived emigrants to park their wagons, graze their oxen, and set up camp on a meadow behind his house. That meadow came to be called Abernethy Green, and for many of the early Oregon Trail emigrants, it truly was the Trail's end. 

Alternative approaches are via State Routes 213, 99-E, and 43. The Interpretive Center is just off the end of SR 213 -- turn left at the last light before the Interstate. Taking 99-E or 43 gives you the option of cutting over to Washington Street on the surface streets if you're familiar with Oregon City, but it's easier to take northbound I-205 to Exit 10 from both roads. 

Here's a handy tip for those arriving on 99-E: the entrance ramp from 99-E is a continuous lane that becomes the exit ramp for SR 213, so you are spared from having to merge with the through traffic on the Interstate.

Back Issues:

To see back issues of Wallace Hansen Celebrates Lewis and Clark, click on this link to jump to the index. 

Commemorative Painting by Heidi Hansen:

The illustrated map below was created by renowned botanical artist Heidi D. Hansen especially for this website. Done in ink and watercolors, Heidi shows many of the plants Captain Lewis documented overlaid atop a map showing a portion of the journey. (Click on image for large view). All the plants pictured are available from Wally Hansen! See our online catalog for more information.

Good luck and happy gardening!

Wally

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