Clark's Tree

Sculpture in Long Beach, Washington

46°22′16″N 124°03′43″W / 46.37118°N 124.06182°W / 46.37118; -124.06182

Clark's Tree is a bronze memorial sculpture in Long Beach, Washington commemorating Lewis and Clark's journey across North America. It sits on a dune above the Pacific Ocean beach at Breakers near where Clark carved a message on a living tree to establish United States precedence of discovery and occupation in what was then the Oregon Country. The memorial was created by Stanley Wanlass, a sculptor educated at Brigham Young University.^[1] The sculpture marks the westernmost and northernmost point of Lewis and Clark's journey on the Pacific coast.^[2]^[3]

The sculpture was built in Clarkston, then barged down the Columbia River in 2003 with stops for public viewing in Richland, Hood River, Portland and Vancouver,^[4] then into the Pacific Ocean to reach Long Beach. In the process the sculpture was nearly lost at sea, according to Wanlass.^[2]

Another marker with the same name was constructed in 1932 at 3rd and Pacific in Long Beach's downtown area.^[5]

References

^ Richard G. Oman, "Sculpting an LDS Tradition", churchofjesuschrist.org, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints
^ ^a ^b Edward Stratton (April 10, 2014), "Famed bronze sculptor offers memorial for those lost at sea", The Daily Astorian, Astoria, Oregon
^ Jennifer Ott (May 8, 2011), "Captain William Clark of the Lewis and Clark Expedition visits the future site of Long Beach on November 19, 1805", HistoryLink, Seattle: History Ink
^ DEAN BAKER (October 2, 2003), "Lewis & Clark Bicentennial: Bronze tree honoring Lewis & Clark to dock here", The Columbian, Vancouver, Washington, archived from the original on November 19, 2018 – via HighBeam
^ Saindon 2003, p. 530.

Tom Laidlaw (January 2004), "William Clark, Master Graffitist" (PDF), Worthy of Notice, vol. 5, no. 1, Washington State Chapter, LCTHF, p. 7

Sources

Saindon, R.A. (2003). Explorations Into the World of Lewis and Clark V-2 of 3. Lewis and Clark Trail Heritage Foundation. ISBN 978-1-58218-764-8. Retrieved 2017-03-26.