Clatsop Welcome Pole

Photo: NPS

Along the banks of Ecola Creek, where it empties into the Pacific Ocean at Cannon Beach, you’ll find a 10-foot cedar “welcoming pole.” The wooden statue of a young Clatsop man was erected in July 2016 to represent the centuries-old area that was a welcoming place for members of the Clatsop, Nehalem, and Tillamook tribes.

The message of the welcoming pole recalls a different time when tribes heading to the Columbia River or Nehalem Bay would gather for visits, celebrations, and potlatches – gift-giving events to celebrate friendship between members.

The monument was carved by master carver Guy Capoeman, of Quinault, Washington. It was a collaborative project between the Clatsop-Nehalem tribe and the city of Cannon Beach, Oregon.

NeCus´ Park is named for the former Native village located on the banks of Ecola Creek at Cannon Beach. Captain Clark and his small party hiked from Fort Clatsop to this area in early January 1806. This is where they discovered the local people had harvested a 105-foot-long whale. For this reason Clark named the creek Ecola, the Chinookan word for “whale.”