Fort Clatsop Administrative History

Fort Clatsop is a day use park and its location near the Oregon Coast attracts heavy coastal tourist traffic. Visitation at the site has been on a steady climb since 1963, the opening of the visitor center and the start of visitor services by memorial staff. Visitation in 1963 was 71,707; 115,586 in 1970; 100,060 in 1980; and 279,799 in 1991. [1] Visitation is at its peak during the summer months, especially August. Nineteen-ninety-one numbers reflect the memorial's highest visitation ever. Current visitation averages around a quarter of a million people annually. Visitation pressures at the memorial have resulted in parking improvements and the expansion of the visitor center, and the popularity of the site is not dwindling. Summer months usually find crowded rooms in the fort replica. Studies on the carrying capacity of the memorial are needed to determine future goals in managing memorial visitation.