Fort Clatsop Administrative History

Federal And State Agencies

Oregon and Washington State Park Systems. Fort Stevens State Park has been a consistent partner for Fort Clatsop in promotion of Clatsop County historic sites. The memorial has participated in regular campfire programs at Fort Stevens and many of Fort Stevens' visitors and campers make the trip to Fort Clatsop. [2] Across the Columbia River in Washington, there are many significant Lewis and Clark sites. In 1973, Fort Canby State Park, Washington, developed a Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center. Memorial staff coordinated with the Washington State Park System and provided assistance in the development of the park's interpretive exhibits at Fort Canby and Fort Columbia. Both Fort Stevens and Fort Canby were consulted by the planning team for the new general management plan. [3]

State of Oregon. Aside from maintaining relations with the Oregon State Parks and Recreation Department, other state agencies have provided aid to the memorial over the years. The memorial maintains relations with the State Historic Preservation Office for compliance with the National Historic Preservation Act. The Oregon State Police donates game carcasses (roadkills) for the memorial's interpretive programs, providing materials that otherwise would need to be purchased. The memorial has also participated in Oregon state youth employment programs. The memorial holds agreements with the Oregon State Police for law enforcement purposes and coordinates with the department, especially regarding county poaching issues. [4] The memorial also coordinates with the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality on water quality issues for the Lewis and Clark River and other park water. The memorial has also received project support and assistance from the local Oregon National Guard base, Camp Rilea. Camp Rilea has also coordinated with the memorial on planning for the commemorative trail to the coast.

In 1973 the Oregon State Forestry Department donated 1,000 young trees for the memorial's reforestation program. The department donated fir, spruce, cedar, and hemlock trees between the ages of 2 and 5 years old. These trees came both from nursery stock and state lands. [5] The trees were a significant start for the memorial's reforestation. The memorial has also utilized the Oregon State Fish and Wildlife Department as a resource for natural resource planning issues.

Federal Agencies. The memorial deals with other local branches of federal agencies from time to time. The memorial has been in contact with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Environmental Protection Agency over Lewis and Clark River dredging projects and wetlands issues. The U.S. Coast Guard base in Warrenton has served as a resource base for memorial staff. The local Coast Guard station has assisted the memorial with river transportation, helicopter surveillance, moving assistance during the visitor center expansion, and many other projects. [6] The possibility exists for future cooperation through the leasing of Coast Guard housing for memorial staff.

The memorial also occasionally provides interpretive programs for federal agencies as a part of its outreach programs. The interpretive staff has presented programs during the summer months for the U.S. Forest Service at the Multnomah Falls Nature Center, located in the Columbia Gorge, Oregon. [7]

Other National Park units. During its establishment, the memorial received assistance from many other historic areas in the park system in the form of technical advice and planning for visitor services, replica construction, and exhibits. Morristown National Historical Park, Independence Hall National Historical Park, and Pipestone National Monument provided assistance in planning and locating exhibit items. Through these contacts, the memorial also received assistance from Colonial Williamsburg and Old Sturbridge Village. [8] The memorial has utilized the Jefferson National Expansion Memorial in St. Louis as a resource base for Lewis and Clark programs and memorial staff presented Fort Clatsop interpretive programs there in the late 1970s.

Fort Vancouver National Historic Site and Fort Clatsop have shared management needs over the years. The superintendents of both units have served as acting superintendent of the other and for the first few years of Fort Clatsop, they shared the same cooperating association. During the memorial's reforestation program and alder removal, surplus wood was taken to Fort Vancouver for use in the bakery and blacksmith's forge. Mt. Rainier and Olympic national parks have also provided assistance to the memorial. Both parks have donated blown down cedar trees for use in the canoe carving programs and as materials for repairs to the fort replica. During the visitor center expansion, Olympic National Park, Oregon Caves National Monument, and Crater Lake National Park provided temporary trailers for administrative use. Technical support has also been provided by North Cascades, Mt. Rainier, Olympic, and Crater Lake National Parks. [9]