Les Shirley Park

Quick Facts

Location:

Cannon Beach, OR

MANAGED BY:

City of Cannon Beach, Oregon

Amenities

4 listed

Beach/Water Access, Parking - Auto, Picnic Table, Scenic View/Photo Spot

Lewis and Clark NHT Visitor Centers and Museums

Visitor Centers (shown in orange), High Potential Historic Sites (shown in black), and Pivotal Places (shown in green) along the Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail

On January 8, 1806, while exploring the area around what is known today the city of Cannon Beach, Oregon, Captain William Clark, a handful of men from the Corps of Discovery found, and the group’s native guide found themselves on a stretch of beach in search of a beached whale, hoping to bolster their dwindling supplies. Upon finding the whale, little flesh was left on its skeleton, the usable parts already having been harvested by the local people. Disheartened, the men returned to a small Tillamook village of five houses that they had passed earlier that day, where the people were processing whale blubber.

After purchasing some whale oil and fish from the villagers, Clark shot a raven and gull with a small rifle and, after a meal, the explorers crossed the creek and set up camp. Some of the Tillamook men came to smoke with the captain, but their visit was interrupted by a loud commotion from across the creek. Concerned, Clark, his men, and the Tillamook visitors discovered that Private Hugh McNeal was missing. Clark describes the event in his journal, saying:

“…I Suspected perhaps Some of my party was over after the Squars, by exemening found that McNeal was not in Camp, 〈I was〉 my guide who Staid with me told me Some body throat was Cut. I emediately Sent Serjt Pryor & 〈4〉 2 men across for McNeal, they Soon returned haveing met the person I was anxious to find out the Cause of the allarm, McNeal Said that a man envited him to go across and get Some fish, locked arms of which he Contd to hold he took him into a lodge and the woman gave him a Small piec the man then invited him to another, the woman of the lodge puled his blanket, & Sent out a Squar to hollow across, to inform of Something which ald. [alarmed?] McNeal I Sent over Sergt. Pryor to Know the Cause of the allarm which he was informed that a Plot was laid to kill McNeal for his Blanket & Clothes by this Indian who was from another Villg at Some distance, and that She had attempted to Stop McNeal & findeing She Could not that She then allarmed the men, Several of the mans Band was with me who imedeately Cleared out, 2 men Came over & Slept at my feet. I kept a guard & Sentinel all night…”  

Today, the location of Clark’s campsite and the event that came to be known as “McNeal’s Folly” is encompassed within a small local park, known as Les Shirley Park, situated at the northern end of the city of Cannon Beach. Here, visitors will find picnic areas, access to the seashore at Cannon Beach, salt marshes, and wetlands. You can find more information at Les Shirley Park | City of Cannon Beach Oregon (cannon-beach.or.us)