N3836

Lewis & Clark Expedition - Bicentennial

Fred's Anecdotal Note

The Vote

At one point, Lewis and Clark had to decide if they would stay on the desolate north side of the Columbia River at Cape Disappointment in present-day Washington State for the winter of '05-'06 or move to the south side in present-day Oregon. In what has become known to historians as "The vote," all members were asked to decide upon the location of the permanent camp by expressing their opinion and choice. It was the first time that a woman (Sacajawea) and a black person (York) voted in an American democratic election. Not to be forgotten was the young teenaged George Shannon who, of course, also voted. The choice was to explore the south side of the Columbia River to look for a suitable site. Fort Clatsop is now history.