Fort Stevens State Park, named after Isaac Stevens, a former Washington Territory Governor and Civil War general, is part of Lewis and Clark National and State Historical Parks. Located on the Columbia River west of Astoria, Oregon, this site has been a key area of historical importance for thousands of years. Clatsop Indians once gathered in strategic trading areas along the Columbia River, and they aided Lewis and Clark’s Corps of Discovery during the winter of 1805.

Fort Stevens later became one of the key defense positions at the mouth of the Columbia, and it operated from the Civil War until the conclusion of World War II. In 1942, a Japanese submarine fired on the installation; this action was the first time a foreign military attacked a location on the lower 48 states since the War of 1812.

Presently, the fort and state park remain important state parks for camping, outdoor and water activities, and historical interpretation from old Native American cultures throughout the history of the United States. The park’s emphasis on the area’s natural wonder also conveys a sense of the visual surroundings the Corps of Discovery experienced over two centuries ago.

Researched, written, and narrated by University of West Florida Public History Student Jonathan Harwood.