Named after the Chinook word for “whale,” Ecola State Park is located on the Pacific Coast of Oregon. During the winter of 1805-06 the Lewis and Clark Corps of Discovery camped at nearby Fort Clatsop. On January 6, 1806, William Clark led 12 members of the Corps on a trek to present day Ecola State Park in an attempt to obtain blubber and oil from a whale that had washed ashore. Clark documented the difficult terrain traveled in order to reach the whale, particularly the fatiguing ascent of Tillamook Head, a steep mountain on the coastline.

By the time the members reached the whale on January 8, all that remained was the skeleton of the animal. The short expedition was still successful as Captain Clark was able to barter for 300 pounds of blubber and a few gallons of oil from the local Indians to bring back to Fort Clatsop. Today, Ecola State Park consists of nine miles of Pacific Ocean coastline including Tillamook Head, which provides excellent views of the area.

Researched, written, and narrated by University of West Florida Public History Student Sean Baker.