Spotlight on Affiliates

Columbia Gorge Discovery Center Wasco County Historical Museum

by Carolyn Purcell
Edited by Richard H. Engeman

Columbia Gorge Discovery Center and Wasco County Historical Museum 5000 Discovery Drive The Dalles, OR 97058 Phone 541-296-8600 Web site: www.gorgediscovery.org OHS Affiliate since 1998
The columbia gorge discovery center and Wasco County Histori-cal Museum opened in May 1997 as the official interpretive center for the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area. The multimedia, interactive museum inspires appreciation and stewardship of the natural and cultural treasures of the gorge and Wasco County.	1
Exhibits focus on the volcanic upheaval and raging floods that created the gorge, the unique flora and fauna of the region, and eleven thousand years of cultural history. Collections include hundreds of American Indian baskets from throughout the Pacific Northwest, photo archives partially available on-line, and local genealogical files available in the William G. Dick Library.	2
The fifty-four-acre grounds, including paved trails, a pond, and scenic overlooks, complement the museum's historic message and stewardship mission. Restored native vegetation promotes soil and water conservation while drawing attention to the numerous species found only in the gorge. From early spring to late fall, the grounds are graced with ninety blooming native plant species that are adapted to the dry, windblown environment of the eastern end of the gorge. A wildflower database helps visitors identify plants.	3
The Discovery Center's executive director, Ken Karsmizki, is the leading Lewis and Clark archaeologist in the country. A Space Act Agreement through the Remote Sensing Directorate of NASA's Stennis Space Center provides technical support and access to high-resolution remote sensing data that aid Karsmizki's efforts to identify expedition sites. Visitors can access Karsmizki's cutting-edge research through a touch-screen presentation on the exhibit floor.	4
Jennifer Ashley, a living history performer, portrays a laundress who worked at Lewis and Clark's Wood River Camp prior to the overland journey. Ashley engages visitors in conversation about the men of the expedition as she mends their clothes. She works in the Cargo exhibit, interpreting the thirty tons of equipment that members of the expedition carried with them. Courtesy Columbia Gorge Discovery Center / Wasco County Historical Museum
An exhaustive examination of the material culture of the expedition, originally aimed at assisting in the archaeological search, resulted in a unique new exhibition, Cargo. An examination of what Lewis and Clark took with them on the expedition and why provides a vehicle for interpreting politics, social structures, cultural differences, medicine, science, technology, habits, and customs in the early 1800s. From mathematical instruments to trade goods, each object tells us something about what Thomas Jefferson instructed Meriwether Lewis to do and invites contemplation of the expectations of both the Americans and the indigenous groups they encountered.	5
The Kids Explorer Room offers hands-on interactive activities for all ages. During the bicentennial the interactive components will exclusively address the Lewis and Clark Expedition, allowing children to try on period clothing, solve puzzles, find archaeological treasures, and sew moccasins. A video-conferencing and Web site education project is underway that will bring research, exhibits, and museum educators into classrooms across the state by January 2005.	6

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