Two places on either side of the Astoria-Megler Bridge (U.S. 101 across the Columbia River) on the Washington shore have recently been signed and improved to commemorate significant moments in the Lewis and Clark expedition from the fall of 1805.
Just east of the bridge is Dismal Nitch, now a highway rest area. This was where the expedition spent six miserable days and nights waiting for a Pacific storm to abate. They were within sight of their goal, but couldn't reach it _ one of the lowest moments of the entire three-year expedition.
Just west of a bridge, near the St. Mary McGowan Church, is Station Camp. After escaping Dismal Nitch, the expedition established a more comfortable temporary campsite here while they explored the Washington shore of the Columbia. Capt. Clark made triangulation surveys from here to map the mouth of the river.
Station Camp is also famous for being the place where expedition members voted to cross the Columbia and make a winter camp at Fort Clatsop. This was the first time that a vote was cast by a woman (Sacajawea) and a slave (York) in American history.
An unrelated but no-less-interesting site is three miles upriver from the bridge at Knappton Cove.
Often called the "Ellis Island'' of the Columbia River, this is where numerous immigrants landed and were processed at a quarantine station from 1899 to 1938. The Knappton Cove Heritage Center is open 1 to 4 p.m. on Saturdays from Memorial Day to Labor Day. Look for a posting to follow on this.
By the way, you you drive across the Astoria-Megler Bridge, it's fun to watch the seagulls soaring. It's almost like they are making use of an uplifting air current caused by the bridge to get a free ride without flapping their wings four miles across the river. It's especially noticeable driving south. The birds will be flying north off the west side of the bridge.