The Columbia River - Castle Rock, Washington

Lewis & Clark's Columbia River - "200 Years Later"
"Castle Rock, Washington"

Includes ... Castle Rock ... Beacon Rock ...

Image, 2006, Cowlitz River at Castle Rock, click to enlarge

Click image to enlarge

Cowlitz River at Castle Rock, Washington. Image taken August 12, 2006.

Castle Rock ...

Castle Rock, Washington, is located on the east bank of the Cowlitz River at River Mile (RM) 17. Downstream are the cities of Kelso and Longview, located where the Cowlitz River meets the Columbia.

Early Castle Rock ...

Castle Rock was settled in the early 1852 by William and Eliza Huntington. (Note: Robert Hitchman in Place Names of Washington, 1985, Washington State Historical Society, uses 1853.)

"... Castle Rock is centered primarily on the donation land claim of Eliza and William Huntington, who settled here in 1852. The city was platted December 12, 1888 and incorporated in 1890. Castle Rock was named after a large volcanic rock formation, which rises 190 feet high. The rock formation, resembling a castle, became a geographic landmark to early river travelers. The city has preserved this site and visitors can hike to the top of ‘The Rock’. The site is located at the intersection of Huntington Avenue South and Front Avenue. Historical markers are located at the base. ..." [City of Castle Rock Website, 2006]

The U.S. Board of Geographic Names made "Castle Rock" official in 1930

At the turn of the century there was another "Castle Rock" in the area --- the large basalt feature on the Columbia River east of Vancouver was known as "Castle Rock" until 1916 when the U.S. Board of Geographic Names made "Beacon Rock" its official name. Also in the early 1900s there was a Castle Rock in Oregon, located at Columbia River Mile (RM) 262.

Click image to enlarge	Cowlitz River at Castle Rock, Washington. "The Rock" of Castle Rock is on the right. Image taken August 12, 2006.
Click image to enlarge	"The Rock", Castle Rock, Castle Rock, Washington. Image taken August 12, 2006.

"The Rock ...

"The Rock" of Castle Rock is a large basaltic feature located at Cowlitz River Mile (RM) 16, an was visible to early travelers of the Cowlitz River. Today it is heavily treed, and a treasured part of community life. The Rock Community Park exists south of the rock, and Riverfront Trail, a bike/hiking path, winds its way around the base. There is a trail to the top.

Click image to enlarge	Castle Rock and the Cowlitz River, Castle Rock, Washington. View from park south of Castle Rock at The Rock Community Park. Image taken August 12, 2006.
Click image to enlarge	Information sign, Castle Rock, Castle Rock, Washington. Image taken August 12, 2006.
Click image to enlarge	Closeup, information sign, Castle Rock, Castle Rock, Washington. Image taken August 12, 2006.
Click image to enlarge	Castle Rock as seen from Park, Castle Rock, Washington. View from The Rock Community Park. Image taken August 12, 2006.

From the Journals of Lewis and Clark ...

Clark, ...

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^*River Miles [RM] are approximate, in statute miles, and were determined from USGS topo maps, obtained from NOAA nautical charts, or obtained from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers website, 2003

Sources: Castle Rock Chamber of Commerce website, 2006; City of Castle Rock website, 2006; Hitchman, R., 1985, Place Names of Washington, Washington State Historical Society; U.S. Geological Survey, Geographic Names Information System (GNIS) website, 2006.

All Lewis and Clark quotations from Gary Moulton editions of the Lewis and Clark Journals, University of Nebraska Press, all attempts have been made to type the quotations exactly as in the Moulton editions, however typing errors introduced by this web author cannot be ruled out; location interpretation from variety of sources, including this website author.