Ilwaco was first explored by the Chinook Indians. Around 1805, Captain William Clark and men from the Corps of Discovery wandered along the riverbank and explored the hills around the area.
By the 1850s the area was booming with entrepreneurs who had heard about the abundance of Salmon. They fished from Chinook to beyond Ilwaco. Around 1880, Ilwaco had its first fish packing house, propelling Ilwaco to be a fishing industry center. Today Ilwaco still boasts a fish packing house where you can purchase the seasonal catch.
A short Drive away is Cape Disappointment State Park. The park has two lighthouses and a interpretive center. Visit any of these places and see where the Columbia meets the Pacific. The interpretive center has two floors of exhibits that will give you a quick history lesson. There are trails interconnecting from the beach to the interpretive center to the lighthouses. Walk these paths and imagine yourself exploring as Lewis and Clark did so long ago.
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