The Lewis and Clark Memorial Column in Washington Park

In Washington Park, the Lewis and Clark Memorial Column takes center stage. It is a monument designed by artist Otto Schumann and dedicated to Meriwether Lewis and William Clark for their expedition which passed through Portland approximately 100 years prior to the monument's construction. Owned by the city and managed by the Metropolitan Arts Commission, the sculpture is made of Snake River granite.

The work is a Classical column with a sphere on top, standing approximately 34 feet, 6 inches tall with a diameter of 2.5 feet. An illuminated path leads up the monument, which sits on a square base that is approximately 5 feet, 5 inches tall. The base's sides display bronze seals for the states of Oregon, Washington, Idaho and Montana, which once comprised the Oregon Territory.

Erected in 1908, the memorial commemorates the achievements of the captains who started from St. Louis in 1804. The East panel features a plaque inscribed with the history of their journey through the wilderness to the mouth of the Columbia River. Nearby, the site includes a wall with built-in benches and a plaque commemorating landowner Amos Nahum King.

Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons