History brought to life at Fort Walla Walla Museum

WALLA WALLA—Lewis & Clark Living History Weekend kicks off Saturday at Fort Walla Walla Museum. Learn about the historical expedition on Saturday, August 6, from 10 a.m. to -5 p.m., and Sunday, August 7, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Pacific Northwest Living Historians (PNLH) will demonstrate the tools and skills employed by the Lewis and Clark expedition during this two-day special event.

Captain Meriwether Lewis and Captain William Clark were sent by President Thomas Jefferson to explore the newly acquired Louisiana Territory, seeking the best route to the Pacific Ocean through the Pacific Northwest. From 1804 to 1806, they led the Corps of Northwestern Discovery overland from St. Louis, Missouri, to the mouth of the Columbia River and back again.

With no means for resupply, the Corps (a U.S. Army unit of 31 men accompanied by Sacagawea and her infant child, Jean Baptiste) needed to use diverse skills and the right tools to survive.

PNLH interpreters, wearing clothing in the style of the Corps in 1805-1806, will demonstrate tools and skills, including flintlock firearms, fire starting with flint and steel, camp cooking, making clothing from leather, and making canoe paddles.

Visitors will also learn the history and stories of the Lewis and Clark expedition: the native people that they met, the unfamiliar territory they traveled and mapped, and the strange new animals and plants they discovered.

William McBean, Hudson’s Bay Company trader, will be at the museum on Saturday, August 6, at 2 p.m. Living History performances bring history to life with reenactors portraying real people from the area’s past.

Canadian William McBean came to the Walla Walla region in 1846. He became the chief trader in charge of the Hudson’s Bay Company fort during the Whitman Massacre in 1847. He left Fort Walla Walla in 1855 during the Indian Wars and later returned to the region with his Indian wife and children. McBean continued to reside in Walla Walla and was active in assisting various Catholic institutions until he died in 1892.

It’s that time again; each August, the museum likes to celebrate summer with an old-fashioned family event, including games, living history, and ice cream. Cool off at the Ice Cream Social, featuring the interactive Oregon Trail Game, on Sunday, August 14, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

This year, FWWM is bringing back the interactive Oregon Trail Game, inspired by the popular 1985 education video game. Bring your team and survival skills to make it from Independence, Missouri, all the way to Fort Walla Walla. In this kid-friendly game, there will be calamities to overcome, fun activities to complete, and a photo opportunity at the end.

From packing your wagon with supplies to overcoming obstacles along the way (snakebite remedy, anyone?), kids and adults alike will have a lot of fun learning about travel on the Trail. Judge William Langford, portrayed by Don Schacht, will give a Living History performance at 2 p.m. Born in Ohio in 1835, Langford later came to Oregon to study law. He was the last territorial justice of the Washington Territorial Supreme Court to serve in Walla Walla County, appointed by President Grover Cleveland on December 3, 1885.