It is located on the Washington State(North) side of the Columbia River across from present day Astoria, Oregon. In 1788 English explorer Captain John Meares missed the passage over the river bar while seeking shelter during a storm and named the place Cape Disappointment for having not found the "Great River of the West".

Four years later, in 1792, American explorer Captain John Grey crossed the river bar and named it the Columbia River after his ship - the Columbia Rediviva.

Thirteen years after that Lewis and Clark completed the first overland crossing of North America to reach the Pacific Ocean at the mouth of the Columbia River and camped here prior to deciding to build their winter quarters, Fort Clatsop, on the south side the river.
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