1992 International Maritiflle Bicentennial Two hundred years ago, men ofdifferent nations converged upon the Pacific Northwest in pursuit of a Northwest Passage and the fur trade, and encountered a thriving maritime culture among the coast's native inhabitants. Sea History joins with the States ofWashing ton and Oregon, and the Commonwealth ofBritish Columbia, to commemorate their maritime bicentennial. Special thanks to Garry Schalliol of the Washington State Historical Society and Thornton Thomas of the Bicentennial Commission.
Major Voyages Vancouver Expedition
Northwest Exploration Chronology
Captain Robert Gray
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1543 Bartolome Ferrer claims to reach 44 degrees North
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1792 Dionisio Galiano and Cayetano Valdes explore east coast of Vancouver Island
1775 Bruno de Hezeta lands in Washington and sights mouth of Columbia River; Bodega y Quadra sails into Alaskan waters on the little Sonora
Spanish briefly establish first non-Indian settlement in Washington at Neah Bay
1789 Estevan Jose Martinez establishes Spanish base at Nootka and seizes property belonging to Englishmen, precipitating the Nootka Controversy 1790 Britain and Spain almost go to war over Nootka Controversy Robert Gray/Columbia completes the first American global circumnavigation and returns with tea from China 1791 Alejandro Malaspina seeks the Northwest Passage at Yakutat Bay Francisco de Eliza and Jose Maria Narvaez explore the San Juan Islands and the Strait of Georgia George Vancouver/Discovery& William Broughton/Chatham leave Britain
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1774 Juan Perez leads Spanish expedition to Queen Charlottes and Nootka Sound
John Kendrick/Columbia and Robert Gray/Lady Washington sail from Boston 1788 John Meares establishes camp at Nootka
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1769 Spanish establish outpost at Monterey
Charles W. Barkley sights and names the Strait of Juan de Fuca
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1741 Vitus Bering, commissioned by the Tsar of Russia, explores Alaska
1786 Comte de la Perouse explores Northwest for France
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1725 Account of Juan de Fuca's supposed voyage published
1784 Publication of Cook's journals reports the lucrative sale of sea otters in China
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1579 Drake lands on the California coast, claims it, names it "New Albion"
1783 Treaty ends American Revolution
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(Gray wintered in Clayoquot Sound)
1513 Balboa crosses Panama to sight Pacific Ocean
1779 Spain joins America against Britain and sends third Northwest expedition
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Galiano Expedition
1492 Columbus sails for Asia and finds Caribbean islands
1776 James Cook explores the Northwest and seeks Northwest Passage
1792
George Vancouverexploresandnames Puget Sound and meets with Bodega at Nootka to implementthe agreement between Britain and Spain ending the Controversy Robert Gray sights, enters and explores Grays Harbor and the Columbia River 1795 Jay's and Pinckney's Treaties settle American differences with Britain and Spain British and Spanish withdraw from Nootka Sound 1803 Maquinna' s people capture the American trading ship Boston, killing all the crew but two 1804 Lewis and Clark expedition begins
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The Lady Washington is a 112-ft replica of the ship Capt. Robert Gray sailed to the Pacific Northwest in 1788. As the bicentennial flagship she will take the public sailing throughout the Northwest all summer. For schedule contact Grays Harbor Historical Seaport, PO Box2019,Aberdeen WA 98520; 206 532-8611.
1811 Astoria established 1819 Spanish relinquish rights in Northwest to United States 1824 Russia agrees to a southern boundary of its North American territories at 54 degrees 40 minutes 1844 Polk runs for President with party slogan of "fifty four forty or fight" reflecting American claims and the 1774 voyage of Perez to that latitude 1846 Settlement between Britain and the United States sets boundary at49 degrees 1867 US purchase of Alaska from Russia 1872 Kaiser Wilhelm awards the San Juan Islands to the United States, primarily because of the Spanish explorations
SEA HISTORY 61, SPRING 1992
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