Monday in History: May 14th

On this day in 1804, Meriwether Lewis William Clark and their team, known as the Corps of Discovery, began their famous journey to explore territory acquired during the Louisiana Purchase. Departing from St. Louis, the expedition would last over two years and 7,000 miles and bring invaluable knowledge of the new territory to the expanding nation.

They discovered the Pacific Ocean by means of the Columbia River. This is the same body of water on which the city of Portland, Oregon sits. This leads me to two truths.

1. I am certain neither Lewis, Clark, nor Sacagawea knew what a Neo-Hippie is or what they would 'contribute' to society.

2. I am also certain that the team would often discuss the future the land they were exploring. With the understanding that the nation would grow, the team must have speculated that the nation would eventually need a place to put all the "interesting" people. And at that moment, floating down the Columbia River, Clark looked off to the river bank and said, "Maybe we can put all the weirdos there." And thus Portland was born and destiny was met. Long Live Portland the Weird.