This “Beaver Board” sign on Oregon History is about Captain Robert Gray and is located near milepost 58 on U.S. Hwy 101 west of Bay City.
Marker Name: Captain Robert Gray
Marker Text: Capt. Robert Gray, U.S. Naval Officer, in command of the sloop Lady Washington, together with a crew of about a dozen officers and men, left Boston October 1, 1787. After a journey filled with many hardships, Capt. Gray arrived at Tillamook Bay during August 1788. He stayed within the bay about one week and explored the adjacent areas. He was the first known American in recorded history to set foot on Oregon's shoreline and the first to carry the U.S. flag around the world!
Gray originally thought it was the Columbia River in which his ship was anchored; however during exploration he found that it was not the "Great River of the West" as he had believed. Capt. Gray and his crew hastily departed from the bay area after a fight with the Indians in which one of Gray's crew and several Indians were killed.
Visit Instructions:
Include your thoughts and observations pertaining to this location and your visit. Provide any additional history that you are aware of that pertains to this location. If the marker commemorates a historic building tell us what it is used for now or share with us the circumstances of an earlier visit to bring this locations history to life.
Please upload a favorite photograph you took of the waymark. Although visiting this waymark in person is the only thing required of you to receive credit for your visit, taking the time to add this information is greatly appreciated.
Be creative.