Journey Stories: The U.S. Exploring Expedition

Lieutenant Charles Wilkes, Commander of the U.S.Ex Ex that explored the San Juan Islands in 1841

Certainly among the most epic journeys in our nations’ history, the story of the U.S. Exploring Expedition is not only fascinating, but also pertinent to our local history.  Continuing the Orcas Island Historical Museum ’s Journey Stories events, Tom Welch, local historian, will give a talk on the Wilkes Expedition on August 21^st at 7 p.m. at the Grange.

The ‘U.S. Ex Ex’, as it was referred to, commanded by Lt. Charles Wilkes from 1838 to 1842, sailed into the waters surrounding the San Juan Islands on July 27^th, 1841, for the purposes of surveying and making nautical charts as they related to the International boundary question. Mount Constitution on Orcas Island was named by Wilkes, as were many other local geographic features, including many of the islands that make up San Juan County . Welch will discuss these and other aspects of the historical importance of the U.S. Exploring Expedition, and its impact on our own local history. The presentation is part of the Orcas Island Historical Museum’s schedule of special events related to The Smithsonian’s Journey Stories exhibit, which continues at the Museum through Sunday, August 29th. Journey Stories is made possible on Orcas Island by Humanities Washington.

For more information, call the Museum at 376-4849 or visit www.orcasmuseum.org.