Lewis and Clark ended their exploration of the Northwest Territory, which had been carried out at the behest of President Jefferson, at Fort Clatsop in late 1805. They needed salt to preserved meat on their long journey home, so in late December, they sent a group of men to build a salt camp. They selected the beach at Seaside, 15 miles southwest of the fort, and established the salt works in February 1806. They picked this site because the salt content of the seawater was not diluted by the fresh water of the nearby mouth of the Columbia River. The men worked feverishly for two weeks, boiling a total of about 1400 gallons of seawater. This turned into the equivalent of about 250 pounds of salt. When Lewis and Clark abandoned the salt works, there was nothing left of it but traces. It was dedicated as a memorial site in 1900, and is now a national monument. The reproduction of the salt works now found on the site was established in 1955, from sketches in expedition notebooks.
Today, you can see a replica of the salt cairn, with pails set into holes in the rock furnace to boil the seawater into salt. There is a plaque explaining its history, as well as a little about Lewis and Clark's expedition. It is located just a block or two off the Prom (boardwalk) on Lewis and Clark Way. It makes an interesting stop in a walk along the Prom. (Parking is also available.) Admission is free -- just walk up and look. It is an interesting glimpse into the history of the Northwest, and one of the few "cultural" spots in Seaside. Lewis and Clark are also memorialized by a statue at the "turnaround" on the Prom, downtown.