The Clatsop County Historical Society’s Thursday Night Talk for June features an Oregon Chautauqua Program by Pat Courtney Gold, “The Chinookan Nations Encounter the Corps of Discovery.” The free program takes place at 7 p.m. Thursday, June 2 in the Edwin K. Parker Gallery of the Heritage Museum, 1618 Exchange St.

The powerful Chinookan Nations lived along the Columbia River for thousands of years. In 1805 and 1806, the Corps of Discovery encountered the sizeable towns of the Chinookan people. Members of the Corps had problems with the Chinookan language and culture, and became alienated and paranoid through misunderstandings. As a result, they made poor choices and experienced unnecessary hardships because of inadequate housing, unsuitable clothing, spoiled food and poor diets. Their Christian faith and prejudiced impressions tainted their portrayal of the Chinookan people in their now-famous journals.

Gold will offer an indigenous view of the rich history and culture of the Chinookan Nation, from its international trade to the extensive role of women in that trade. Excerpts from the Corps’ journals will be re-examined in the light of this more complete picture, and slide images will highlight the encounters between the Chinookan people and members of the Expedition.

Gold’s program is made possible by funding from the Oregon Council for the Humanities, an independent, nonprofit affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities. OCH is dedicated to providing opportunities for lifelong learning in communities throughout Oregon.

Thursday Night Talks is a free monthly lecture series held the first Thursday of each month featuring a variety of topics and speakers. For information about this event or other CCHS activities, call (503) 325-2203 or e-mail cchs@seasurf.net

The Clatsop County Historical Society is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit educational organization dedicated to preserving and presenting the history of Clatsop County and the surrounding area.