Discovery of the Columbia River Mouth

Background. Robert Gray, a merchant captain from Rhode Island, circumnavigated the globe on the Columbia Rediviva between 1787 and 1790. After returning, he sailed for the northwest coast in September 1790, reaching his destination in 1792. The voyage was financed by Boston merchants who outfitted him with the private vessel Columbia Rediviva, setting the stage for the river's discovery.

Navigation and Discovery. Gray left Clayoquot on Vancouver Island on April 2, 1792. On May 11, his crew found a safe channel and sailed into the estuary. On May 12, Gray crossed the Columbia Bar, becoming the first known explorer of European descent to enter the river. This contradicted British Captain George Vancouver's earlier doubts about the river's navigability.

Legacy and Claims. Gray named the river after his ship on May 18, 1792. The voyage was used as a basis for the United States' claim on the Pacific Northwest, although its relevance was disputed by the British. The river's name has since been attached to several locations in the Pacific Northwest, including Columbia County, Oregon, and British Columbia.