Camp Castaway facts for kids
Camp Castaway was a temporary military camp in what is now Coos Bay, Oregon. It was set up by soldiers and sailors who survived a shipwreck in 1852. They needed a safe place to stay and protect their supplies after their ship, the Captain Lincoln, crashed.
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What Was Camp Castaway?
Camp Castaway was a temporary military camp. It was built in 1852 by about 30 U.S. soldiers and the crew of a ship called the Captain Lincoln. They had been shipwrecked near what is now Coos Bay, Oregon. The camp helped them survive and protect their cargo for four months.
The Shipwreck of the Captain Lincoln
On January 3, 1852, the Captain Lincoln was sailing from San Francisco to Fort Orford in Port Orford, Oregon. It was a U.S. transport schooner, carrying soldiers and supplies. During a big storm, the ship started to take on water. To stop it from sinking, the captain decided to run the ship aground. This means he intentionally steered it onto the shore. The ship landed north of Cape Arago. All the soldiers, who were part of the U.S. 1st Dragoons, and the ship's crew survived. Most of their important cargo was also saved.
Life at Camp Castaway
At that time, there was no U.S. settlement at Coos Bay. So, the commanding officer, Lt. Henry Stanton, decided to build a camp. This camp would protect the salvaged cargo until it could be moved to Fort Orford, about 50 miles south. The soldiers and crew used parts of the wrecked ship, like spars, booms, and sail cloth. They built tent-like structures for shelter and to keep the cargo safe from winter rains and blowing sand. They named their temporary home Camp Castaway. The camp lasted for four months in the open sand dunes. Local Native Americans from the Coos tribe helped them. They traded fresh food with the soldiers for things like silverware and biscuits.
Discovering the Camp's Remains
The remains of Camp Castaway were found by an archaeologist named Scott Byram in March 2010. He used old maps and records from 150 years ago. These documents were found at the U.S. Coast Survey archives in Maryland. After its discovery, the site was officially named Oregon archaeological site 35CS277. The land where the site is located is managed by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM).
Who Explored the Site?
After the site was found, a BLM archaeologist named Steve Samuels put together a team. This team included experts from Southern Oregon University, the Confederated Tribes of Coos, Lower Umpqua and Siuslaw Indians, and the Coquille Indian Tribe. Mark Tveskov, the lead archaeologist from Southern Oregon University, confirmed it was Camp Castaway. He knew this because of the unique items found during the digging. Other researchers, including NOAA archaeologists Robert Schwemmer and James Delgado, and historian John Cloud, also joined the team.
