Lake Sacajawea (Longview, Washington) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Lake Sacajawea |
|
|---|---|
.jpg)
A former slough, Lake Sacajawea was created during the construction of Longview
|
|
 Lake Sacajawea
Location in Washington (state)
Lake Sacajawea
Location in the United States
|
|
| Location | Longview, Cowlitz County, Washington |
| Coordinates | 46°08′13″N 122°57′07″W / 46.137°N 122.952°W |
| Type | man-made lake |
| Etymology | Sacajawea |
Lake Sacajawea is a special lake built by people in Longview, Washington. It's named after Sacajawea, a brave Shoshone woman. She was a guide for explorers Meriwether Lewis and William Clark on their big trip to the Pacific Ocean.
The lake has four parts, and each part is separated by a road with a bridge. Lake Sacajawea is part of a bigger area called Lake Sacajawea Park. This park is 67 acres big and sits right in the middle of the city. Water for the lake is pumped in from the Cowlitz River at the north end. It then flows all the way to the south end, where it goes into the Columbia River.
Building Lake Sacajawea
Lake Sacajawea was created in 1924. Before it was a lake, this area was a channel of the Cowlitz River called Fowler's Slough. Workers used special machines to dig out and deepen the slough.
This big project was part of a larger plan. A man named Robert A. Long was founding the city of Longview. Creating the lake was an important step in building the new town.
Japanese Garden
In 1990, people had a cool idea: to build a Japanese garden on one of the lake's islands. Over the next few years, the community worked together to make this garden real.
The idea for the garden came from Al George, who was the Longview Parks Superintendent at the time. He got the idea from seeing beautiful gardens when he was in Japan during his time in the navy.
Go 4th Festival
Every year, around July 4th, Lake Sacajawea hosts a big festival. This event is called the Go 4th Festival. It includes many fun activities for everyone.
You can find a flea market, a parade, and even concerts. The festival ends with a fantastic fireworks show over the lake. This tradition started in the 1960s. Today, more than 30,000 people come to enjoy the festival each year.
Solar System Walk
In 2001, the Friends of Galileo Astronomy Club added something unique to the lake. They put up special plaques along the walking trail. These plaques create a model of our solar system.
You can follow this model by walking along the west side of the lake. Each plaque gives you interesting facts about the planet it represents. It's a fun way to learn about space while enjoying the park.
