Did Francis Drake put ashore at Whale Cove, just south of Depoe Bay, during his voyage around the world? Bob Ward will make the case for an Oregon landing in “Whale Cove: Birthplace of the British Empire!” at Newport’s Pacific Maritime Heritage Center on Thursday, Nov. 19.
In 1579, Drake spent part of the summer in a harbor on the west coast of North America. He claimed the land for England, named it New Albion and declared the local people under the protection of Queen Elizabeth I. Ward argues that this act makes the harbor’s location significant to the early history of the British Empire.
A published account placed New Albion at 38 degrees north latitude, near present-day San Francisco. Ward questions that account and will explain why he believes the secrecy surrounding the voyage after Drake’s return to England helped obscure the location.
Among the clues Ward will discuss are an account by one of Drake’s crew that he found in the British Library, two sketches of the anchorage and a description of an animal he argues was not found in California. He will explain how he reads that evidence and what an Oregon landing would mean for the state’s history.
Thursday’s talk begins at 6 pm at the Pacific Maritime Heritage Center, located at 333 SE Bay Blvd. For more information, go to oregoncoasthistory.org or call 541-265-7509.