"Belvedere Point Lookout"

bel•ve•dere

Pronunciation: (bel'vi-dEr", bel"vi-dEr'; for 3 also It. bel"ve-de're), [key]
-n.
1. a building, or architectural feature of a building, designed and situated to look out upon a pleasing scene.
2. a cigar, shorter and with thinner ends than a corona.
3. (cap.) a palace in Vatican City, Rome, used as an art gallery.

Please note that Belvedere Point Lookout and Belvedere Point are two different things. Belvedere Point Lookout is near the highest point in Florence, which has been called Belvedere Point, and would imply that it is on Belvedere Boulevard.  It has been reported to the author that the highest point is actually 1/4 block north of Nebraska Circle (between the 6200 block and the 6300 block), however, the lookout is slightly in a different location. The Lookout Point itself (the pull-over spot), is on Belvedere Boulevard at approximately 3275 Belvedere Boulevard (). The different map services give a slightly different view with their satellite view version:

Directions to both

• Directions to the location at 3375 Belvedere Boulevard would be:   (from 30th Ave N.) Go west on Laurel Avenue to North 33rd St. Go north on 33rd Street to T intersection (Belvedere Boulevard). Turn right on Belvedere Boulevard, which starts to curve to the left almost immediately. As soon as the curve starts, on your right should be the pull-over area. ()
• Directions to the location 1/2 block noth of Nebraska Circle would be:   (from 30th Ave N.) Go west on Laurel Avenue to North 34th St. Go north on 34th St from Belvedere, turn right onto Nebraska Circle (an extension of Nebraska Avenue that forms a cul-de-sac), ()

It has been questioned whether Lewis and Clark ever stopped in the Florence area.  If they did and spent any time in the area, they surely would have wanted to get a great view of the surrounding area, and no better place than the highest point.  That point is almost exactly where Belvedere Point Lookout is located.  Today, there is a small park, complete with a bench.  You can get a great view of the river and the bluffs.

Currently, we do not have a photograph of the lookout area.  Here are two aerial views; one has a Topographic overlay(bottom view) and you can see the same topo view when you move the mouse pointer over the top image.  The grid lines of the topo map look like crayon width lines so it is difficult to see that this is the highest point in Florence.  The quality is not great but the only thing that the government offers for free.  The top image has a red dot where I originally thought Belvedere Point was supposed to be located.  When you move the mouse pointer over the bottom image, it highlights the peak that is higher than the location at the red dot.  For both images, you can click to visit the Terraserver website.  From there, you can choose the "Topo" view (at the left side of the page).