Cape Foulweather was discovered by Captain James Cook, the English explorer, on March 7, 1778. The weather was particularly stormy on the day of his discovery, and winds of 100 MPH at the cape are not unusual. Cook gave it the name Cape Foulweather, the first geographic location named on his voyage to the north Pacific coast. After accounts of this voyage were published, world interest was aroused and the fur trade followed.