A Map of Lewis and Clark's Expedition

 Articles

From February 2004 Roundup Magazine:

In The Wake of Lewis and Clark

by Bill Markley

A yellow stick, its bark stripped by beaver, bobbed near shore in the roiling current of the Missouri River. I plucked the beaver stick from the water—a river gift to me. I stood at Three Forks, Montana where the Jefferson, Madison, and Gallatin Rivers join forces to form the Missouri.

When Meriwether Lewis and William Clark’s Corps of Discovery reached Three Forks in 1805, they had to decide which branch to take in order to proceed on in their quest for the Northwest Passage to the Pacific Ocean. Maybe you are trying to decide where to go and what to see during the bicentennial of Lewis and Clark’s journey. In the words of Lewis and Clark, let us proceed on and look at a sample of activities, reenactments, and festivals commemorating the Corps of Discovery and the Native American people it encountered.

You may want to begin your journey of discovery by reading the journals kept by Lewis, Clark, and some of the expedition members. Nicholas Biddle edited the first journal of the expedition in 1814. Bernard DeVoto edited a one-volume edition published in 1953. Dr. Gary Moulton’s recent multivolume edition with copious footnotes is a great way to delve into the expedition. Stephen Ambrose’s Undaunted Courage is good if you do not want to wade through the journals. If you are interested in how the Native American people viewed the Corp of Discovery, then James Ronda’s book Lewis and Clark Among the Indians is a must read. Are you interested in a modern view of Lewis and Clark’s route and how it compares to Lewis and Clark’s experiences?  Dayton Duncan’s Out West takes you on his own discovery of the country along Lewis and Clark’s route as he travels in his Volkswagen van.

You say you do not have time to read? How about viewing Ken Burn’s video “Lewis & Clark: The Journey of the Corps of Discovery.” He does a great job showing the route of the expedition through photographs of the rivers, mountain passes, wildlife, and surrounding scenery.

What about maps? Besides state and AAA highway maps, there are specific maps for Lewis and Clark’s trail. The National Park Service has published a good general map on the Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail. Another excellent general map is produced by the Lewis and Clark Interagency Partnership and is titled “Discovering the Legacy of Lewis and Clark.” Both maps show the route of the expedition, events, landmarks, and interpretive centers.

What does the internet have to offer? Just by running a search for “Lewis and Clark”, you can find 412,000 results. Two excellent websites that can take you to even more Lewis and Clark sites are Lewis and Clark Trail Heritage Foundation at http://www.lewisandclark.org/index.htm and The National Lewis and Clark Bicentennial Council at www.lewisandclark200.org. There is even a site http://www.esri.com/lewisandclark/interactive_maps.html that has an interactive map and a virtual tour of the country the expedition passed through.

Do you have an interest in artifacts from the expedition? Many of the known existing Lewis and Clark artifacts, about 450 items, have been brought together in “Lewis and Clark: The National Bicentennial Exhibition which will be in St. Louis January 14-September 6, 2004, from there it will travel to Philadelphia, Denver, Portland, and Washington DC. For more information visit http://www.lewisandclarkexhibit.org.

The National Park Service has sent out a mobile exhibit following Lewis and Clark’s route. It started at Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello and will visit communities along the Corps of Discovery’s route. The exhibit, “Corps of Discovery II: 200 Years to the Future,” has displays and performances to introduce visitors to the expedition and the people it encountered. For information on the exhibit visit www.nps.gov/lecl.

Bill and Liz Markley at the Narrows of the Missouri River, Lower Brule, South Dakota.

The national government, tribes, states, and local communities are holding hundreds of events. The following is just a few events organized by state. Further information can be found at the National Lewis and Clark Bicentennial Council website and individual state and tribal tourism websites.

Illinois

 The Illinois Lewis and Clark Festival is May 13-16, 2004. It is being held at locations near the original camp from where the Corp of Discovery departed. The opening ceremonies, Eve of Discovery, will be held in Madison on May 13, 2004. There will be musical acts and dignitaries speaking. At Harford where Lewis and Clark’s camp was located, there will be historic demonstrations and presentations. 

Missouri 

On March 14, 2004, the Three Flags Ceremony will be held at the Gateway Arch in St. Louis commemorating the transfer of the Louisiana Territory from Spain to France to the United States. St. Charles will hold its 25^th Annual Lewis & Clark Heritage Days Festival from May 14-23, 2004. The event includes the arrival and departure of the Corps of Discovery. September 23-24, 2006 in St. Louis there will be a reenactment and commemoration of Lewis and Clark’s return. 

Kansas 

On the 4^th of July, 1804 the Corps of Discovery celebrated by shooting off two blasts from their cannon near present day Atchison, Kansas. There will be massive celebrations in Atchison and Leavenworth, Kansas on July 4, 2004 to commemorate that event. 

Nebraska 

The First Tribal Council event will be held at Fort Calhoun and Omaha, July 31-August 3, 2004. Living history and Native American cultural activities will celebrate the first council held between the Corp of Discovery and the tribes in this area. 

Iowa 

August 21-22, 2004, Sioux City will hold the Sergeant Floyd Living History Encampment. Sergeant Floyd was the only member to die during the expedition. There will be a Corp of Discovery reenactment camp and a reenactment of the burial of Sergeant Floyd. I wonder who will portray him? 

South Dakota 

Forgive me if I spend a little extra time in the state where I live. Oceti Sakowin (Seven Council Fires) Experience: Remembering and Educating will be held at Oacoma on August 27-28, 2004. This event will celebrate the Native American culture and will continue until September 26, 2004 as visitors can take guided tours of the Lakota and Dakota tribes. The Bad River Gathering in Ft. Pierre and the Lewis & Clark Goosefest in Pierre are both on the same weekend of September 24–26, 2004. The Bad River is where the Corp of Discovery first met the Teton also known as Lakota Sioux. Lakota and Corps of Discovery reenactors will recreate the encounter between the two cultures. Discover Lewis and Clark in the Pierre/Ft. Pierre Country.

North Dakota 

Circle of Cultures will be held October 22-31, 2004 in Washburn, Bismarck, and Mandan. Here you can experience the culture of the Upper Missouri Earthlodge peoples and visit with Lewis and Clark reenactors. August 17-20, 2006, the Mandan, Hidatsa, and Arikara Nation will celebrate the return of Sakakawea and the Corps of Discovery at New Town. This event will focus on Sakakawea and Native American culture. 

Montana 

Explore the Big Sky will take place June1-July 4, 2005 at Ft. Benton and Great Falls. This is a series of events, reenactments, and celebrations of Native American culture. The Clark on the Yellowstone event culminates on July 25, 2006, a National Day of Honor, at Pompey’s Pillar National Monument which William Clark named in honor of Sakakawea’s son. The day will recognize the historic use of the pillar by Native Americans. 

Idaho 

Among the Niimiipuu (The Nez Perce) is scheduled for June 14-17, 2006 in Lewiston, Idaho. This event will celebrate the Nez Perce culture and their friendship with the Corps of Discovery. 

Washington 

Station Camp will be the site of the commemoration of the Vote where all members of the expedition decided where they would spend the winter and Thanksgiving Dinner, November 24-27, 2005. 

Oregon 

November 24-27, 2005 will be the rededication of Ft. Clatsop where the Corp of Discovery wintered over. There will be special ceremonies with an exposition of crafts, food, and entertainment.  

There are many trails, parks, and sites to visit. A few of these are: Katy Trail State Park in Missouri, Sergeant Floyd Monument and Interpretive Center in Iowa, Spirit Mound, the Narrows, and Wakpa Sica (Bad River) Reconciliation Place in South Dakota, Ft. Mandan and the Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center in North Dakota, Gates of the Mountains and Traveler’s Rest State Park in Montana, Lolo Trail National Historic Landmark, Nez Perce National Historic Park in Idaho, Cape Disappointment in Washington, and Ft. Clatsop National Memorial in Oregon.

One final way to experience what Lewis and Clark experienced is to find a stretch of river or a mountain trail the Corps of Discovery traveled and spend time there alone or with a small group. One such place is on the Upper Missouri National Wild and Scenic River in Montana. This portion of the river flows 150 miles from Ft. Benton to Robinson Bridge in the Charles M. Russell National Wildlife Reserve. The only way to see this stretch of river is by water. The scenery is little changed since the Corps of Discovery.

What better way to experience the Lewis and Clark country than to sit by a campfire after a good day’s paddle on the river, finishing off a hearty supper. The black night sky spangled with its myriad of stars, coyotes howl on a distant ridge, as tall tales, laughter, and camaraderie abound. A night like that just might give a fleeting taste of what the Corps of Discovery experienced as you follow in the wake of Lewis and Clark.

To learn more about the Lewis and Clark expedition, the territory they passed through, and the people they met order these:                                                 Undaunted Courage: Meriwether Lewis Thomas Jefferson and the Opening of the American West  by Stephen Ambrose is an excellent book on the Lewis and Clark expedition. Lewis & Clark -- The Journey of The Corps of Discovery by Ken Burns is an excellent DVD on the expedition. The Definitive Journals of Lewis and Clark edited by Dr. Gary E. Moulton. The Journals of Lewis & Clark by Bernard DeVoto is a one volume edition of the journals. Read Lewis & Clark Among the Indians by James Ronda if you are interested in how the Native Americans viewed the Corps of Discovery. Dayton Duncan takes you Out West on his own discovery of the country along Lewis and Clark’s route as he travels in his Volkswagen van.

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