Nearly 200 years ago, President Thomas Jefferson purchased the Louisiana Territory from France. The real-estate deal doubled the size of Jefferson's young nation. Now, it was time to see what America had bought.
In 1804, Meriwether Lewis and William Clark set out to explore America's frontier. By late August, they reached present-day South Dakota. As you follow the Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail through South Dakota, you'll find Missouri River shoreline that rivals the Pacific Coast. The river gives way to rolling bluffs and sprawling prairies that remain as wild as in Lewis and Clark's day.
Prepare youself for rustic adventure along South Dakota's Missouri River.
Timeline
1. Aug. 22, 1804 Elk Point
Captain Clark records much "elk sign" (that's p.c. for manure) at a place they call Elk Point. The party elects Patrick Gass to replace Sgt. Floyd, who died two days earlier, making it the first election west of the Mississippi. A historical marker on Main Street tells the story.
2. Aug. 25, 1804 Vermillion
The explorers visit Spirit Mound, which area tribes believe is inhabited by "devils" that stand 18 inches high and are armed with arrows. It takes the party four hours on foot to get to the notorious hill. You can see Spirit Mound from Highway 19, six miles north of Vermillion.
"From the top of this mound, we beheld a most beautiful landscape. Numerous herds of buffalo were seen feeding in various directions. The plain to north, northwest, and northeast extends without interruption as far as can be seen."
William Clark
3. Aug. 28, 1804 Yankton
The expedition spends four days at Calumet Bluff, where they council with Yankton Sioux. The expedition presents gifts of tobacco, corn and flags. The Yankton prepare a feast. Mr. Dorian, the interpreter, stays behind to negotiate a peace with the Yankton's neighbors and arrange for the chiefs to visit Washington. Signs at the Lewis and Clark Visitor Center at Gavins Point Dam near Yankton mark the occasion.
"The Sioux's camps are handsome --of a conic form, covered with buffalo robes painted different colors, and all compact and handsomely arrranged, covered all around. An open part in the center for the fire, with buffalo robes. Each lodge has a place for cooking, detached. The lodges contain from ten to fifteen persons. "
William Clark
4. Sept. 7, 1804 Near Gregory County
The Corps of Discovery see its first prairie dogs, or as they call them, "barking squirrels." The animals live in towns that consist of an extensive network of underground tunnels. The party is amazed by the depth of the tunnels. They pour five barrels of water into one without filling it up!
5. Sept. 16, 1804 Chamberlain
The expedition stops at a spot they call Camp Pleasant, near present-day Chamberlain. Lewis spends the next day hunting. He describes immense herds of buffalo, deer, elk and antelope in every direction. A historical marker is located at the Chamberlain Information Center along I-90.
6. Sept. 21, 1804 Near Fort Thompson
The expedition encounters a "great bend" in the river (today itÕs called Big Bend). The captains send a man to measure off the dis-tance across land to the other side of the loop; it measures a little more than a mile. By water, the trip is 30 miles!
7. Sept. 24, 1804 Fort Pierre
The party arrives at the mouth of a small river, which they call Teton (now known as the Bad River). The next day, a council with Teton Sioux turns tense. Clark draws his sword, the Tetons string their bows. Black Buffalo, one of the Teton chiefs, moves to diffuse the situation. Without this action, the expedition Ñ not to mention American history -- could have changed dramatically. Lily Park now stands where the incident occurred.
8. Oct. 4, 1804 Gettysburg
The expedition passes an abandoned Arikara village called Lahoocatt. The village was circular and walled. It contained about 17 lodges. A replica of an Arikara lodge now stands in Gettysburg's West Whitlock Recreation Area.
9. Oct. 8, 1804 Mobridge
The explorers discover three Arikara villages north of the Grand River. Clark writes: "The island is covered with fields, where those people raise their corn, tobacco, beans, &c." Several days later, they hold council. York, Clark's servant, makes a great impression with the Arikaras, who have never seen a black man. Just west of Mobridge, you can see a monument to Sacagawea, the young Shoshone woman who served as an interpreter for the expedition. (Sitting Bull, the famous Lakota leader, is buried nearby.)
10. Oct. 13, 1804 Pollock
Pvt. John Newman is charged with "mutinous expression." A jury of his peers finds him guilty. He receives 75 lashes as punishment and is disbanded from the party. A historical marker near Pollock on Highway 1804 describes the court martial.
August 1806
A tired but intact expedition passes through present-day South Dakota on their return trip to St. Louis. It's late August, and Captain Lewis is still recovering from a gunshot wound (to his behind of all places!) he got while hunting. The trip downstream goes much more quickly than the trip upstream.
Other Points of Interest
11. Cultural Heritage Center Ñ Pierre
Another dynamic duo?
Lewis and Clark weren't the first explorers west of the Missouri. Two Frenchmen, the Verendrye brothers, buried a lead plate claiming the region for their king in 1743. Theirs was the first written record of white men in what is now South Dakota. The Verendrye plate stayed buried until a group of kids found it in 1913. Tip: See the plate and other great historical finds at the Cultural Heritage Center in Pierre. For more information: 605-773-3458.
12. Akta Lakota Museum -- Chamberlain
Babe in swaddling clothes.
A baby was born about the time Lewis and Clark held council with the
Yankton Sioux at Calumet Bluff. Legend has it that Lewis and Clark wrapped the babe, later
called Struck By The Ree, in an American flag.
Tip: To learn about the Great Sioux Nation's rich culture, stop by the
Akta Lakota Museum in Chamberlain. For more information: 605-734-3455.
13. Platte-Winner Bridge
Burning Bluffs phenomenon.
Lewis and Clark saw it in 1804: bluffs that appeared to be on fire.
Today, along certain portions of the Missouri River (most recently near the Platte-Winner
bridge), smoke and steam pour out of the earth's surface, creating the look of a fire
--without the flames. Once ignited, oil and organic materials contained in the chalky
bluffs can burn on their own. It's a phenomenon the locals call "burning
bluffs."
Tip: The burns are unpredictable, but watch for them from Fort Randall to
Chamberlain.
14. Sacagawea's End -- Kenel
Sacagawea to the rescue. They didn't want to bring a woman into the all-male Corps of Discovery, but good thing they did. The young Shoshone woman, Sacagawea, served as an interpreter and was especially valuable to the expedition once they reached Shoshone country. Six years after the expedition, Sacagawea dies of a "putrid fever" at Fort Manuel. She was about 25 years old. A historical marker off Highway 1806 near Kenel stands at the site of Fort Manuel.
Campgrounds along the Mighty Mo
Lewis and Clark Recreation Area, Yankton
Enjoy one of South Dakota's hottest vacation destinations located near Calumet Bluff, where Lewis and Clark counciled with Yankton Sioux. Activities include boating, fishing and sailing on Lewis and Clark Lake, plus hiking, biking and archery. An on-site marina offers rentals: pontoons, sailboats, jet skis. Accommodations range from campgrounds and cabins to motel rooms. Nearby Yankton has historic driving and walking tours, plus a replica of Dakota Territory's first capitol. For more information: 605-668-2985.
Platte Creek and Snake Creek Recreation Areas, near Platte
Discover some of the most pristine country you'll ever find ... scenic river bluffs surrounded by miles of open prairie. Activities include boating, fishing, hiking and relaxing around the campfire. For more information: 605-337-2587.
West Bend Recreation Area, near Fort Thompson
The Missouri River makes a huge curve between Fort Thompson and Pierre. It's called the Big Bend, and Lewis and Clark noted it in their journals. Walleye fishing is the name of the game at West Bend Recreation Area. Other activities include swimming, hiking and camping. In Chamberlain, ask about the Native American Loop Tour, a driving tour that encompasses two Indian reservations, the Crow Creek and Lower Brule. For more information: 605-875-3220.
Farm Island Recreation Area, Pierre
Early fur traders tilled their gardens here. That's how the island got its name. Today, visitors enjoy boating, fishing, camping and hiking on nature trails. Paddle boat rentals also are available. In Pierre, tour the State Capitol, the impressive Cultural Heritage Center (built into the side of a bluff) and Oahe Dam, the world's second-largest rolled-earth dam. For more information: 605-224-5605.
West Whitlock Recreation Area, near Gettysburg
Besides all the usual outdoor activities, you can see a replica of an Arikara lodge at West Whitlock. (The area was once home to Arikara tribes; some that Lewis and Clark visited.) In Gettysburg, check out the Medicine Rock at the Dakota Sunset Museum. The mysterious rock has prints of human feet and hands imbedded in it, and no one's sure how they got there. For more information: 605-765-9410.
Swan Creek Recreation Area, near Mobridge
This is walleye fishing territory, but boaters, campers and nature-lovers are just as welcome! Head north to Mobridge to see a monument to Sacagawea and the grave of Sitting Bull. A seven-ton bust of Sitting Bull, the Lakota leader often credited for defeating Custer at the Battle of Little Big Horn, marks his grave. For more information: 605-765-9410.
To make camping reservations at any of the campgrounds above, call 1-800-710-CAMP (1-800-710-2267).
Traveler's tips
¥ Highways 1804 and 1806, which hug the Missouri River, follow closely the route that Lewis and Clark followed.
¥ State parks, Army Corps of Engineer campgrounds and private resorts up and down the river provide accommodations and services.
¥ The four dams of the Missouri River -- Gavins Point, Fort Randall, Big Bend and Oahe -- are engineering feats. Be sure to tour at least one.