Near Wathena in Doniphan County, Kansas — The American Midwest (Upper Plains)
"Espyd. a wolf"
"…towards the Evening a many Espyd. a wolf lying a Sleep with the Noise of the Oars Racing he awoke Stood to know what was a comeing…"
Sergeant Joseph Whitehouse
July 7, 1804
The Corps of Discovery, a United States Army expedition lead by Captains Meriwether Lewis and William Clark passed through this area on July 7, 1804. He also described passing by a small island and noted the color of the bluffs as a yellowish color. Captain Clark wrote in his journal of the men killing a wolf that day.
The amount of game that was shot by the expedition was noted beacuse [sic] the meat was an important part of the men's diet and was a valuable commodity. Clark wrote that it required 4 deer or elk, or one buffalo, to supply the expedition members with meals for 24 hours.
[Background illustration caption reads]
Nodaway Island, where the expedition passed by, may have looked something similar to this. Artist Karl Bodmer traveled through this area seventeen years after the expedition. [Image] Courtesy of Joslyn Art Museum, Omaha, NE.
Wolves were once found in present day Kansas but are no longer in the area.
[Map] July 7, 1804 and September 12, 1806
Erected by National Park Service and Kansas Lewis and Clark Bicentennial Commission.
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Animals • Exploration • Waterways & Vessels. In addition, it is included in the Lewis & Clark Expedition series list. A significant historical month for this entry is July 1941.
Location. 39° 48.343′ N, 94° 55.898′ W. Marker is near Wathena, Kansas, in Doniphan County. Marker is on Treece Road, 0.4 miles north of Toulon Road, on the right when traveling north. Marker is along a roadside pullout. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Wathena KS 66090, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 5 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. The Lewis and Clark Expedition (approx. 3.4 miles away in Missouri); Joseph Robidoux at Roy's Branch (approx. 3.6 miles away in Missouri); The Men of the Corps of Discovery / The Lewis and Clark Expedition (approx. 4 miles away in Missouri); A Path To Freedom (approx. 4.3 miles away in Missouri); St. Joseph (approx. 4.3 miles away in Missouri); Fort Smith (approx. 4.3 miles away in Missouri); Joseph Robidoux (approx. 4.6 miles away in Missouri); Pony Express (approx. 4.6 miles away in Missouri).
Also see . . .
1. Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail. National Park Service entry. (Submitted on June 3, 2012, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania.)
2. Lewis and Clark Expedition. National Geographic Kids entry (Submitted on June 3, 2012, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania.)
3. Discovering Lewis and Clark. Site homepage (Submitted on June 3, 2012, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania.)
4. The Journals of the Lewis and Clark Expedition. Site homepage (Submitted on June 3, 2012, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania.)
Credits. This page was last revised on January 15, 2021. It was originally submitted on June 3, 2012, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania. This page has been viewed 655 times since then and 18 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on June 3, 2012, by William Fischer, Jr. of Scranton, Pennsylvania.