Photograph as originally submitted to this page in the Historical Marker Database www.HMdb.org. Click on photo to resize in browser. Scroll down to see metadata.

Photographer: Barry Swackhamer
Taken: August 18, 2019
Caption: Best Laid Plans...
Additional Description: Captain Meriwether Lewis planned ahead. In 1803, he designed a portable boat which was fabricated at Harpers Ferry, Virginia and carried unassembled until it was needed at the great falls portage. Near here, at Upper Portage Camp, Captain Lewis oversaw the assembly of his "Experiment."
The skeleton iron frame was to be strengthened with lashed willow, covered with elk hides, and then its seams sealed with pine tar pitch. Unfortunately, Lewis could not have planned for the lack of pine trees along the Great Falls riverbank. As a substitute, he created his own seam sealer from tallow, beeswax and charcoal.
This is just one segment of the 36 fool long iron boat. To view the boat in its entirety, look outdoors.
Why do you think the iron frame is warped?
Submitted: December 19, 2019, by Barry Swackhamer of Brentwood, California.
Database Locator Identification Number: p505571
File Size: 3.409 Megabytes

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