Pompey’s Pillar

Pompey's Pillar National Monument

— Lewis & Clark National Landmark —

Former Pompey’s Pillar Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Don Morfe, June 10, 1997

1. Former Pompey’s Pillar Marker

Inscription. Click to hear the inscription.

Captain Wm. Clark, of the Lewis & Clark Expedition stopped here July 25, 1806 on his way down the Yellowstone. He wrote in his journal that the rock which he named Pompey’s Tower, was: “200 feet high and 400 paces in secumpherance and only accessible on one side…The natives have ingraved on the face of the rock the figures of animals etc. near which I marked my name and the day of the month & year. “

The signature is still there. Only fools destroy but it had to be protected from vandals by a steel screen erected by the Northern Pacific Railway Co.

The party camped a few miles down the Yellowstone that night and the buffalo made so much noise that they had difficulty sleeping.

Erected by Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Department of the Interior.

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Exploration. In addition, it is included in the Lewis & Clark Expedition series list. A significant historical date for this entry is July 25, 1806.

Location. Marker has been permanently removed. It was located near

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45° 59.219′ N, 108° 0.376′ W. Marker was in Worden, Montana, in Yellowstone County. Marker was at the intersection of Old Highway 312 and Pompeys Pillar Access Road on Old Highway 312. Marker has been removed and replaced with marker 62146. Touch for map. Marker was in this post office area: Worden MT 59088, United States of America.

We have been informed that this sign or monument is no longer there and will not be replaced. This page is an archival view of what was.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this location. A different marker also named Pompey's Pillar (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); Camp #44 of the 1873 Yellowstone Expedition (about 300 feet away); The Huntley Irrigation Project: Harnessing the Water of the Yellowstone River (approx. 0.3 miles away); Coal: Black Wave of the Future (approx. 0.6 miles away); Open Spaces: Room to Roam (approx. 0.6 miles away); A Good Home (approx. 0.6 miles away); Buffalo: Then and Now (approx. 0.6 miles away); The "Yellowstone River" Walkway (approx. 0.6 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Worden.

Pompey’s Pillar Entrance Sign image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Don Morfe, June 10, 1997

2. Pompey’s Pillar Entrance Sign

Road flooded with Pompey's Pillar in the background image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Don Morfe, June 10, 1997

3. Road flooded with Pompey's Pillar in the background

Pompey’s Pillar image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Don Morfe, June 10, 1997

4. Pompey’s Pillar

Another similar marker located 350 feet east of old marker location. image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Connor Olson, June 11, 2018

5. Another similar marker located 350 feet east of old marker location.

Credits. This page was last revised on August 25, 2020. It was originally submitted on August 6, 2016, by Don Morfe of Baltimore, Maryland. This page has been viewed 359 times since then and 43 times this year. Last updated on August 18, 2020, by Connor Olson of Kewaskum, Wisconsin. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on August 6, 2016, by Don Morfe of Baltimore, Maryland. 5. submitted on July 20, 2020, by Connor Olson of Kewaskum, Wisconsin. • Bill Pfingsten was the editor who published this page.