Near Washburn in McLean County, North Dakota — The American Midwest (Upper Plains)

Men of Worth

Photographed by Barry Swackhamer, August 28, 2020

1. Men of Worth Marker

Inscription. Privates John Shields, William Bratton and Alexander Willard manned the blacksmith shop at Fort Mandan. These men provided repair work to native tools, such as sharpening iron hoes and knives and fixing trade kettles.
The Mandan and Hidatsa who watched them must have admired the men who worked metal into tools, utensils and weapons. A considerable amount of corn was exchanged for two types of weapons, the "Missouri War Hatchet" and another called the "Battle Ax."
A burned out sheet of iron stove provided four-inch square pieces of iron the natives formed into arrowhead points, or manufactured into instruments for scraping and dressing hides. For each square of iron the blacksmiths obtained seven to eight gallons of corn.
In addition to corn, buffalo meat, robes, beans, squash, sunflowers, and wild berries were exchanged for the blacksmiths labors.

"the blacksmith's have proved a happy resource to us in our present situation as I believe it would have been difficult to have devised any other method to have procured corn from the native." -- Meriwether Lewis, February 6, 1805

Topics and series. This historical

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marker is listed in these topic lists: Exploration • Industry & Commerce. In addition, it is included in the Lewis & Clark Expedition series list. A significant historical date for this entry is February 6, 1805.

Location. 47° 17.906′ N, 101° 5.194′ W. Marker is near Washburn, North Dakota, in McLean County. It can be reached from 8th Street Southwest (County Highway 17) near 28th Avenue Southwest (County Highway 23), on the left when traveling north. The marker is located in Fort Mandan State Recreation Area near the entrance to the replica Fort Mandan. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Washburn ND 58577, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in North Dakota’s Drift Prairie

and on the Missouri Plateau.

It is also in the American Lewis & Clark Corridor,

on the prairies,

and on the Northern Plains.

Globally, it is in North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once Rupert’s Land

and also the Louisiana Purchase.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker:

Men of Worth Marker, edge on image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Barry Swackhamer, August 28, 2020

2. Men of Worth Marker, edge on

Fort Mandan (here, next to this marker); Below the Freezing Point (a few steps from this marker); Bicentennial Wagon Train Pilgrimage to Pennsylvania (within shouting distance of this marker); Pleasures and Pastimes (about 400 feet away, measured in a direct line); Current of Change (about 400 feet away); Cargo of Discovery (about 400 feet away); First Farmers (about 500 feet away); Seaman (about 500 feet away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Washburn.

Credits. This page was last revised on December 20, 2020. It was originally submitted on December 20, 2020, by Barry Swackhamer of Brentwood, California. This page has been viewed 209 times since then and 13 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on December 20, 2020, by Barry Swackhamer of Brentwood, California.