Fort Pierre in Stanley County, South Dakota — The American Midwest (Upper Plains)
The Lewis and Clark Expedition
Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, August 19, 2016
1. The Lewis and Clark Expedition Marker
The landscape has changed since Lewis and Clark explored it: rivers have been dammed, forests cut over, prairies plowed under, and roads built to the horizon. Although remnants of wilderness still exist, imagine this land as Lewis and Clark first saw it two centuries ago.
The United States purchased the Louisiana territory – more than 88,000 square miles – from France in 1803. President Jefferson selected Meriwether Lewis to lead an expedition there.
With Jefferson’s permission, Lewis asked his friend and former commanding officer, William Clark to be co-leader. Although opposite in temperament, they worked harmoniously throughout the two-year journey.
Erected by National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior.
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Exploration • Native Americans
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Location. 44° 21.188′ N, 100° 22.097′ W. Marker is in Fort Pierre, South Dakota, in Stanley County. Marker can be reached from 2 Rivers Street north of Ash Avenue. Marker is located along the walking path, at the northeast corner of Fischers Lilly Park, overlooking the Missouri River. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 415 Ash Avenue, Fort Pierre SD 57532, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Lewis and Clark First Sioux Nation Meeting (here, next to this marker); Lewis and Clark Encounter Teton Sioux (a few steps from this marker); The Fort Pierre Plain (within shouting distance of this marker); Andy's Meat Market (about 700 feet away, measured in a direct line); Stockgrowers Bank (approx. 0.2 miles away); The Stockgrowers Bank of Fort Pierre (approx. 0.2 miles away); Stanley County Jail 1905 (approx. ¼ mile away); Stanley County Courthouse Veteran's Memorial (approx. 0.3 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Fort Pierre.
More about this marker. Marker is a large composite plaque, mounted horizontally, on waist-high
2. Marker detail: Lewis and Clark Expedition Map
Lewis and Clark had tense confrontations with the Teton Sioux Indians here in Fort Pierre on September 24-28, 1804.
Related markers. Click here for a list of markers that are related to this marker. Lewis and Clark Meet the Teton Sioux Indians
Also see . . . Lewis & Clark Meet the Lakota Nation In Fort Pierre. A major encounter which affected the destiny of all inhabitants of the region occurred in Fort Pierre on September 24-28, 1804. At the mouth of the Bad River, in present-day Fischers Lilly Park. Members of Lewis and Clark’s Corps of Discovery met for the first time with the Lakota people, known to them as the Teton Sioux. Differences in trade objectives, diplomacy, and the lack of an interpreter lead to an armed confrontation, the closest Lewis and Clark came to a premature end to their expedition. Today the park is certified as a National Park Service Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail site. (Submitted on October 14, 2018, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)
Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, August 19, 2016
3. The Lewis and Clark Expedition Marker (wide view; looking north along the Missouri River)
Photographed By Ruth VanSteenwyk, April 2, 2021
4. The Lewis and Clark Expedition Marker (New)
In 1804-1806, Captains Meriwether Lewis and William Clark led the Corps of Discovery on an epic journey. Charged by President Thomas Jefferson to find a water route to the Pacific Ocean through the newly acquired Louisiana territory, they mapped the land, recorded its resources, and met with and learned from its native inhabitants.
The landscape has changed since Lewis and Clark explored it; rivers have been dammed, forests cut over, prairies plowed under, and roads built to the horizon. Although remnants of wilderness still exist, imagine this land as Lewis and Clark first saw it two centuries ago. Today, visitors can travel in the footsteps of Lewis and Clark to share in the diverse perspectives of the Expedition and to gain a better understanding of the history of the United States.
In preparation for the journey, Meriwether Lewis took crash courses in medicine, botany, zoology, and celestial observation. With President Jefferson's permission, Lewis asked his friend and former commanding officer, William Clark, to be co-leader. Clark brought his skills as an outdoorsman, a geographer and map-maker. Although opposite in temperament, they worked harmoniously throughout the two-year journey.
Photographed By Ruth VanSteenwyk, April 2, 2021
5. The Lewis and Clark Expedition Markers
Credits. This page was last revised on April 9, 2021. It was originally submitted on October 11, 2018, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. This page has been viewed 271 times since then and 41 times this year. Last updated on April 8, 2021, by Ruth VanSteenwyk of Aberdeen, South Dakota. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on October 14, 2018, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. 4, 5. submitted on April 8, 2021, by Ruth VanSteenwyk of Aberdeen, South Dakota. • Bill Pfingsten was the editor who published this page.
