Near Watford City in McKenzie County, North Dakota — The American Midwest (Upper Plains)

Tobacco Garden Bay

Wednesday, April 17, 1805

Photographed by Barry Swackhamer, July 24, 2025

1. Tobacco Garden Bay Marker

Inscription. On "A delightfull morning." Lewis and Clark passed "immence quantities of game in every direction...consisting of herds of Buffaloe, Elk, and Antelopes with some deer and wolves." Lewis killed two buffalo, but the meat was "so poor" that he kept only the tongues. Remains of Indian camps occupied "every point of the timbered land, " and the party saw four wooden rafts used as ferries. Writing that three "very large" beaver had been killed, Lewis pronounced the meat "excellent, particularly the tale, and liver." Clark noted a Long-billed Curlew on the shoreline. They camped on the south bank over 30 miles downstream from modern Williston, having come about 26 miles from the previous campsite.

Erected by US Army Corps of Engineers.

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Exploration • Waterways & Vessels. In addition, it is included in the Lewis & Clark Expedition series list. A significant historical date for this entry is April 17, 1805.

Location. 48° 6.253′ N, 103° 6.312′ W. Marker is near Watford City, North Dakota, in McKenzie County. It can be reached from State Highway 1806 near Baywatch

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Lane, on the left when traveling north. The marker is located in the Tobacco Gardens Resort and Marina among a small grove of tree next to the Tobacco Gardens Concessions stand. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 4781 North Dakota Highway 1806, Watford City ND 58854, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in North Dakota’s Bakken Oil Patch.

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 6 other markers are within 14 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: "Great Numbers" (approx. 6 miles away); "Keeping up with Necessities" (approx. 6 miles away); Lewis and Clark State Park (approx. 6 miles away); "Lewis Mistaken For an Elk" (approx. 6 miles away); "Handsome High Planes" (approx. 6 miles away); Betaini Norwegian Lutheran Church (approx. 13.3 miles away).

More about this marker.

Photographed by Barry Swackhamer, July 24, 2025

2. Tobacco Garden Bay Marker

It is interesting to note that North Dakota has two state highways, numbers 1804 and 1806, which parallel the route of the Lewis and Clark Expedition. The numbers represent the years of that expedition.

Credits. This page was last revised on August 29, 2025. It was originally submitted on August 28, 2025, by Barry Swackhamer of Brentwood, California. This page has been viewed 79 times since then and 23 times this year. Photos: 1. submitted on August 28, 2025, by Barry Swackhamer of Brentwood, California. 2. submitted on August 29, 2025, by Barry Swackhamer of Brentwood, California.