Nebraska City in Otoe County, Nebraska — The American Midwest (Upper Plains)
Hunter, Watchdog and Faithful Friend
Photographed by William Fischer, Jr., June 23, 2013
1. Hunter, Watchdog and Faithful Friend Marker
One valued member of the Lewis and Clark Expedition had four legs, webbed feet and weighed 150 pounds. He was Captain Meriwether Lewis' dog Seaman, a Newfoundland.
At Lewis' command, Seaman jumped into the Ohio River to catch squirrels swimming across in great numbers. Later, an Expedition hunter wounded a deer, which ran into the Missouri River. Seaman caught and drowned the deer and brought it to shore.
In present-day Montana, Seaman's skills as a watchdog saved lives when a grizzly bear stopped within 30 yards of the Expedition's campsite. "My dog seems to be in a constant state of alarm with these bears and keeps barking all night," Lewis wrote.
Most historians believe the dog returned to St. Louis with the rest of the Corps of Discovery in 1806. Otherwise, Lewis surely would have written in his journal about the loss of such a faithful companion.
For many years, scholars thought Lewis' dog was named "Scannon." Donald Jackson, a noted historian and native of Glenwood, Iowa, studied the handwriting of Expedition journals and determined the correct spelling, "Seaman."
Artwork by Patricia Reeder Eubank
this page online
© 2004 Big Muddy Workshop Inc.
Erected by National Park Service and Mouth of the Platte Chapter, Lewis & Clark Trail Heritage Foundation, Inc.
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Animals • Exploration. In addition, it is included in the Lewis & Clark Expedition series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1806.
Location. 40° 39.967′ N, 95° 49.854′ W. Marker is in Nebraska City, Nebraska, in Otoe County. It can be reached from Valmont Drive. Marker is next to the keelboat replica, near the entrance to the Lewis & Clark Missouri River Basin Visitors Center. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 100 Valmont Drive, Nebraska City NE 68410, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in Eastern Nebraska. It is also in the American Midwest, in the Lewis & Clark Corridor, in the Corn Belt, and on the prairies. Globally, it is in North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically,
Photographed by William Fischer, Jr., June 23, 2013
2. Hunter, Watchdog and Faithful Friend Marker
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 2 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: Barge / Keelboat (replica) (here, next to this marker); Earth Lodge Villages (about 600 feet away, measured in a direct line); The Missouri River (about 700 feet away); Steam Wagon (approx. 1.2 miles away); Fort Kearney Block House (approx. 1.3 miles away); Official Oregon Trail Marker (approx. 1.3 miles away); Stephen F. Nuckolls Residence (approx. 1.3 miles away); Fletcher Neal (approx. 1½ miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Nebraska City.
Also see . . .
1. Seaman: Lewis' Newfoundland Dog. Travel the Lewis and Clark Trail website entry (Submitted on July 23, 2013, by William Fischer, Jr. of Reynoldsburg, Ohio.)
2. Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail. National Park Service website entry (Submitted on July 23, 2013, by William Fischer, Jr. of Reynoldsburg, Ohio.)
3. Lewis & Clark Missouri River Basin Visitors Center. Center website homepage (Submitted on July 23, 2013, by William Fischer, Jr. of Reynoldsburg,
Photographed by William Fischer, Jr.
3. The Lewis & Clark Missouri River Basin Visitors Center
Credits. This page was last revised on June 27, 2025. It was originally submitted on July 23, 2013, by William Fischer, Jr. of Reynoldsburg, Ohio. This page has been viewed 833 times since then and 40 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on July 23, 2013, by William Fischer, Jr. of Reynoldsburg, Ohio.
