Near Bozeman in Gallatin County, Montana — The American West (Mountains)
Lewis and Clark
To the Headwaters
On their return trip in 1806, Expedition members separated at Travelers Rest near Lolo, Montana. Capt. Lewis and nine men headed east to Great Falls, while Clark and the rest of the party, along with 50 horses, returned to the headwaters area. On July 13, 1806, Sgt. Ordway and nine men continued down the Missouri while Capt. Clark, with a party of 12, traveled east through the Gallatin Valley on horseback, camping at the mouth of Kelly Canyon on July 14, 1806. Following an old buffalo trail recommended by Sacagawea, they crossed the Bridger Mountains to the Yellowstone River and traveled east in cottonwood dugout canoes and bull boats to rejoin the other expedition members.
Erected by Montana Department of Transportation (MDT) & Qwest.
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 month for this entry is July 1805.
Location. 45° 42.726′ N, 111° 3.852′ W. Marker is near Bozeman, Montana, in Gallatin County. Marker can be reached from N. 19th Avenue near I-90 eastbound entrance ramp (at milepost 305), 0.1 miles east of N. 19th Ave. and E. Valley Center Rd., on the left when traveling south. Located at Bozeman Rest Area along I-90 along with several other historic markers. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Bozeman MT 59718, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. First People in the Gallatin Valley (here, next to this marker); Gallatin History Museum (a few steps from this marker); Pioneer Museum (a few steps from this marker); Fur Trade (a few steps from this marker); Valley of Opportunity (a few steps from this marker); Trail Through Time (a few steps from this marker); Fort Ellis (within shouting distance of this marker); Bozeman Veterans Memorial (within shouting distance of this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Bozeman.
More about this marker. This marker is included in the Lewis & Clark Expedition marker series. It is one of six illustrated interpretive signs known as "One Trail Through Time: The Bozeman Rest Area signs" according to Montana's Historical Highway Markers book (Revised and Expanded by Axline 2008)
Regarding Lewis and Clark. Marker Quotation: July 28, 1805 "... we called the S.W. fork, that which we meant to asend, Jefferson's River in honor of (that illustrious personage) Thomas Jefferson...the Middle fork we called Madison's River in honor of James Madison, and the S.E. Fork we called Gallitine's River in honor of Albert Gallitin..." - Meriwether Lewis
Painting Caption: "Homeward Bound (Clark Says Goodbye to Ordway) by R.F. Morgan, used by permission of Sam and Carolyn Rogers
Credits. This page was last revised on November 24, 2019. It was originally submitted on March 24, 2010, by Rich Pfingsten of Forest Hill, Maryland. This page has been viewed 1,457 times since then and 14 times this year. Photo 1. submitted on March 24, 2010, by Rich Pfingsten of Forest Hill, Maryland. • Bill Pfingsten was the editor who published this page.