Distinctly Montana Magazine

w w w . d i s t i n c t l y m o n t a n a . c o m 61 W HEN PRESIDENT THOMAS JEFFERSON sent Captain Meriwether Lewis and Captain William Clark out to explore the nation's newly-pur- chased Louisiana Territory and the seemingly infinite wil- derness stretching to the Pacific Ocean, he partially did so in an effort to realize his dream of linking the east to the west through the discovery of a mythical waterway route known as the Northwest Passage. If such a passage exist- ed, it would be key to westward expansion and unification of the eastern United States and the "Oregon Country" territory. Twenty-nine-year-old Lewis and 33-year-old Clark hedged their bets on the Missouri River. Although the highly-sought-after singular waterway linking the plains to the Pacific coast didn't exist, the Corps of Discovery did successfully reach their destination and checked off a slew of other tasks on Jefferson's to-do list during their 8,000-mile, two-and-a-half-year expedition. As instructed, they established trade with Native Americans, analyzed flora and fauna never before seen by European Americans, mapped expansive territories, and kept de- tailed journals of their observations and day-to-day events. The expedition also delivered a message from Jefferson to everyone they met: The land contained in the Louisiana Pur- chase had become the property of the United States. In addition to Lewis and Clark, the Corps of Dis- covery consisted of 29 men, a Newfoundland named Seaman, and Sacagawea, a Lemhi Shoshone woman who had been kidnapped by the Hidatsa tribe at the age of 12 and later sold to French-Canadian trader Toussaint Charbonneau. Charbonneau ultimately claimed her as his wife. Sacagawea was approximately 17-years-old when she gave birth to her son, Jean Baptiste Charbon- neau, at Fort Mandan in present-day North Dako- ta. Less than two months later, on April 7, 1805, she strapped her baby boy to her back and set off up the Missouri River as the only female member of the Corps of Discovery. The expedition covered more miles within the pres- ent-day boundaries of Montana than they did in any other state along their epic journey. Though the inevitable westward expansion that soon followed Lewis and Clark's explorative trek altered much of the land forever, many aspects remain nearly un- touched. We invite you to hop in your car to set off on a trip back in time, crossing paths with the Corps of Dis- covery's route through central and southwest Mon- tana as you embark on an expedition of your own. DRIVING IN THE STEPS OF THE CORPS OF DISCOVERY article and photos by HOLLY MATKIN

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