Lewis & Clark State Park
History
The area's present-day history is highlighted by the construction of Garrison Dam and the impoundment of Missouri River water for Lake Sakakawea. The dam is one of six main stem dams on the Missouri River. The lake itself was created in 1954 and is one of the three largest man-made reservoirs in the nation.
Lewis & Clark State Park was originally developed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The ND Parks & Recreation Department began managing the area as a state park in 1973.
The Missouri River once served as an early transportation route. Native Americans, explorers, fur trappers, traders, pioneers, gold miners and steamboat traffic all used this river highway.
Archeological surveys of the park show that this area of the Missouri may have been inhabited as must as 2,000-8,000 years ago, evidenced by an ancient fire hearth uncovered during a campground construction project. In more recent history, it was the site of a pioneer wagon trail and wheel ruts can still be seen along one of the park's nature trails.
The Lewis and Clark Expedition
The park's name commemorates the journey of Meriwether Lewis and William Clark and the Corps of Discovery. The expedition camped near the park on their outward journey in 1805 and again on their return in 1806.
Upon completion of the Louisiana Purchase in 1803 and with congressional approval for a western expedition, Lewis began selecting men to accompany him. William Clark, another Virginian and seasoned military officer, was asked to serve as his co-leader.
On October 14, 1804, the expedition entered present-day North Dakota, wintering at Ft. Mandan near the Knife River Indian Villages. In the spring of 1805, they “proceeded on” up the river. On April 17, 1805, the expedition camped at Short Creek, about a mile south of Lewis & Clark State Park.
In his journal, Lewis praised the richness of the game seen in this area, including buffalo, elk, antelope, deer and geese. They sighted wolves as well as bear tracks.
On this stretch of the Missouri, the expedition encountered severe winds that hampered their progress for nearly a week. With the wind preventing travel, members of the expedition used that time to survey the surrounding land. The eroded buttes were described, along with a mention of petrified logs and a burned hill with “pumice stone around it.” The pumice is presumed to be scoria.
On their return trip in 1806, the party split up in Montana, with Clark heading down the Yellowstone River and Lewis continuing on the Missouri to investigate the Marais River.
Both parties spent time in the area of Lewis and Clark State Park. On August 10, 1806, Lewis and his party camped about ten miles east of the park near Tobacco Garden Bay. He and a member of the expedition, Pierre Cruzatte, went elk hunting. After killing one elk and wounding another, the men split up in the thick willows in pursuit of the wounded elk. The one-eyed, near-sighted Cruzatte mistook Lewis for an elk and shot him in the upper thigh. The painful injury forced Lewis to finish the expedition on his belly.
Lewis and his men rejoined Clark's party at Reunion Bay after 30 days of separation. Aided by wind and current, the expedition only spent ten days passing through the state for the second time.
