Lewis & Clark at the Knife River Indian Villages
Posted by: BruceS
N 47° 19.901 W 101° 23.117
14T E 319786 N 5244782
Historical marker commemorating the time Lewis and Clark spent in the Indian villages near the Knife River in central North Dakota. Sakakawea who accompanied Lewis and Clark on the expedition came from one of these villages.
Waymark Code: WM2MZK
Location: North Dakota, United States
Date Posted: 11/23/2007
Published By: RGS
Views: 52
Lewis & Clark at the Knife river Indian Villages
With 158 days and 1,600 miles behind them, the Lewis and Clark Expedition
arrived near the Knife River Villages. Captain William Clark wrote:
October 27, 1804
"came too at the Village on the L.S. this village is situated
on an eminance of about 50 feet above the Water in a hansom plain it containes
[40 or 50] houses in a kind of Picket work, the houses are round and verry large
containing several families, as also their horses which is tied on one Side of
the enterance,"
Upon their return from the Pacific Ocean in 1806, three days were spent
here counselling with the tribal leaders.
Aug14, 1805
"when we were opposit the Minetares Grand Village [Big
Hidatsa Village] we Saw a number of the Nativs viewing of [us], we derected the
Blunderbuses fire Several times, Soon after we Came too at a Croud of nativs on
the bank opposit the Village of the Shoe Indians or Mah-har-has' [Amahami
Village] at which place I saw the principal Chief of the Little Village
[Sakakawea Village] of the Menitarre & the principal Chief of the Mah-har-has,
those people were extreamly pleased to See us."
August 17, 1806
"we also took leave of T. [Touisant] Chabono, his Snake
Indian wife [Sakakawea] and their child who had accompanied us on our rout to
the pacific ocean in the capacity of interpreter and interpretres."
~ text of marker
The Sakakawea Village is located a short distance from the marker at N 47°
20.374 W 101° 22.982 and will be the second village site you will come to after
leaving the visitors center.