Lewis & Clark Camped Here (Twin Bridges), Montana
N 45° 35.731 W 112° 19.042
12T E 397252 N 5049952
There are two Montana History signs in this pull-off from Hwy 41, near the town of Twin Bridges.
Waymark Code: WM9ZRX
Location: Montana, United States
Date Posted: 10/23/2010
Views: 3
The text on this informative sign reads:
"Lewis & Clark Camped Here
A Missing Note & A Side Trip Up The Big Hole River
Which Fork to Take?
Meriwether Lewis, traveling ahead with 3 men, reached this spot two days ahead of William Clark and the main party. After exploring the river courses, Lewis left a note telling Clark to stay on the Jefferson River. Clark never found it and started up the Big Hole instead.
The men pulled the boats upstream about nine miles before meeting one of Lewis' men. Their return trip resulted in near disaster which almost killed a man.
The expedition was reunited and made camp near here on August 7th. They spent a day drying out their baggage. After repacking, they decided to leave one dugout behind, hidden in a thicket.
"...arrived at the confluence of the two rivers where I left the note. This note had unfortunately been placed on a green pole which the beavers had cut and carried off together with the note, the possibility of such an occurance never once occurred to me when I placed it on the green pole... Capt. Clark...ascended it (Big Hole River) with much difficulty..." Meriwether Lewis August 5, 1805.
"...the Indian woman recognized the point of a high plain to our right which she informed us was not far distant from the summer retreat of her nation on a river beyond the mountains which runs to the west, this she said her nation calls the beaver's head..."
Describe the area and history:
This rugged area of Montana includes the route the Lewis and Clark Expedition crossed in 1805 on their scouting trip to the Western Territories.
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