Wheeling - "a pretty considerable village" - Wheeling, West Virginia
Posted by: BruceS
N 40° 04.050 W 080° 43.478
17T E 523482 N 4435285
Marker with information of Meriwether Lewis's stop in what later became Wheeling prior to joining William Clark in Louisville prior to their great journey.
Waymark Code: WMJBYR
Location: West Virginia, United States
Date Posted: 10/27/2013
Views: 4
Text of marker:
Wheeling - "a pretty considerable Village"
"this is a pretty considerable Village contains about fifty houses... it is situated on the east side of the river on an elevated bank; the landing is good, just below the town and on the same side big Wheeling creek emtys itself into the Ohio..."
Meriwether Lewis
September 7 1803
In the fall of 1803 Captain Meriwether Lewis traveled down the Ohio River to meet with Captain William Clark in Louisville, Kentucky. Along the way, he stopped here (now Wheeling, West Virginia) to collect rifles and ammunition shipped overland from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
With his new supplies, Lewis traveled to Louisville and on October 15, 1803, he shook hands with Captain Clark. Over the enxt two weekes, the men began selecting the first members for the expedition and the Corps of Discovery was born.
In the fall, the Corps of Discovery traveled to St. Louis, Missouri and established a winter fort. In the spring, they began their treck up the Missouri River searching for an all-water route to the Pacific Ocean. After the three-year arduous expedition, they reached the Pacific Ocean in 1806. The amazing details of the journey were meticulously record in journals ketp by Lewis and Clark.