Location of waymark is courthouse in Bowling Green (current courthouse)
Two markers used as evidence of naming of the county, they will be located and text revealed under the county area.
The Person:
"Zebulon Montgomery Pike (January 5, 1779 - April 27, 1813) was an American explorer and military officer (he served in the War of 1812). Pike tried to find the source of the Mississippi River and also explored the Rocky Mountains and southwestern North America. Pike's Peak in Colorado is named for him.
"The Source of the Mississippi River:
Pike was sent to Minnesota by General James Wilkinson (Governor of the Louisiana Territory) to search for the source of the Mississippi River in 1805. Pike led a crew of 20 men from St. Louis to upper Minnesota during the fall and winter. They traveled on boats, and then sleds (when the river iced over). Although the actual source is Lake Itasca, Pike was convinced that the nearby Lake Leech was the source.
"The Rocky Mountains:
General Wilkinson then sent Pike to the Rocky Mountains and the southwest in 1806, but was officially told not to enter Spanish territory. Pike discovered Pike's Peak in Colorado, but failed to climb it. Continuing south, Pike did enter Spanish territory, and was arrested and taken to Santa Fe (in what is now New Mexico). Pike was one of the first Americans to see New Mexico. He was released by the Spanish in Louisiana. His notes about his journey mistakenly stated that the area he traveled in was mostly a desert, unsuitable for farming. This discouraged the settlement of the area for quite a while, but trade increased and Pike's information on the military weakness of the Spanish was quite important.
"General Pike died in 1813 during the War of 1812 at the battle of York (in Canada); Pike commanded the American troops at the battle of York." ~ enchantedlearning.com
Early life and education
"Zebulon M. Pike was born during the Revolutionary War on January 5, 1779 near Lamberton (derived from the Indian pronunciation "Alamatunk"), now called Lamington, in Somerset county, New Jersey. Pike would follow in the footsteps of his father, also named Zebulon, who had begun his own career in the military service of the United States beginning in 1775, at the outset of the American Revolutionary War. To avoid confusion, son Zebulon Pike is referred to with the middle initial of M, while father Zebulon Pike is not.
"The younger Pike grew to adulthood with his family at a series of Midwestern outposts —the United States' frontier at the time — in Ohio and Illinois. He was commissioned as a second lieutenant of infantry in 1799, and promoted to first lieutenant later that same year.
"Ancestry
Pike was descended from John Pike, who immigrated from England as a child in 1635, and helped found Woodbridge, New Jersey in 1665. A Surname DNA project exists for male individuals with the Pike surname. A genetic study of submitted DNA samples shows almost 20% have a genetic relationship to the same male line as Zebulon M. Pike, though he left no male descendants. This paternal line descends from a male ancestor of the seventeenth or eighteenth centuries, possibly John Pike.
"Marriage and family
Zebulon M. Pike married Clarissa Harlow Brown in 1801.[6] They had one child who survived to adulthood, a daughter, Clarissa Brown Pike, who later married John Cleves Symmes Harrison, a son of President William Henry Harrison.
Militay Career:
Pike's military career included working on logistics and payroll at a series of frontier posts, including Fort Bellefontaine near St. Louis. General James Wilkinson, appointed Governor of the Upper Louisiana Territory and headquartered there, became his mentor.
"In 1805, Wilkinson ordered Pike to find the source of the Mississippi River, so Pike traveled into the northern Louisiana Territory, newly purchased from Spain. Over 100 years later, Spain released official records showing General Wilkinson received personal trade concessions and thus could be labeled a double agent for Spain at the time.
Pike Expedition
"Pikes Peak, central Colorado
After Pike returned from this first expedition, General Wilkinson almost immediately ordered him to mount a second expedition, this time to explore, map and find the headwaters of the Arkansas and Red rivers. This exploratory expedition into the southwestern part of the Louisiana Territory was also to evaluate natural resources, and establish friendly relations with Native Americans.
"Thus, beginning July 15, 1806, Pike led what became known as the "Pike Expedition". General Wilkinson's son James served as one of his lieutenants, although it now seems that Wilkinson planned that the Spanish who controlled Mexico would capture him and his men.
"In early November 1806, Pike and his team sighted and tried to climb to the summit of the peak later named after him (Pikes Peak.) They made it as far as Mt. Rosa to the southeast of Pikes Peak, before giving up the ascent in waist-deep snow. They had already gone almost two days without food.
"They then continued south searching for the Red River's headwaters, and built a fort for shelter during the winter. However, they had crossed the border, whether through confusion or deliberation. Spanish authorities captured Pike and some of his party in northern New Mexico (now part of southern Colorado) on February 26, 1807.
"Pike and his men were taken to Santa Fe, then to the capital of Chihuahua province, and presented to Commandant General Salcedo, who was governor of the state.
Pike was treated well and invited to formal social dinners, but still not quite given the treatment of a visiting dignitary, and his men were kept prisoner. Salcedo housed Pike with Juan Pedro Walker, a cartographer, who also acted as an interpreter. Walker transcribed and translated Pike's confiscated documents, including his journal. Mexican authorities also feared the spread of both democracy and Protestant Christian sects that might undermine their rule.
"During this time, Pike had access to various maps of the southwest and learned about Mexican discontent with Spanish rule. Spain filed official protests with the United States about Pike's expedition, but since the nations were not at war (and Spain was rebelling against Napoleon's brother who was fighting England in the Peninsular War), Commandant Salcedo released the military men. The Spanish escorted Pike and most of his men north, releasing them at the Louisiana border on July 1, 1807. However, some of his soldiers were held for years in Mexico.[citation needed] The Red River, which later separated Oklahoma Territory from Texas, was next explored by the ill-fated Woolley expedition of 1815, named for the Colonel who died (and only two sick men returned, one of whom soon died).
"War of 1812
Pike was promoted to captain during the southwestern expedition. In 1811, Lt. Col. Zebulon M. Pike with the 4th Infantry Regiment fought at the Battle of Tippecanoe. He was promoted to colonel in 1812. Pike's military career also included serving as deputy quartermaster-general in New Orleans and inspector-general during the War of 1812.
"Pike was promoted to brigadier general in 1813.[9] Along with General Jacob Brown, Pike departed from the newly fortified rural military outpost of Sackets Harbor, on the New York shore of Lake Ontario, for what became his last military campaign. On this expedition, Pike commanded combat troops in the successful attack on York, (now Toronto) on April 27, 1813. Pike was killed by flying rocks and other debris when the withdrawing British garrison blew up its ammunition magazine as Pike's troops approached Fort York. His body was brought by ship back to Sackets Harbor, where his remains were buried at the military cemetery." Wikipedia
The County:
Marker located: N 39° 20.526 W 091° 11.664 - Main Cross St. & Main St., courthouse lawn, Bowling Green, current county seat
Erected by: State of Missouri Historical Society & Missouri Highway Commission in 1957
Marker text:
BOWLING GREENBowling Green, the capital of Pike County, lies 12 miles in from the Mississippi River on a rolling plain, 880 feet above sea level. First pioneer here, John W. Basye, came in 1820 and by 1823 the settlement, named for Bowling Green, Kentucky, succeeded Louisiana as the Pike County seat of justice.
Here on the pioneer Salt River Trail, the town made a steady growth. Early schools were Pike Academy, 1837; Isaac W. Basye's Normal School, 1867; and J.D.Meriwether's Bowling Green College, 1881. The Chicago and Alton R.R.(G.M.& O.)was completed in 1871 and the St. Louis and Hannibal in 1876. Limestone quarries were opened in the late 1800's. Near here, the first Presbytery of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church west of the Mississippi was organized in 1820.
When the county, named for the explorer Zebulon M. Pike, was organized in 1818, it included all of Missouri's Upper Salt River Country from which have come 9 whole counties and parts of 6 others. Many Pike Countians joined the 1849 Gold Rush, and the ballads "Joe Bowers" and "Sweet Betsy from Pike" are associated with this county.
Bowling Green serves as seat of a grain, livestock, and fruit farming county here in the Glacial Plains Region of Missouri. Sac and Fox Indians ceded claims to the area in 1804 and again in 1824. During the War of 1812, a number of settlers who came to the county from Ky, N.C., and S.C. as early as 1808 found protection in Buffalo Fort near Louisiana. In the Civil War, the only action in the county was at nearby Ashley, 1862, when some 30 Union troops held the town against a raid by 150 Confederates. In 1861, 8 companies of Union troops trained here.
Bowling Green was the home of famed Congressman, speaker of the House, James Beauchamp (Champ) Clark (1850-1921). His son, Bennett Champ Clark (1890-1954), U.S. Senator, was born here, and here also were born diplomat John F. Swift (1829-1891), and Admiral W.R. Purnell (1886-1955). Elliot W. Major, 33rd governor of Mo. lived here.
Points of interest here include the state statue of Champ Clark by F.C. Hibbard; the Clark House known as Honey Shuck; the J.W. Basye and Purnell Houses; and Purnell memorial plaque at the courthouse.
Marker located N 39° 25.641 W 091° 04.578 MO NN, Stark Bro's Nursery, Louisiana
Erected by State Historical Society of Missouri & Missouri Highway Commission in 1953
Marker text:
Louisiana
Louisiana, early Mississippi river port, known for the Delicious apple developed here and grown through the world, was settled, in 1817, when John Bryson pre-empted land near the confluence of the river and Noix
Creek. A year later Samuel Caldwell and Joel Shaw from Kentucky founded the town on land bought from Bryson.
The Pioneer Stark cabin was moved here from the nearby hill,
restored and opened as a museum, 1952, to honor Horticulturist James Hart Stark who built the cabin. The orchard he planted, 1816, with grafted scions brought from the family's Kentucky orchard considered the first of grafted apple trees west of the Alleghenies, has become known under his descendents as one of the
oldest and largest commercial nurseries in the world. Here are carried on many of Luther Burbank's experiments. The Stark Nursery obtained first patent granted a fruit, 1934.
Settlers were in the general vicinity of Louisiana as early
as 1810 and some 2 miles southeast a D.A.R. monument marks the site of Buffalo Fort here 15 families took refuge during the War of 1812.
Prominent supply stop for pioneers to the Salt River Country,
the city flourished as a river port until the coming of the railroads, Louisiana early became a trade and industrial center.
Laid out the year Pike Co. was organized the town served as
country seat until 1824. Centrally located Bowling Green succeeded as
county seat. The slang term "Pike" or "Piker" derives from this county and
came into use to identify natives of the region who joined the '49 Gold Rush. The county is named for Explorer Zebulon M. Pike.
Here lived Lloyd C. Stark, Governor of Missouri, 1937-1941. John B. Henderson (1826-1913), U.S. Senator, promoter of the 13th and 15th Constitutional Amendments, had law offices here. Champ Clark (1850-1921), Speaker of U.S. House of Representatives, had law offices and taught here before
making his home in nearby Bowling Green. Scientist R.R. Rowley (1854-1934) taught here.
The third Missouri railroad bridge across the Mississippi opened, 1873. Champ Clark Highway Bridge was dedicated, 1928