With the conclusion of the Louisiana Purchase in late 1803, President Jefferson had the land that would push the United States from coast to coast. A route to the Pacific Ocean was the main geographical priority of the era. But with 828,000 miles included in the purchase, discovering the route would take determination, ambition and most of all, perseverance.

Perhaps in the spirit of the lands former owner, Napoleon, Jefferson decided an army of adventurers was necessary for the exploration of the Louisiana Purchase territory. Approval from Congress was given for $2,500 to fund a group of men called the Corps of Discovery. The Corps was to travel from coast to coast, east to west creating the official geography for the area. The Corps needed a leader and Jefferson had someone in mind.

Secretary to the president, Meriwether Lewis was assigned the task of mapping the route to the Pacific as well as collecting valuable data about the area he would travel through, the former Louisiana Purchase region. His companion and equal on the journey was William Clark, an army buddy and friend chosen by Lewis for his strength, courage and past guidance. His map making abilities and army survival techniques would also come in handy. The pair began an expedition that has provided lovers of the past with many a story, adventure and lesson.

In early spring of 1804, after receiving congressional approval in February, the corps of Discovery (which consisted of about 45 men) set out on the trail with the main objective of discovering a river route from coast to coast. This waterway could aid in the transportation of commercial goods, encourage further exploration and migration and expand the reaches of American influence.

The journey began in Wood River, Illinois in May of 1804, traveled through the Midwest into the Rockies and the lands of Missouri, the Dakotas, Iowa, Nebraska, Wyoming, Montana, Idaho and Oregon. They ended up in Chinook, Washington along the Pacific coast in November of 1805.They travel home in 1806. It took a total of two and half years for the Corps, its leaders and guide to find a clear route to the Ocean but they did, despite numerous hardships, lack of supplies and treacherous weather conditions.

Along the journey, the Corps encountered various Native American tribes, fur trappers and early settlers including the Shoshone wife of a French trader. The story of Sacagawea stems from this meeting and is one of the most well known components of Lewis and Clark’s journey. Sacagawea, along with her two month old son, acted as guide for the explorers through the lands of her people giving advice on obstacles ahead as well as what prairie plants and desert animals were safe to eat. Even after Sacagawea’s knowledge became regional, she chose to stay with the explorers.

They traveled about 15 miles a day, marking their paths on hand drawn maps, sketching the scenery and wildlife and sending specimens and news back to Washington throughout. They entered areas hitherto unknown to western Europeans and were surprised at the diversity of species and landscapes they encountered. Bears were just one of the animals the group would discover in the wild lands. When they returned home after their two plus year journey, the men, their helpers and the stories of their travels immediately became legend.

Before the travels of Lewis and Clark, no American knew of the beauty of the Rocky Mountains or the diverse culture of the country’s original tribes. The price tag of 15 million dollars seems cheap in comparison to the wealth of information, people and natural beauty offered by the American west. Lewis and Clark and the tales of their encounters and discoveries will decorate the pages of American history books forever as testament to curiosity, ingenuity and American style adventures.

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