A New Day, A New Town
It’s amazing to me how busy I can be when I’m doing pretty much nothing. I scheduled three nights in Bismarck, North Dakota, to give myself time to get off the road, do some reading, some art, some music, take walks, and generally have no agenda. But I have this knack for filling my time so that at the end of the day I feel like I’ve been “on the go” all day without stopping. That’s how yesterday was. Last night I made a list of what I need to do today in order to be ready to hit the road again tomorrow morning, and when I got done making the list I was left wondering if I would have any time to write this article, which was one of my goals in Bismarck.
So I am putting the list aside for a moment. I’ll get back to it later and make sure I have plenty of time to get everything done before tomorrow morning (laundry, grocery, repack camper, etc.). I think…
Roadtripping in 1804
Winter in Bismarck
By the time the expedition reached the Bismarck, North Dakota area, they had been in contact regularly with various Indian tribes, and had adapted their overall approach to be friendlier, with an eye toward true relationship-building, rather than emphasizing the “we now control you” part of the message. I’m guessing that this shift in tone was made necessary by their encounters with tribes who were more than a little skeptical about their true intentions, and not very trusting of their motives. Their most harrowing encounter was with the Teton Sioux near Pierre, South Dakota. After Lewis gave his usual performative speech stressing the new “father” they had to bow to, the Teton Sioux did not take kindly to being told they were no longer in charge over their own land. Instead, they tried to assert their own independence and control, resulting in a harrowing four days of rather hostile maneuvering on both sides that involved brandishing weapons and nearly coming to blows. At one point the Sioux apparently tried to confiscate the boats and refused to allow the explorers to continue upstream. They also rejected the trinkets offered by Lewis and Clark to placate them, demanding instead more valuable items, such as tobacco, and exclusive trading priority over the other tribes. According to some accounts, the explorers barely got away, literally grabbing the keelboat rope out of the hands of the Sioux warriors and making their way hastily up the river.
As the Corps approached what is now North Dakota, they saw evidence of large organized villages along the banks. The first ones they saw had been abandoned by the time they arrived, but historians tell us that these villages, at times supporting over 2000 residents, had been inhabited by the Hidatsa and Mandan tribes for hundreds of years. Apparently they were forced to relocate after being attacked and raided repeatedly by neighboring nomadic tribes, combined with the decimation of their numbers by a smallpox epidemic in the 1780’s. The smallpox epidemic ran rampant through all the tribes in the west, reducing large, thriving communities down to almost zero in some cases. The abandoned Mandan and Hidatsa villages seen by Lewis and Clark had lost up to 90% of their population over the course of just a few years, which would have left them quite vulnerable. The survivors left the area and moved north of present-day Bismarck, which is where Lewis and Clark found a collection of five settlements in late October1804.
These Mandan/Hidatsa tribes were farmers and hunters and traders, and lived in permanent structures organized in communities that would be recognizeable to us today. The villages were located in places that could easily be defended, such as on high river banks, or within constructed borders of deep ditches or wooden walls. These families lived peacefully, traded actively with other tribes and Europeans that passed through, and developed deep cultural and spiritual traditions that stood the test of time over hundreds of years.
This is a typical earthen home built by the Mandans. There would have been many of these in one thriving village.
By the time the Corps reached the Mandan/Hidatsa villages north of present-day Bismarck near the end of October 1804, they had been on the river for 164 days and had travelled over 1,500 miles. Lewis edited his overall message to emphasize shared resources, friendship and support. The assertion of dominance and control had not been working so well for him and was likely downplayed in the interest of getting what they needed out of the encounter. To me, this indicates Lewis’s growing emotional maturity and his skill in adopting a more collaborative tone in order to build more meaningful relationships. Less bravado and more diplomacy. He also needed their help surviving the winter and getting ready for the next leg of the journey that would take them over the mountains. Being the peaceful, community-minded people that they were, after some negotiation the Indians welcomed the expedition and invited them to set up a winter camp nearby. The winter they spent in each other’s company created important opportunities to get to know one another in more personal ways, and long-lasting friendships were formed through this experience.
Preparations for Spring
The winter months were cold and difficult, with temperatures and wind chills going as low as -60 or -80 degrees at times. A number of the men suffered frostbite and food was in short supply. Despite those hardships, and with the help of the Indians who had lived in that environment for centuries, the men were able to gather supplies and build the boats they would need to carry them over the mountains to the Pacific. The big barge, or keelboat, would not be with them for that part of the trip, and instead would be sent back down the river loaded with all the specimens of plants and animals they had collected up to that point, including some live animals and birds in cages, as well as the various journals and reports and letters that had been written up to that time.
The men who had been hired specifically to help get that big boat up the difficult river against the current would also be the ones to accompany the vessel back to St. Louis, as they were not considered permanent members of the Corps and would not be needed on the next leg of the journey. What Lewis needed now was a fleet of smaller boats to carry the load.
George Catlin famously painted images of the Indian tribal life on a trip west about thirty years after Lewis and Clark.
The Hidatsa and Mandan villages where the expedition camped were active stops on established trade routes used by other tribes, the French Canadians, the British, and any other traders coming through the area. Lewis took advantage of the people coming and going to learn everything he could from these travelers who regularly traversed the pathways they were about to follow. He apparently engaged in active diplomacy on multiple fronts among the different tribes in the region, trying to foster peace between them so that there could be safe passage assured as well as future trade opportunities for all. He had limited success in this regard, mainly due to his limited understanding of how tribal leadership heirarchies worked, or how differences between tribes were traditionally settled. No single Indian necessarily had the authority to speak for an entire community, so it was difficult to know who should be doing the negotiating or whether any agreement would be binding or not. The tribal leadership in the different tribes didn’t really need or want a mediator, especially one who had no understanding of their customs, values, and ways of living. But Lewis did succeed in gathering important information from both the tribes and the different traders that passed through. This information would be useful in anticipating what they could expect further up the river and beyond the mountains. He also hired several interpreters who spoke multiple tribal languages.
By the time spring rolled around, the expedition had the two original pirogues, plus another six dugout canoes, ready to go. The temperatures began to warm and the ice on the river began to melt. As the river rose during the thaw, food supplies were gathered and loaded, along with all the other items they would carry with them - clothes, tools, scientific instruments, weapons and ammunition, gifts, etc.
A New Addition to the Crew
It was also in the Mandan/Hidatsa villages near Bismarck that a new member of the crew was added, and she is perhaps the most famous of all the explorers save for Lewis and Clark themselves. I am speaking, of course, of Sacajawea, who was pregnant and around 15 or 16 years old when she met Lewis and Clark. At the time she was simply an add-on to the expedition. The captains were intent on hiring her husband, Toussaint Charbonneau, as an interpreter because he was a French-Canadian trader living in the villages and could understand their customs as well as speak several tribal languages (at least that’s what he told them). He agreed to come with them as long as he could bring one of his two wives, who he promised could also help with interpreting because she was a Shoshone Indian by birth (a matter of controversy among some scholars) who also spoke that language in addition to Hidatsa, Mandan and Crow. Because she had lived as a Shoshone, she was familiar with that part of the territory and knew the geography of the regions they would be entering.
There is quite a bit of controversy about the history and identity and life and death of Sacajawea. Even the spelling of her name invites debate (is it Sakakawea, as the North Dakotans claim, or Sacajawea, as the Hidatsa tribes claim?). I won’t pretend to take a stand on any of the controverted facts or claims, as I am simply not qualified to speak on the subject. What is not in dispute at all, however, is how indespensible she became over the course of the expedition. However one looks at her or tries to understand her, she is a fascinating study in diplomacy, grace, independence, courage, and wisdom. I will try to do her justice as I talk about the history of this expedition, as she was clearly a pivotal part of its success.
How Sacajawea came to be at the Hidatsa village, and how she came into Charbonneau’s possession, are all in dispute. Was she native Shoshone who was kidnapped by the Hidatasa? Or was she native Hidatsa kidnapped by the Shoshone, who then found her way back to the Hidatsa? Or was she Hidatsa and Crow, whose family had friends among the Shoshone? In any case, she was familiar with multiple tribal cultures and spoke several languages. What seems not in dispute is that, even though Charbonneau referred to her as his wife, she came into his possession involuntarily as a piece of property at a very young age, most likely either bought or won in a bet. She had no choice in the matter when Charbonneau volunteered her for the expedition, and between the two of them, she would rise head and shoulders above her husband when it came to problem-solving, strategic thinking, and general cleverness and knowledge. Charbonneau turned out to be less than helpful much of the time while, according to the journals, Sacajawea rose to each challenge confronting her with courage and competence.
She gave birth on February 11, 1805. The infant, Jean Baptiste, made the trip with her, and Clark nicknamed him “Pomp.” When the expedition left the Mandan villages on April 7, Sacagawea and her infant son were the only woman and child to accompany the thirty-one men who were her fellow travellers.
A Word About Conversations Along the Trail
In 1805, there were multiple languages that Lewis and Clark needed to understand in order to convey their messages and negotiate agreements, or just generally communicate. Each tribe, and there were many, had their own language, and there were regional dialects within those languages. Their tense encounter with the Teton Sioux taught Lewis the value of good interpreters and they hired several before leaving the Mandan villages. The process by which conversations took place, however, was cumbersome. For example, Sacagawea could speak to Indians in either the Hidatsa, Shoshone, Crow or Mandan language; she then spoke to Charbonneau in Hidatsa, who then spoke to another interpreter in French, who then translated the French to English. Three and four way translations sound like a game of “telephone” that many of us played as kids, which involves whispering a message in the ear of your neighbor and sending it around a circle. At the end you find out how distorted the original message became. Effective communication was possible, but it clearly took a lot of effort, and no doubt mistakes and misunderstandings occurred on a regular basis. What ended up in the Lewis and Clark journals is only their best estimate of what actually occurred in a conversation.
Roadtripping in 2025
As I travel along this historic trail, I am impressed by the sheer amount of information I am accumulating at each of the sites I visit. My summaries in this blog are woefully inadequate to convey all the interesting encounters and adventures that occurred on that epic journey. Even though I am trying to be brief in my story-telling (in case you can’t tell), know that there is much detail I am leaving out. I hope that what I do include in this space conveys the information accurately, but inevitably there will be errors and omissions. As I make my way across the country and follow the trail, I try to write about events and points of interest that are relevant to the area I happen to be in or passing through. I’m aware that someone else doing this trip might choose different aspects of the adventure to focus on. I hope you are finding my choices interesting.
Some observations as I get ready for the next phase of the journey.
Highways vs. Byways
I generally prefer the smaller roads when I go on long road trips. I like being the only vehicle for miles and miles, and I like seeing the terrain up close and personal rather than blitzing by at high speeds. There are a few characteristics that are unique to this way of traveling:
Sometimes you have to get way, way off the beaten path to find the monument you seek, and the beautiful view that goes with it. This is one of two places that claim to be the grave of Sitting Bull, famous Lakota warrior and chief. One is here near Mobridge, South Dakota. The other is located in Fort Yates, North Dakota, which (of course) I also visited.
When I go through small towns, particularly if I’m looking for a particular place from one of my guides or maps, my camper stands out like a sore thumb. Most often, the streets are pretty bare, with almost no traffic even in the middle of the day. The parks are empty. There may be someone sitting on a stoop smoking a cigarette, maybe walking their dog, or crossing the street on their way somewhere (it’s never clear where they might be going since many of the storefronts - to the extent there are any - are empty shells of what once was a business district), but for the most part I usually don’t see anyone. Sometimes in these situations I get the feeling of being watched, especially if I am driving around in circles trying to figure out where I need to go. This doesn’t usually make me uneasy, but in one town I swear I was being followed. There was a museum in the town that I wanted to see, which (of course) was closed, so I drove around looking for a park so that Sadie could run around a bit before continuing on. I found the park and she had her romp, but by the time I left I was happy to go.
Many (if not most) of these small towns in Nebraska, Missouri, and the Dakotas were established in the 1870’s and 80’s, a testament to the mass migration that was occurring around the world in those decades. Millions of immigrants were coming to the United States from Europe during the mid to late 1800s, and many of those families moved right through the eastern part of the country into the vast west, claiming their land and putting down stakes, literally. Organized communities popped up seemingly overnight.
In North and South Dakota, there are two roads named after the Lewis and Clark expedition. Route 1804 roughly runs on the eastern/northern side of the Missouri, while Route 1806 runs on the other side. Both roads hug the river as much as possible, but neither road is a continuous byway. You can find segments here and there, some longer than others, but they don’t all connect up, which seems a little odd. I couldn’t just get on 1804 and stay on it.
Byway driving can be more stressful even while it is more beautiful. This is because the smaller roads are often much curvier, don’t always have a shoulder, and can be much narrower than the bigger roads. When on the smallest of the small roads, you may not get pavement, a situation that might go on for miles. The curvy, narrow roads are the most stressful because you need to be on alert constantly. The speed limit has no meaning because you are always slowing down for a curve, or slowing down because you can’t tell what’s just over the hill (another sharp curve?). The flip side to the ultra curvy roads are the straight-as-a-string road, which go on endlessly in a straight line. They may also be narrow, which means you need to stay alert to avoid drifting over the center line, or off the side into a ditch. It’s also tempting to exceed the speed limit by quite a lot given the straight road that seems to lead nowhere. But that’s never a good idea when there is little or no shoulder
The reward for all the stress is a beautiful countryside which may shift from forests, to farmland, to stunning vistas, to river views, to small villages. Endless change which is endlessly interesting. One of the byways I drove on in Nebraska was named the “Outlaw Trail Scenic Highway.” I didn’t see any outlaws the day I drove it, but my sources told me that I was in the same part of the country that Jesse James and his buddies (or enemies) travelled. Indeed, I did see the house where poor old Jesse was killed when I was in St. Joseph, Missouri to tour the Pony Express Museum.
Sometimes you have higher expectations than what gets delivered. For example, I had been looking forward to visiting the site where Sacagawea supposedly died (both the location, date and her age at death are hotly disputed facts). Apparently in 1812 there was a notation by a clerk about the death of Charbonneau’s wife (but was it Sacagawea or her sister Otter Woman, who was also Charbonneau’s wife??) at a very specific location. My guidebooks said that Fort Manuel, where she may have died, had been preserved and could be visited as a historic site. I managed to make my way to it, but found that there was no way to get close even though I could see the buildings of the old replica fort that marked the spot. Near what was apparently once an entrance to the area I did find a historical marker, which confirmed that I was in the right place. But clearly no one was maintaining the site nor were they inviting any new visitors. I was on reservation land and had to turn around in someone’s driveway at the end of the dirt road I had taken to get there. I was disappointed but glad that I found it. If Sacagawea did die there then her memory was honored at least one time that day. And if it was her sister who died there, then her memory was honored as well.
There was no pathway to the marker, and no pathway from the marker to the buildings in the distance.
Fort Manuel was another sad example of a significant historical event fading into oblivion.
I am not dogmatic when it comes to the highway vs. byway debate. Sometimes it makes no sense to stick to the smaller roads when a perfectly good super highway will get you to the next small town much faster. There is no way I can follow the river closely all the way anyway. The road system simply doesn’t allow it. Typically I go to a site along the river that has meaning and relevance to me, then I drive away from the river and connect back up to it for my next important stop. I am jumping from point to point, and sometimes I’m on smaller roads the entire time, and sometimes the superhighway provides me with a bigger and faster jump. For me it’s about getting access to the sites where something happened in history that is interesting and relevant to me or to the Lewis and Clark story.
Bismarck Visit
I was glad to learn that Bismarck would be on my route because I have a family connection to the city. My inlaws lived here for a number of years in the 1970’s and 80’s and Jay stayed with them for about a year after he graduated from the University of Minnesota. I was able to obtain their old address (shout-out to my super sleuth brother Sam) and was happy to drive by, having heard about it so many years ago. Driving around the city I tried to imagine Jay and his folks living here. Much has changed, but the older part of downtown is still standing, as is their old neighborhood. There are a series of very nice parks and trailways along the riverfront, and I even came across one of Butch’s keelboats that he built. Fun! It was a nice visit. And my Airbnb came with a washer and dryer so I got all my laundry done and my camper’s water tank filled up.
Heading into Uncertainty
Like Lewis and Clark, I feel like I am heading into uncharted waters as I approach the Rockies. I will have to get over them just like the expedition did. Granted, I will be in my campervan rather than boats, but my experience of uncertainty is no doubt similar. Will the van make it? Will I get stuck somewhere? What if something happens while I’m “off grid” and can’t easily communicate with my people? What will the weather be like? Will my tires and brakes hold out? I’ve taken all the precautions I can and now have to leave it up to the fates.
Next Steps
Not sure when my next article will be written or what it will be about. Stay tuned!
So far Sadie and I are having a blast.
This is what we look like in travel mode.
Sources
Most of the information I am sharing about Lewis and Clark and their expedition comes from these sources, as well as information gleaned from the various museums and interpretive sites I am visiting.
Ambrose, Stephen E. (1996). Undaunted Courage. Simon & Schuster Paperbacks.
Discover Lewis and Clark. https://lewis-clark.org/
Fanselow, Julie. (2003). Traveling the Lewis and Clark Trail, 4th Ed. Morris Book Publishing, LLC.
Fifer, Barbara. (2022). Along the Trail with Lewis and Clark, 3rd Ed. Farcountry Press.
Josephy, Alvin M., Ed. (2006). Lewis and Clark Through Indian Eyes: Nine Indian Writers on the Legacy of the Expedition. Vintage Books.
Moulton, Gary E. (2003). The Lewis and Clark Journals: The Abridgement of the Definitive Nebraska Edition. University of Nebraska Press.
Sacagawea Project Board of the Mandan, Hidatsa & Arikara Nation. (2021). Our Story of Eagle Woman Sacagawea: They Got it Wrong. The Paragon Agency, Orange, CA.
Thomasma, Kenneth. (1997). The Truth about Sacajawea. Grandview Publishing Company, Jackson, Wyoming.
