Lewis & Clark. The Journey of a Lifetime. Lewis and Clark on the Lower Columbia, painting by Charles Marion Russell

The Louisiana Territory, purchased from France in Size: 828,000 square miles. Price: $15 million. Price per acre: 4 cents!

Jefferson’s goal for Meriwether Lewis Jefferson would have loved to explore the Louisiana Territory himself, but he knew he was not the man for the job. Lewis, who was also from Virginia, was multitalented. He had vast knowledge in botany, zoology, and geology. He was an excellent artist, marksmen, trapper, sailor, trader, and he was proficient in surveying. He also spoke French. He was 28 years old. Jefferson’s main goal for Lewis was to find an all-water from the Missouri River to the Pacific Ocean. Secondary goals included learning as much information as possible about plants, animals, weather, soil, topography, and the inhabitants of this massive, unexplored territory. He hoped to develop trade relationships with these natives to develop America economically.

The Corps of Discovery Lewis chose a former Army friend,William Clark, to accompany him as his second in command. Clark was a professional soldier, and his main job would be to oversee the 30 or so men who traveled on the expedition. He was responsible for discipline, team work, and feeding the men. He was a polished cartographer (map maker), and was expected to map as much of the Missouri River country as possible.

No one, Jefferson included, knew what lay west of the Mississippi River. No one of European or African decent had ever explored it.

The Corps of Discovery left St. Louis in May of 1804, and returned there just under two years later. All told, it traveled roughly 8,000 miles on foot, horseback, and boat.

The Bitterroot Mountains. Montana

The Salmon River and Sawtooth Mountains. Idaho

The Columbia River, near the Pacific Ocean.

Columbia River rain forest.

Mt. Hood. Near Portland, Oregon.

Oregon coastline.

After the expedition concluded, Lewis was made governor of the Louisiana Territory in His career started well, but two years later a controversy involving government finances arose and Lewis made plans to travel to Washington D.C. to resolve the dispute. Traveling through Tennessee, Governor Meriwether Lewis on October 11, 1809 died mysteriously from gunshot wounds inflicted while at Grinder's Stand, a public roadhouse. It is not known whether he was murdered or committed suicide. His grave lies where he died, within today's Natchez Trace National Parkway near Hohenwald, Tennessee. Clark was made a brigadier general of the territory in March, In 1813 he was appointed Governor of Missouri Territory, a position he held until Missouri Statehood in In 1822 he was appointed Superintendent of Indian Affairs by President Monroe. He was reappointed to this post by each succeeding president and served in this capacity for the remainder of his life. Clark died of natural causes in St. Louis, September 1, 1838 and is buried in the Clark Family plot at Bellefontaine Cemetery, St. Louis.

Sacagawea's tribal homeland lay in the Rocky Mountain country far to the west and she spoke both the Shoshone and Minitari dialects. Lewis and Clark decided to hire Charbonneau and Sacagawea to accompany them, acting as guides and interpreters. Sacagawea's son was born at Fort Mandan in February and when the expedition set out again in April, the young family joined the expedition. Along the way, Sacagawea proved even more helpful than they had originally thought, as she also acted as a peacemaker and negotiated for horses and supplies along the way.