The year 2003 marked the 200th anniversary of the Lewis and Clark expeditions into the undiscovered country of the American continent, and in celebration of that, the Discovery Channel brought archaeologist Ken Karsmizki's work to your television to discuss his work searching for archaeological evidence of Lewis and Clark. In About.com's own quiet celebration of the marvelous feat of exploration, here's a visit to my favorite Voyage of Discovery websites.
Thomas Jefferson: The Concept
- Planning the Expedition. This collection of maps from the University of Virginia includes the maps used by Jefferson to plan the expedition, and concludes with a far-too-small image of the map William Clark made.
- Chainy Balls, TennisBall Lettuce, and the Venus Peach. Thomas Jefferson was a fabulous gardener, and his gardens were recently treated to archaeological investigations. This site is from Monticello.
- The Matriarch of Mulberry Row. Recent investigations have been carried out at the home of Elizabeth Hemings, matriarch of the African-American slaves held by Jefferson.
St. Louis, Missouri: The Adventure Starts
- Museum of Westward Expansion. The jumping off point was St. Louis Missouri, where the Museum of Westward Expansion is located. The website has an online tour.
- This Letter from Jefferson to Lewis describes Jefferson's vision for the journey isn't archaeology or a state park, and is of interest for its passion and detail.
Points along the Way
- The History of Yellowstone Park. The story of the discovery of "Colter's Hell."
- The Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail. The US National Park Service maintains a trail, beginning in Hartford, IL and passing through portions of each of the states along the trail, you can visit by boating, biking, or hiking.
- Excavations at Fort Clatsop. Archaeological investigations at the site where Lewis and Clark spent a rainy, miserable winter on the Pacific coast have been conducted for over a decade; this report is on the NPS website.
- Knife River Villages. The Mandan and Hidatsa villages on the Knife River were home to Sakakawea, and a stopping place for the expedition.
