On May 21st, 1804 President Thomas Jefferson ordered that Captin Meriwether Lewis and Second Lieutenant William Clark explore the US lands obtained by the 1803 Louisianna Purchase. This, was one of the first great American Adventures!

The purpose of this journey was to create maps of the new land, document plants and animals, and to establish trade and identify natural resources.

The group was assisted by Sacajawea, a female shoshone guide that traveled with them from the Missouri River to the mouth of the Columbia River. She assisted with Native American translation and guiding them along the terrain.

At first, the team was unsure about bringing a woman on the expedition, but her presence served them well. With her included, other Native American tribes would be assured that their expedition was not a war party.

The expedition lasted two years, four months, and ten days. They reached the Pacific Ocean in November of 1805 and returned to St. Louis on September 23rd, 1806. Their Journey covered over 8,000 miles and cost a total of $38,000.