Not only do we get to see the layout of the area where the expedition camped both going and coming from the Pacific Ocean in this post, but we also get to learn more about how archeologists determined that this is the actual area and see their proof. What’s amazing is that this land has never been developed. We had dinner one night with a friend who lived in Missoula who knew the story behind the land. “Ramona Holt and her husband, Bill Holt, donated the site of the current museum at Travelers’ Rest State Park, and were the previous owners of the north side of the state park property.” (from Ramona Holt interview)
Montana’s famous cowgirl, Ramona grew up in Montana’s ranching and rodeo scene, participating in youth, intercollegiate and professional rodeo. As an adult, she dedicated her life to promoting the western way of living, and for 30 years Ramona and her husband, Bill, traveled throughout the western United States, Canada and Australia promoting professional rodeo and the West. They started their own herd of Texas Longhorn Cattle in 1967 and were the first to export those cattle from the U.S. to Australia in 1985—leading to the government honoring them at an exposition in 1986 in Mackay, Australia.
In 1999, she co-founded the Holt Heritage Museum to showcase a collection of historical artifacts, further emphasizing her commitment to preserving local history.
A brochure from the museum has helped us understand what we’re seeing.
Lewis & Clark as they (and we) walk around Travelers’ Rest
On September 9, 1805, the expedition arrives at Travelers’ Rest and John Ordway wrote, “we Camped on the bank of a creek which runs into the Small River about 2 miles below and bottoms of cotton timber. Smooth Handsome plains on each Side of this creek, and pleanty of choke cherries. Mountains of Snow back to our left.”
On September 8, 1805, Lewis wrote about the creek and this place, “as our guide informes that we should leave the river at this place and the weather appearing settled and fair I determined to halt the next day rest our horses and take some scelestial Observations. we called this Creek Travellers rest. It is about 20 yard wide a fine bould clear running stream.”
During the Revolutionary War, Baron William Frederick Von Steuben [what a mouthful], at the request of George Washington, collaborated with the leaders of the Continental Army to create a manual of drill and field service regulations. The document that resulted became the foundations of military training and procedure for the United States Army.
Imagine the excitement when archaeologists discovered several features in the soil that directly related to the layout of the camp as prescribed by the Prussian Baron. The physical evidence found here indicates that Lewis and Clark closely followed military protocol after more than 6000 miles of their epic journey.
Using Baron Von Steuben’s descriptions and diagrams like the one in the following picture, along with the archaeological evidence discovered here in 2002, the illustration is an interpretation of what Travelers’ Rest Camp might have looked like when the expedition returned in 1806.
Preparing to leave Travelers’ Rest, members of the expedition labored over a sweltering fire, melting and then pouring lead into bullet molds.
Nearly 200 years later archaeologists using specialized equipment discovered changes in the magnetic properties of the soil in this area indicating that the three “kitchens” of the campsite are in front of us.
Returning from the Pacific Coast in 1806, the expedition stopped at Travelers’ Rest once more to rest and prepare for the next part of their journey. Captain Lewis treated Privates Silas Goodrich and Hugh McNeal, suffering from “the pox,” with Dr. Rush’s Bilious Pills—known to the enlisted men as “Thunderclappers.” These pills were powerful laxatives that contained, among other things, salts of mercury.
Using a special tool, scientists extracted thin, pencil-sized cores from these trees. The tree rings were examined, and it was determined that these threes were growing here in 1805-1806, bearing witness to the Corps of Discovery.
archaeologists at work
For many years, the campsite known as Travelers’ Rest was thought to be located at the confluence of today’s Lolo Creek and the Bitterroot River (1-1/2 miles east of where we are standing). It wasn’t until 1996 that members of the Travelers’ Rest Chapter of the Lewis and Clark Trail Heritage Foundation began to suspect that campsite was more likely in this immediate area.
Focusing his research on the area just south of Lolo Creek, historical archaeologist Dan Hall employed remote sensing equipment like metal detectors and magnetometers to identify several places where the magnetic properties of the soil had been altered.
When the soil from the latrine was analyzed, it revealed mercury vapor, residue from Dr. Rush’s Thunderbolts, a powerful purgative that was commonly prescribed to ailing members of the expedition. The physical evidence discovered here is accepted as proof that this is the location of the Corps of Discovery’s campsite. Based on these findings, the National Park Service moved the boundaries of the Traveler’s Rest National Historic Landmark to this site in 2006.
Excavation at the site revealed charcoal (carbon dated to the time of the expedition), a military uniform button, one blue glass trade bead and a spilled piece of lead.
leaving to go home
An often overlooked aspect of the Lewis & Clark expedition is the decision to separate when they left Travelers’ Rest on July 3, 1806. This decision was made months earlier during the winter at Fort Clatsop. During that time the captains had determined what they believed to be the shortest route across the continent—with Travelers’ Rest a crucial point.
On July 3, 1806, Lewis wrote, “All arrangements being now completed for carrying into effect the several schemes we had planned for execution on our return . . . I took leave of my worthy friend and companion Capt. Clark, I hoped this separation was only momentary.”
On July 3, 1806, Sergeant John Ordway wrote, “Capts. Lewis & Clark parted here with their parties & proceed on.”
They separated into various groups as they explored more of present day Montana with an eye toward completing the mission given them by President Jefferson.
- Meriwether Lewis and 9 men leave Travelers’ Rest by horse on July 3, 1806, along the Blackfoot River.
- At Great Falls, Lewis and 3 men start following the Marias River (Decision Point) to its headwaters, after meeting up with the Blackfeet, and turn around and leave the area quickly.
- The other 16 men portage around the Great Falls and joined Lewis’s part at the confluence of the Missouri and Marias as they continue on.
- William Clark and 22 men, including Sacagawea and her family, leave Travelers’ Rest by horse on July 3 going to Camp Fortunate where they left their boats and cached supplies.
- Clark and 12 men traveled by horse from Camp Fortunate to the Yellowstone River.
- The other 10 men in Clark’s party traveled by canoe from Camp Fortunate to the Great Falls.
- Clark and 9 men then travel by canoe on the Yellowstone River to where it meets the Missouri River.
- He has the other 3 men take the horses overland to the Mandan Village
what the area looks like today
In 1805, when Lewis and Clark entered the Bitterroot Valley, they came to a land lush with native plants that helped support the Bitterroot Salish for thousands of years.
Now we get to cross Lolo Pass!
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