Three Forks of the Missouri
Three Forks, MT
Atop a limestone cliff, Lewis observed the Three Forks of the Missouri, flowing in the vast vally basin ringed by snow-capped mountains. Lewis and Clark names the three rivers, Jefferson, Madison, and Gallatin after the heads of state who played key roles in the Louisiana Purchase and the Expedition itself. Near this natural crossroads five years previous, the Hidatsa had captured Sacajawea.

Lewis wrote on Saturday, July 27th, 1805 "I halted the party on the Lard shore for breakfast and walked up the SE fork about 1/2 mile and ascended the point of a high limestone clift from whence I commanded a most perfect view of the neighboring country..." The next day he wrote "...In pursuance of this resolution we called the S.W. fork, that which we meant to asent, Jefferson's River in honor of that illustrious personage Thomas Jefferson (President), the Middle fork we called Madison's River in honor of James Madison (Secretary of State), and the S.E. Fork we called Gallitin's River in honor of Albert Gallitin (Secretary of the Treasury)..." He also wrote "...Our present camp is precisely on the spot that the Snake Indians were encamped at the time the Minnetares...five years ago...made prisoners of all the females and four boys. Sahcahgarweah our Indian woman was one of the prisoners taken at that time..."

Row 2--#4-Jefferson River center right flowing into the Madison River on left, #5 & 6-Lewis Rock. Row 3--#1-shows how ice age caused Missouri to stop flowing into Hudson's Bay and then flow east and south, #5 & 6-Coulter, an expedition member's experience with the Blackfeet Indians.