Hi Frank,
Welcome to “living history”, whether your interests
lie in just the rendezvous that are so popular today or the history that
originally started the system, or the men that ventured into the unknown
in a search for a better life and possibly becoming wealthy men.
As your search for information grows, your direction may
change several times, this is normal and everyone has experienced it, a
word to the wise - do the research on several time frames your interested
in before spending much money, this can become very costly going in
different direction trying to find what you like. I have always liked the
quotes of our forefathers, they always seem to fit the situation, like;
- "You may make mistakes, but you are not a
failure until you start blaming someone else."
Thomas Jefferson
After a time of involvement you’ll want to try
following in one of the folks footsteps that you have read about, usually
near where you live. I'm still doing this after 50 plus years of research.
Beginning involved in this adventure will take you to many places like
"Tavern Cave" the place Lewis & Clark stayed in on
the Missouri River, (never thought we would ever find this place as most
historians don’t know it’s exact location) and we found it in strange
way.
While we where on a canoe trip from Bonnet's Mill MO to
Ft. de Chartre ILL, one of the members had gotten wet a few days before
and had really got sick, unable to do anything other than sleep. We made
it to Washington MO, saw several folks at a small park along the Missouri
River and stopped and asked for directions to the local hospital. They
where kind enough to take our friend to the hospital and then returned
with news that he would be kept over night to be watched. Well these
gentlemen where interested in us, our canoes, our clothing and equipage -
all being of the 1780-1800 style.
Turns out one of them is the State Historian that is
really into the Lewis & Clark's travels and period. The other local is
just an old farmer that has been around antiques most of his life and
didn't think a hell of a lot about them. We get invited to go with the
historian, turns out he and his father have worked for the State of
Missouri as "Right-A-Way" agents, and have a half dozen old
buildings (1750's) setup on their property and one is Ft. Charlette (Lewis
& Clark had stopped there on their way West). The building has been
moved to the new location, but still looks down over the Missouri River as
it had done a 100 years before. Upon arriving at their home we are blown
away at the site, it's as good as most forts we see today and it's
private, with anything you can think of in the way of original camp, home
and trade items from the 1750 to the mid 1800's. I mean lots of
everything, lanterns, iron and brass pots, copper items, the stuff we look
at in historical magazines. If you like swords and flint pistols he has
some real beauties. Anyway now that I got your attention and your starting
to think about Washington MO, his name is Crosby Brown, he's listed in the
phone book and everyone in town knows him, it worth the trip just to visit
Crosby and see his home and trading post, antique collectors go crazy
there.
Back to "Tavern Cave", our friend is
retrieved from the hospital with a bag full of drugs and all kinds of
advise. We gather him and his stuff and Crosby asks if we would like to
see "Tavern Cave", this is the cave that Lewis &
Clark stayed in for a period of time when one of the members was sick and
resting. At that time it was within a few hundred yards of the Missouri
River, but over the years with work on the river it's now approx. 3 miles
away, probably why it has survived our society of fools that seem to
destroy such places.
The cave is a loaf shaped cavern, with a 18-20 foot
ceiling and probably 60 foot long and 30 feet deep. It was at one time
above the river level, but over the years with flooding in the area has
been wet more than dry and the bottom has dropped down from looking at the
rock walls and different colors of soil, probably 5-7 feet lower than when
L & C where there. This was the reason for the names scribed into the
walls being in the 10 foot range from floor level we figured. ORDWAY's and
several others from the group, as well as some French names - much earlier
by the dates are seen, the latest was a name had a 1864 date (probably a
Civil War character). The best part no damage has been done to them and
the locals try and keep an eye on their treasure.
Many of the AMM members, as well as other groups and
individuals have traveled in the footsteps of the "Corps of
Discovery". Some write about their travels, other just talk about
their experiences among friends and at party encampments. I'm an AMM
member, but have never traveled as a group with the AMM members on these
trails. But as a member of a small group of adventurers have traveled from
Ft. Benton MT to Ft. de Chartres ILL and all points in between. Then in
another group years before have traveled from Phila. PA to Ft. Osage, both
groups where doing approx. 1805-1810 time periods, equipage, food, etc.
This has taken myself a 30 year period of a few weeks to
a month at a time compared to the couple of years of the original
adventure. There are several that have done the whole experience from sea
to shining sea in following in the footsteps of L&C or other greats.
Have talked to several new groups wanting to start the same trips and
contacting me and others for advice on what to expect. Original routes
have changed in various places with the river and Corp of Engineer
changes, as well as private land and gaining access from owners can be a
problem.
Myself I need to travel down the Columbia River to the
coast to have completed the total experience, really don't know if that
will ever happen now do to my age. God Bless anyone following in our
forefathers footsteps whether it's Lewis & Clark or another traveler
of the past.
This is just one example Frank of where this living
history experience will take you. If your still interested we can continue
on. Just remember it’s how much effort are you willing to put out to be
rewarded with good living history experiences, take care.