Clark visits Cahokia Mounds—the site of one of the largest Mississippian culture cities that “formed more than 1000 years before European contact.”[1]“Cahokia,” Wikipedia, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cahokia accessed 28 September 2024. On the way back, his wet feet freeze to his shoes. Lewis works in Cahokia and St. Louis “on business of importance to the enterprise”.[2]William Clark, January 2, 1804.
Cahokia Mounds
Cahokia Mounds State Historic Site
“View north across American Bottoms. Roundtop and Fox mounds in middle ground. Monks Mound in background.”[3]“Cahokia Mounds (Monks Mounds,” National Register of Historic Places.
National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places.
went across a Prary to a 2nd Bank where I discovered an Indian Fortification . . . . this fortress is 9 mouns forming a Circle two of them is about 7 foot above the leavel of the plain on the edge of the first bank and 2 m from the woods & about the Same distance from the main high land, about this place I found great quantities of Earthen ware & flints— about ½ m. N. is a Grave on an Emenince
—William Clark
Stolen Hog Investigation
I took Collins & went to the place he found a Hog Skined & Hung up, the Crows had devoured the meet
—William Clark
Frozen Feet
I returned before Sun Set, and found that my feet, which were wet had frozed to my Shoes, which rendered precaution necessary to prevent a frost bite
—William Clark
Weather Diary
Therm. at rise
weather wind Therm. at 4 oClock weather wind River fair W N W 1 below 0 cloudy W N W Snow last night
—Meriwether Lewis and William Clark[4]To assist the reader, the editor of this web page has omitted the date column, merged the “River” columns, and spelled out some abbreviations.
Experience the Lewis and Clark Trail
The Lewis and Clark Trail Experience—our sister site at lewisandclark.travel—connects the world to people and places on the Lewis and Clark Trail.
Plan a trip related to January 9, 1804:
- Cahokia Mounds State Historic Site
- Winter Camp at Wood River (Camp Dubois)
- Old Cahokia Courthouse
- Along the Mississippi (Inspiration Trip)
- Around St. Louis (Inspiration Trip)
Winter Camp at Wood River (Camp Dubois) is a High Potential Historic Site along the Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail managed by the U.S. National Park Service. The site, near Hartford, Illinois, is managed as Lewis and Clark State Historic Site and is open to the public.
Old Cahokia Courthouse is a High Potential Historic Site along the Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail managed by the U.S. National Park Service. The site is managed by the State of Illinois and is open to the public.
Notes
| ↑1 | “Cahokia,” Wikipedia, en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cahokia accessed 28 September 2024. |
|---|---|
| ↑2 | William Clark, January 2, 1804. |
| ↑3 | “Cahokia Mounds (Monks Mounds,” National Register of Historic Places. |
| ↑4 | To assist the reader, the editor of this web page has omitted the date column, merged the “River” columns, and spelled out some abbreviations. |
