 May 14, Billings to Helena
- Updated Sketch Book.
Today we were blessed with a later start, and an extra hour sleep. Our major
historical site today was Three Forks, where the Missouri River officially
begins. To paraphrase Meriwether Lewis on July 27, 1805: Cpt. C. and I
agreed that neither of these three rivers had the qualities to continue to
be called the Missouri. Accordingly we named the NW river Jefferson for that
illustrious person, the author of our enterprise. The middle fork we named
for James Madison, Secretary of State, and Albert Gallatin for the Secretary
of the Treasury. |
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| We walked a mile across the bluff
called Fort Rock by the Meriwether Lewis, glancing down every once in awhile
at the meandering Gallatin River on its way to become part of the Missouri
River. The walk brought us a marker interpreting this bluff behind us,
Lewis's Rock, which Meriwether Lewis climbed to gaze up the Gallatin
River, to see what he could see. |
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 In
the footsteps: Montana: Today we stood at the edge of the confluence of
the Jefferson and Madison Rivers, just as Lewis and Clark had stood and
watched the waters merge to form the Missouri river 199 years ago. A bit
further down the Gallatin joined to form the Mother of all Rivers. it was a
thrilling moment to see what the intrepid explorers had seen. Nancy
Pascal. |
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 Meanwhile, back at Camp
Dubois, the
Discovery Expedition of St. Charles
launched their replica boats on the Mississippi, and crossed into the
Missouri River, beginning their 2004 re-enactment, which will end Nov 2 at
Fort Mandan. They will be visiting many towns along the way. Check their
website for scheduling. Maybe they wil visit your town. |
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