In 1803, President Thomas Jefferson charged Captain Meriweather Lewis with the responsibility of leading an exploratory expedition across the newly acquired Louisiana Territory in search of the Northwest Passage, or river access to the Pacific Ocean. Lewis selected Captain William Clark to lead the expedition with him. The next year, the Corps of Discovery departed from St. Louis, Missouri on a journey that would last for over two years and cover thousands of miles.

The Corps left St. Louis in May of 1804 without Lewis, who stayed behind to gather more supplies. Clark led the Corps up the Missouri River to St. Charles, a small village of primarily French settlers and Native Americans. Lewis joined the expedition several days later, and the Corps of Discovery expedition officially began.

Today, Frontier Park commemorates St. Charles’ role in the Lewis and Clark expedition. The sixteen-acre park is located on the banks of the Missouri River. In 2003, the city unveiled a fifteen-foot statue of Lewis and Clark as well as Lewis’ dog, Seaman, who accompanied the Corps of Discovery.

he nearby Lewis and Clark Boathouse and Nature Center features exhibits on the Corps of Discovery, dioramas, replicas of the boats they used, and exhibits on the ecosystem of the Missouri River. Frontier Park also boasts a stage, hiking and biking paths, and a portion of Missouri’s historic Katy Trail runs through the park. Frontier Park hosts festivals and events year-round, including Lewis and Clark Heritage Days every May to commemorate the role St. Charles played in the Lewis and Clark expedition.

Researched, written, and narrated by University of West Florida Public History Student Stephanie Powell