The Corps of Discovery in Illinois

Territory in what is now Southwestern Illinois played a significant role in the history of the Lewis & Clark expedition. In fact, Illinois served as the home base for the Corps for more than six months, and marked the location of the official departure of the Corps on May 14, 1804. On December 12, 1803, Lewis & Clark and their men landed at Wood River where they establish Camp River Dubois, a fortified encampment, where they wintered over until their departure the following May. During their stay, the men drilled, honed their marksmanship skills, collected and packed supplies, recruited additional volunteers, and gathered information about the lands they were about to explore

By early May, with the passing of the last frost, the men agreed it was time to depart on their adventure. Captain Lewis headed to St. Louis for final preparations and Clark led the departure of the keelboat and two pirogues from Wood River on the morning of May 14th. Lewis, who later rejoined the Expedition at St. Charles, recorded in his journal: “The mouth of the River Dubois is to be considered as the point of departure.”

To learn more about Lewis & Clark’s experiences in Illinois and the state’s Heritage Sites, click one of the following links:
 

Lewis & Clark Heritage Sites in Illinois

The Illinois Starting Point of the Lewis & Clark Expedition
(Courtesy - www.campdubois.com/history.html)

Lewis & Clark in Illinois
(by Robert Fietsam, Jr., St. Clair County Historical Society)