County of memorial: St. Louis Independent City
Location of memorial: Meadow & Bellevue, Inside Bellefontaine Cemetery, St. Louis
Sculptor: William Ordway Partridge
Fabricator: Harrison Granite Company
Erected: 1904
"This American soldier, together with the famous Meriwether Lewis, secretary to Thomas Jefferson, led the expedition that explored the upper Louisiana Territory to the Pacific coast. Starting near Wood River, Illinois in May 1804, the expedition pushed north and west to the Pacific Ocean by boat, horseback and on foot.
"After two years and four months they returned to St. Louis. In 1809, Meriwether Lewis started back to Washington, D.C. to report to President Jefferson but never made it. He was either murdered or committed suicide – neither was proven, and the crime remains unsolved. Clark remained in St. Louis and became the Indian Agent for Missouri Territory." ~ Bellefontaine Cemetery
Proper Description: The memorial contains a bronze bust of William Clark atop a granite pedestal that stands in front of a granite obelisk. On each side of the obelisk there are three steps that lead to the back of the memorial. Flanking the steps are rectangular stone piers, one featuring a relief carving of a grizzly bear head, and the other featuring a relief carving of a lion's head." ~ Smithsonian American Art Museum
Monument Text:
(On back of bust:) W. Ordway Partridge 1903
(On front of pedestal:) WILLIAM CLARK/BORN IN VIRGINIA/AUGUST 1, 1770/ENTERED INTO LIFE ETERNAL/SEPTEMBER 1, 1838/SOLDIER, EXPLORER,/STATESMAN AND PATRIOT/HIS LIFE IS WRITTEN/IN THE HISTORY OF HIS COUNTRY.
(On north side of pedestal:) WILLIAM CLARK RECEIVED HIS COMMISSION AS LIEUTENANT/FROM GEORGE WASHINGTON IN 1791./HE WAS APPOINTED BRIGADIER GENERAL/BY THOMAS JEFFERSON IN 1807, AND REAPPOINTED/AS SUCH BY JAMES MADISON IN 1811./HE WAS MADE GOVERNOR OF MISSOURI TERRITORY BY/THIS PRESIDENT IN 1813, AND RECOMMISSIONED TWICE BY HIM,/BEING AGAIN APPOINTED GOVERNOR BY JAMES MONROE/IN 1820, WHO ALSO MADE HIM SUPERINTENDENT OF INDIAN AFFAIRS IN 1822./HIS GREAT FAME AS AN EXPLORER WAS WON/ON THE EXPEDITION OF 1804-5-6 signed
(On opposite side:) THE EXPEDITION OF LEWIS AND CLARK ACROSS THE CONTINENT/IN 1804-5-6, MARKED THE BEGINNING OF THE PROCESS OF/EXPLORATION AND COLONIZATION WHICH THRUST OUR NATIONAL/BOUNDARIES TO THE PACIFIC
(On left side of granite obelisk:) "BEHOLD THE LORD THY GOD/HATH SET THE LAND BEFORE THEE:/GO UP AND POSSESS IT."/DEUTERONOMY I.XXI. / THIS MONUMENT IS ERECTED IN HONOR AND LOVING MEMORY OF/WILLIAM CLARK/BY HIS SON/JEFFERSON KEARNY CLARK
(On left pier:) THIS PRIMARY EXPLORATION THROUGH MORE THAN FOUR/THOUSAND MILES OF SAVAGE WILDERNESS, PLANTED THE FLAG/OF THE UNITED STATES FOR THE FIRST TIME ON THE SHORES/OF THE PACIFIC OCEAN. IT COMPLETED THE EXTENSION OF/THE UNITED STATES ACROSS THE VAST WESTERN REGION/OF THE AMERICAN CONTINENT AND GAVE US OUR OUTLOOK/TOWARD THE ORIENT
Remarks: Installed in time for a dedication during the 1904 St. Louis World's Fair, the memorial commemorates the life and accomplishments of General William Clark (1770-1838), Governor of the Missouri Territory, Superintendent of Indian Affairs, and co-captain of the famous Lewis and Clark Expedition of 1804, 1805, and 1806. The 1904 installation at the grave site of William Clark also marked the centennial of the Lewis and Clark Expedition, which began just twelve miles north of Bellefontaine Cemetery. The memorial was a gift of Jefferson Kearny Clark, the youngest son of William Clark. William Ordway Partridge sculpted the bust, lion head, and bear head. William Cottrell created the granite design. IAS files contain a transcription of a related article from the St. Louis Republic, Oct. 9, 1904; and copy of correspondence with Harrison Granite Company for foundation payment of $519.00." ~ Smithsonian American Art Museum
"Granite. Small circular plaza with
large obelisk (central). Masonic
symbol on shaft (east). Near the
stepped base of the obelisk is a
bronze bust of Clark resting on a low
squared granite column. At either end
of the memorial plaza are granite
commemorative markers with the
heads of a mountain lion and a bison" ~ NRHP Nomination Form