The Journey Begins Here Marker - Hartford, IL
Posted by: 
YoSam.
N 38° 48.313 W 090° 06.743
15S E 750750 N 4299123
The title is misleading a bit. If they mean the Missouri Journey, then dead on, but if they mean The Expedition, no so much. Confluence of THE rivers.
Waymark Code: WM17210
Location: Illinois, United States
Date Posted: 11/23/2022
Views: 0
County of marker: Madison County
Location of marker: Lewis and Clark Trail Rd., Cahokia Diversion Channel & Mississippi River banks, Lewis and Clark State Memorial Park, Hartford
Marker erected by: Illinois Society Children of the American Revolution & Illinois Department of Natural Resources
Marker text:
The Journey Begins Here
"....I Set out at 4 oClock P.M. in the presence of many of the Neighbouring inhabitents, and proceeded on
under a jentle brease up the Missourie...."
William Clark
May 14, 1804
Meriwether Lewis and William Clark of the Corps of Discover stayed at Camp Dubois during the winter of 1803-1804, on their journey to find an all-water-route to the Pacific Ocean. For five months, the Corps stayed near the confluence of the Mississippi and Missouri Rivers, training and preparing for the long journey ahead. On May 14, 1804 the expedition traveled up the Missouri River during their journey to the Pacific Ocean.
This area has seen many changes since 1804. Imagine how it looked when the Corps of Discovery left on that rainy May afternoon.
Remarks: Many people get confused here. The Corps of Discovery was a U.S. Army unit. Why it was called "A Corps".
They picked up the French-Indian trappers in St. Charles MO, up the Missouri River from here.
The Corps journey actually begins in Pittsburg, PA, and they traveled to here by water, down the Ohio, and up the Mississippi.
Why then stop and spend so much precious time here?
The Louisiana Purchase was not complete, and not confirmed that the territory was American property. Capt. Lewis was in St. Louis awaiting word from President Jefferson about that small fact.
If the Corps entered the Missouri they would be a military unit of the U.S. entering Spanish land without permission - which is an act of war.
We bought the Louisiana Territory from France, but France did not own ALL of it. So the complicated transaction, and slow communications, required the Corps to remain until they had the "all clear."
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