2017-01-14 06:19:50
Spirit Mound The Corps of Discovery explored this area 200 years ago. Make discoveries of your own as you follow the trail through Southeast South Dakota. ADAMS HOMESTEAD & NATURE PRESERVE At Adams Nature Preserve, located near North Sioux City, you can observe one of the last free-flowing segments of the Missouri River. Miles of hiking and biking trails crisscross the preserve. FIRST ELECTION WEST OF THE MISSISSIPPI: Following the death of Sgt. Charles Floyd, Captains Meriwether Lewis and William Clark needed a sergeant to replace him. A vote was held August 22, 1804. Patrick Gass received 19 votes in what is believed to be the first election by U.S. citizens west of the Mississippi. A marker in Elk Point memorializes the event. A wayside exhibit in the park provides additional Lewis & Clark information. LEWIS AND CLARK VISITOR CENTER: On August 30, 1804 the expedition had its first council with the Yankton Sioux at Calumet Bluff. The two groups met under the shade of an oak tree. Lewis delivered his customary speech, promoting commerce with the United States, and presented the chiefs with gifts of tobacco, clothing and medals. The council continued into the next day, when the chiefs gave their own speeches. The Yanktons prepared a feast. The Lewis and Clark Visitor Center is a great place to learn more about this historic expedition, the tribes they encountered and the Missouri River itself. Built on a bluff overlooking Lewis and Clark Lake, the center offers incredible photo opportunities. Take Highway 52 west from Yankton and follow the bridge across Gavins Point Dam. RUNNING WATER On September 2, 1806, on their return trip, the explorers had a tense moment near present-day Running Water. The men, in several canoes, passed a group of Indians, which Clark took to be a “war party” on shore. When shots rang out, Clark gathered 15 men and ran towards the directions of the shots. The so-called “war party” turned out to be a group of Yankton shooting at an empty keg the explorers had thrown into the river. Realizing his mistake, Clark invited the Yankton to smoke pipes and exchange news, which they did. An interpretive panel near the bridge which now spans the Missouri at Running Water commemorates the incident. A scenic overlook provides a spectacular view. SPIRIT MOUND Lewis and Clark encountered tribes who told them of 18-inch devils, armed with arrows, inhabiting a prairie hill. The story sparked Lewis and Clark’s interest, and on August 25, 1804, they set off on foot to investigate. The men hiked for four hours in the sweltering heat. At the top, the infamous devils were nowhere to be found. But the explorers did see an incredible sight: a herd of nearly 800 buffalo grazing in the distance. Spirit Mound stands along Hwy. 19, six miles north of Vermillion. Over 300 acres of prairie are being restored to original grasses and there is a 3/4 mile hiking trail to the summit of Spirit Mound with interpretive signage. INTERPRETIVE PANELS The Lewis & Clark Trail is a driving route that follows the Missouri River. Interpretive panels along the trail mark interesting sites and stories from the journey.
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