Explorers at Portage

Commissary of the Plains (left marker)<br>Inscription<br>The plains surrounding Great Falls were crowded with immense herds of deer, elk, antelope and buffalo. Buffalo was a staple diet item for plains Indians and became a favorite meal for the members of the Lewis and Clark Expedition.<br><br>Lewis and Clark commented on the numbers of buffalo carcasses they found in the Missouri River near here. Buffalo often died from falls off the eroding river cliffs or from drowning when animals in the rear of the herd pressed the buffalo at the river’s edge into the strong current.<br><br><i>”In this plain were infinitely more Buffaloe than I have ever before witnessed”<br>Meriwether Lewis<br></i><br>The Falls: Obstacle of Opportunity (Center Marker)<br>Inscription<br>For Meriwether Lewis in 1805, the falls were an obstacle on the journey to the Pacific. To Paris Gibson (near right) the falls were a source of great opportunity. As Gibson laid out the townsite of Great Falls he envisioned dams to harness the falls for electricity, mills to process wool from sheep, and railroads to ship goods and bring settlers. Gibson's dream for the city came true in part when the Great Northern Railroad reached Great Falls in 1887. Eventually four railroads served Great Falls.<br><br>The Portage Around the Falls (Right Marker)&nbsp;<br>Inscription<br><i>”…the men has to haul with all their Strength Wate &amp; art, catching grass &amp; knobes and Stones with their hands to give them more force in drawing on the Canoes &amp; Loads, at every halt, those not employed in repairing the Course, are asleep in a moment… but no man Complains all go cheerfully on…”<br>William Clark,<br>June 23, 1805</i><br><br><span>The Indians told Lewis and Clark about a waterfall on the Missouri River. Lewis and Clark assumed that it would only require a half day portage. But Lewis discovered there were actually five waterfalls. The Corps labored for 11 days to make the 18 mile portage from Belt Creek (east of the city) to the White Bear Islands where they re-entered the Missouri.<br></span><br>Credit to:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=126498" target="" rel="">https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=126498</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=126545" target="" rel="">https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=126545</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=126558" title="Link: https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=126558">https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=126558</a><br><br>

Inscription<br>excerpt from the journals of Captain Meriwether Lewis<br><i>I scelected a fat buffaloe and shot him very well Robert M. Scriver, Sculptor , through the lungs ... expecting him to fall ...<br>...a large white, or reather brown bear ... crept on me within 20 steps before I discovered him;... I drew up my gun to shoot, ... but recolected that she was not loaded ... I thought of retreating in a brisk walk ... as he was advancing ... but I had no sooner terned myself about but he pitched at me, open mouthed and full speed, ... the ideas struk me to get into the water to such a depth that I could stand and he would be obliged to swim, and that I should in that situation defend myself with my espontoon; ... the moment I put myself in this attitude of defence he sudonly wheeled about ... (and) declined the combat."</i><span>&nbsp;(sic) Capt. Lewis - June 14, 1805</span><br><br>This statue, presented to the city of Great Falls, was made possible with the financial assistance provided by the following Montanans; Leo Graybill Jr., Donald Ostrem, G. Robert Crotty Jr., Gregory H. Warner, Turner C. Graybill, Michael G. Barer, Stephen A.&nbsp;Doherty, Dorothy Anderson,&nbsp;Thomas Mather, Harold Poulsen, L.A. Donahue, Thomas Curren, Roy Volk, Robert M. Scriver, Lawrence Rossmiller, Charles Hope.<br><br><span>A Montana Centennial Project dedicated at Great Falls, Montana July 4, 1989<br></span><br>Credit to:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=141981">https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=141981</a>