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135-464: John Colter (c.1770–1775 – May 7, 1812 or November 22, 1813) was a member of the Lewis and Clark Expedition (1804–1806). Though party to one of the more famous expeditions in history, Colter is best remembered for explorations he made during the winter of 1807–1808, when he became the first known person of European descent to enter the region which later became Yellowstone National Park and to see

270-651: A French-Canadian fur trapper named Toussaint Charbonneau , and his young Shoshone wife, Sacagawea . Charbonneau, at this time, began to serve as the expedition's translator. Peace was established between the expedition and the Mandan chiefs with the sharing of a Mandan ceremonial pipe . By April 25, Captain Lewis wrote his progress report of the expedition's activities and observations of the Native American nations they had encountered to-date in A Statistical view of

405-468: A brief visit to Kentucky to see his wife before forcing him to return to Missouri. It is unlikely that he ever saw his wife again: "ten years after the expedition's end, York was still enslaved, working as a wagoner for the Clark family". The last years of York's life are disputed. In the 1830s, a Black man who said he had first come with Lewis and Clark was living as a chief with Native Americans they met on

540-466: A council, Colter was told to leave and encouraged to run. It soon became apparent that he was running for his life pursued by a group of Indians. A fast runner, after several miles the naked Colter was exhausted and bleeding from his nose but far ahead of most of the group with only one assailant still close to him. He then managed to overcome the lone man: Again he turned his head, and saw the savage not twenty yards from him. Determined if possible to avoid

675-603: A deer. The expedition was prepared with flintlock firearms, knives, blacksmithing supplies, and cartography equipment. They also carried flags, gift bundles, medicine, and other items that they would need for their journey. The route of Lewis and Clark's expedition took them up the Missouri River to its headwaters, then on to the Pacific Ocean via the Columbia River, and it may have been influenced by

810-535: A heritage museum called "The People's Center" in Pablo , seat of the tribal government. The tribes are the biggest employer on the reservation. In 2011, they provided 65% of all jobs. The tribes own and jointly operate a valuable hydropower dam , called Séliš Ksanka Ql'ispé Dam (formerly known as Kerr Dam). They are the first Indian nation in the United States to own a hydroelectric dam. CSKT also operates

945-402: A higher regard for her, and provided some support for her children in subsequent years. In the journals, they used the terms "squar" ( squaw ) and "savages" to refer to Sacagawea and other indigenous peoples. An enslaved Black man known only as York took part in the expedition as personal servant to William Clark, his enslaver. York did much to help the expedition succeed. He proved popular with

1080-483: A hunting trip to Clark's Fork Canyon as a boy and was informed that his stepfather had made camp in this exact spot while trapping with Colter many years earlier. Fleming reportedly remembered and passed on this detail as his stepfather asserted that during winter of 1806–1807, Colter had grown restless with taking shelter and ascended the canyon into the Sunlight Basin of modern-day Wyoming, which would make him

1215-506: A large territory on the plains east of the Rocky Mountains. This tribal homeland included the present-day counties of Broadwater, Jefferson, Deer Lodge, Silver Bow, Madison and Gallatin and parts of Lewis & Clark, Meagher and Park. This was about the time when they got the first horses. The tribe consisted of at least four bands. Respectively, they had winter quarters near present-day Helena , near Butte , east of Butte and in

1350-582: A physician and former leader in the American Revolution . He also arranged for Lewis to be further educated by Andrew Ellicott , an astronomer who instructed him in the use of a sextant , among other navigational instruments. From Benjamin Smith Barton , Lewis learned how to describe and preserve plant and animal specimens; from Robert Patterson , refinements in computing latitude and longitude, and Caspar Wistar covered fossils , and

1485-408: A portrait of Jefferson and inscribed with a message of friendship and peace, called Indian Peace Medals . The soldiers were to distribute them to the tribes that they met. The expedition also prepared advanced weapons to display their military firepower. Among these was an Austrian-made .46 caliber Girandoni air rifle , a repeating rifle with a 20-round tubular magazine that was powerful enough to kill

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1620-828: A practical route through the Northwest to the Pacific coast. Alexander Mackenzie had already charted a route in his quest for the Pacific, following Canada 's Mackenzie River to the Arctic Ocean in 1789. Mackenzie and his party were the first non-indigenous people to cross mainland North America, north of Mexico , reaching the Pacific coast of British Columbia in 1793–twelve years earlier than Lewis and Clark. Mackenzie's accounts in Voyages from Montreal (1801) informed Jefferson of Britain 's intent to establish control over

1755-475: A region inhabited by the friendlier Crows . The dangers of the narrow and rapid Yellowstone River and the absence of game may explain the quick dissolution of the trapping party. After reaching a point where the Gallatin , Jefferson and Madison Rivers meet, known today as Three Forks, Montana , the trio managed to maintain their partnership for only about two months. There is much speculation as to where

1890-568: A retaliatory raid from the Omaha tribe, to the south. A recent Sioux raid had killed 75 Omaha men, burned 40 lodges, and taken four dozen prisoners." Captain Lewis made his first mistake by offering the Sioux chief gifts first, which insulted and angered the Partisan chief. Communication was difficult, since the expedition's only Sioux language interpreter was Pierre Dorion who had stayed behind with

2025-487: A retelling by Washington Irving . The stereotypes of reclusive frontier mountain men may be thanks to Nicholas Biddle's written characterizations of Colter, which paint him a man easily beguiled by the trapping prospects of the wilderness and intimidated by the possibility of returning to regular society. Because no written materials attributed to Colter have ever been discovered (besides his signature,) Biddle's characterizations cannot be directly contested. Traditionally, it

2160-506: A roadside pulloff on U.S. Route 340 just east of Stuarts Draft, near his birthplace. When the road was widened in 1998, the plaque was moved just north of the intersection of 340 and Route 608. A Kentucky historical marker commemorating Colter as one of the Lewis and Clark Expedition's "nine young men from Kentucky" is located in Maysville, Kentucky . Sometime between 1931 and 1933, an Idaho farmer named William Beard and his son discovered

2295-525: A rock carved into the shape of a man's head while clearing a field in Tetonia, Idaho , which is immediately west of the Teton Range. The rhyolite lava rock is 13 inches (330 mm) long, 8 inches (200 mm) wide and 4 inches (100 mm) thick and has the words "John Colter" carved on the right side of the face and the number "1808" on the left side and has been dubbed the "Colter Stone". The stone

2430-424: A tenth of what was said was understood by either side." But as in the meeting with Lewis and Clark , the pervasive cross-cultural miscommunication ran even deeper than problems of language and translation. Tribal people came to the meeting assuming they were going to formalize an already-recognized friendship. Non-Indians came with the goal of making official their claims to native lands and resources. Isaac Stevens ,

2565-493: A tribal government under the 1934 Indian Reorganization Act , the tribes are governed by a tribal council. The Tribal Council has ten members, and the council elects from within a chairman, Vice Chairman, Secretary and Treasurer. The tribal government offers a number of services to tribal members and is the chief employer on the reservation. The tribes operate a tribal college, the Salish Kootenai College , and

2700-467: A two-year supply of ammunition, and numerous other small tools gifted to them by the expedition such as knives, rope, hatchets, and personal utensils. The route of the trapping party is not known. It is speculated that unfriendly Blackfeet in the region of the Lower Missouri and a lack of horses forced the company to seek their fortunes in the tributaries of the less-prosperous Yellowstone Valley,

2835-749: A valuable member of the party, aiding with hunting and protection from bears and other potential predators. He was the only animal to complete the entire trip. Lewis and his crew set-sail that afternoon, traveling down the Ohio River to meet up with Clark near Louisville, Kentucky , in October 1803, at the Falls of the Ohio . Their goals were to explore the vast territory acquired by the Louisiana Purchase and to establish trade and US sovereignty over

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2970-421: A woman named Sallie and purchased a farm near Miller's Landing, Missouri , now New Haven, Missouri. Around 1810, he visited with William Clark and provided detailed reports of his explorations since they had last met. From this information, Clark created a map which, despite its previously mentioned discrepancies, was the most comprehensive map produced of the region of the explorations for the next 75 years. During

3105-584: Is commonly believed that Colter's Hell referred to the region of the Stinking Water, now known as the Shoshone River , particularly the section running through Cody. The river's original title was thanks to presence of sulphur in the surrounding area. His detailed exploration of this region is the first by a white man of what later became the state of Wyoming. It is not known if Colter produced his own crude map that informed Clark's version or if

3240-533: Is likely that Colter never saw Clark's full field maps, as another major discrepancy places Colter's starting point at the midsection of Pryor Creek, as opposed to only geographically likely departing point at the mouth of the Big Horn River. The inaccuracies that plague the 1814 map's details of the area between Manuel's Fort on the Yellowstone and the likely location of Colter's Hell have fueled much of

3375-682: Is thought that Lewis and Clark's Expedition played a major role in heightening tensions between white explorers and the Blackfeet Indians. Despite this notion, Manuel Lisa's party originally interacted peacefully with the Blackfeet. However, it was after Colter and Potts were forced to battle the Blackfeet alongside the Flatheads and Crows that the relations between white explorers/trappers and the Blackfeet nation seemed to deteriorate. This led Major Biddle and many other frontiersman to draw

3510-635: Is unknown whether Colter was literate or knew how to write. Two signatures possessed by the Missouri State Historical Society assert that the proper spelling of the family name was "Colter" and that Colter was at least able to write his own name. Sometime around 1780, the Colter family moved west and settled near present-day Maysville, Kentucky . As a young man Colter may have served as a ranger under Simon Kenton . John Colter, along with George Shannon and Patrick Gass , joined

3645-618: The Clearwater , Snake , and Columbia rivers, past Celilo Falls and present-day Portland , at the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers. Lewis and Clark used William Robert Broughton 's 1792 notes and maps to orient themselves once they reached the lower Columbia River. The sighting of Mount Hood and other stratovolcanos confirmed that the expedition had almost reached the Pacific Ocean. The expedition sighted

3780-788: The Continental Divide but established their headquarters near the eastern slope of the Rocky Mountains. Occasionally, hunting parties went west of the Continental Divide but not west of the Bitterroot Range . The easternmost edge of their ancestral hunting forays were the Gallatin Range , Crazy Mountain, and Little Belt Ranges. The Flathead and the Pend d'Oreille both agree that the Flathead once occupied

3915-685: The Continental Divide near Togwotee Pass or more likely, Union Pass in the northern Wind River Range . Colter then explored Jackson Hole below the Teton Range, later crossing Teton Pass into Pierre's Hole , known today as the Teton Basin in the state of Idaho . After heading north and then east, he is believed to have encountered Yellowstone Lake , another location in which he had seen geysers and other geothermal features. Colter then proceeded back to Fort Raymond, arriving in March or April 1808. Not only had Colter traveled hundreds of miles, much of

4050-667: The Corps of Discovery Expedition , was the United States expedition to cross the newly acquired western portion of the country after the Louisiana Purchase . The Corps of Discovery was a select group of U.S. Army and civilian volunteers under the command of Captain Meriwether Lewis and his close friend Second Lieutenant William Clark . Clark, along with 30 others, set out from Camp Dubois (Camp Wood), Illinois , on May 14, 1804, met Lewis and ten other members of

4185-568: The Doctrine of Discovery . The expedition was sponsored by the American Philosophical Society (APS). Lewis and Clark received some instruction in astronomy , botany , climatology , ethnology , geography , meteorology , mineralogy , ornithology , and zoology . During the expedition, they made contact with over 70 Native American tribes and described more than 200 new plant and animal species. Jefferson had

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4320-555: The Jefferson River , Potts and Colter encountered several hundred Blackfeet who demanded they come ashore. Colter went ashore and was disarmed and stripped naked. When Potts refused to come ashore, he was shot and wounded. Potts then shot one of the Indian warriors and was instantly pierced with arrows so numerous, that, to use the language of Colter, "he was made a riddle of." His body was brought ashore and hacked to pieces. After

4455-645: The Lakota nation (whom the Americans called Sioux or "Teton-wan Sioux") had problems when they met, and there was a concern the two sides might clash. According to Harry W. Fritz, "All earlier Missouri River travelers had warned of this powerful and aggressive tribe, determined to block free trade on the river. ... The Sioux were also expecting a retaliatory raid from the Omaha tribe, to the south. A recent Sioux raid had killed 75 Omaha men, burned 40 lodges, and taken four dozen prisoners." The expedition held talks with

4590-531: The Maureen and Mike Mansfield Library at the University of Montana . One of the expedition's primary objectives as directed by President Jefferson was to be a surveillance mission that would report back the whereabouts, military strength, lives, activities, and cultures of the various Native American tribes that inhabited the territory newly acquired by the United States as part of the Louisiana Purchase and

4725-590: The Mississippi River in November and in December established its 1803-1804 winter camp at Wood River, north of St. Louis . While Lewis and Clark were away from camp making preparations, Colter and three other recruits disobeyed Lewis’ orders, leaving the camp to go to a whiskey shop. Upon his return, Lewis disciplined Colter and the others with ten days’ confinement to quarters. Soon thereafter, Colter

4860-606: The Teton Mountain Range . Colter spent months alone in the wilderness and is widely considered to be the first known mountain man . John Colter was born in Stuarts Draft , Colony of Virginia in 1774, based on assumptions by his family. There is some debate as to which variation of the family name, Coalter, Coulter, or Colter, is correct, and the issue was further convoluted by William Clark utilizing all three spelling variations during his daily journals. It

4995-602: The War of 1812 , Colter enlisted and fought with Nathan Boone 's Rangers . Sources are unclear about when Colter died or the cause of death. One report states that after suddenly turning ill, Colter died of jaundice on May 7, 1812, and was buried near Miller's Landing. Other sources indicate he died on November 22, 1813. Colter's legacy has had a profound impact on the image of the American West and frontier, with Colter's Run seeing many incarnations and recreations, including

5130-541: The "vilest miscreants of the savage race". They came close to blows several times, until the Lakota chief, Black Buffalo, persuaded Lewis to distribute more tobacco to the assembled warriors. Lewis complied and the expedition was allowed to continue upstream to the Arikara villages. In the winter of 1804–05, the party built Fort Mandan , near present-day Washburn, North Dakota . Just before departing on April 7, 1805,

5265-457: The 1880s. A log with the carved initials "J C" underneath a large X was discovered by Philip Ashton Rollins near Coulter Creek, a coincidentally named stream of no relation to Colter. Rollins and his party determined that the carving was roughly eighty years old. The artifact was lost by Yellowstone employees around 1890 while being transferred to the park museum. Lewis and Clark Expedition The Lewis and Clark Expedition , also known as

5400-518: The American presence there, with the American flag flying over the fort. During the winter at Fort Clatsop, Lewis committed himself to writing. He filled many pages of his journals with valuable knowledge, mostly about botany, because of the abundant growth and forests that covered that part of the continent. The health of the men also became a problem, with many suffering from colds and influenza. Knowing that maritime fur traders sometimes visited

5535-695: The Big Hole Valley. The Salis-Tunaxe lived immediately to the north of the Flathead. There was no sharp line between the two tribal territories, and the people in the border zone often intermarried. Further north lived the Kutenai-Tunaxe (Kootenai-Tunaxe). To the east of them lived the Salisan tribes' common enemy, the Blackfoot . West of the Rocky Mountains held the Pend d'Oreille the territory around Flathead Lake , and south of them occupied

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5670-572: The Bitterroot Valley south of Lolo Creek as a "conditional reservation" for the Salish. Victor put his X mark on the document, convinced that the agreement would not require his people to leave their homeland. No other word came from the government for the next fifteen years, so the Salish assumed that they would indeed stay in their Bitterroot Valley forever. After the 1864 gold rush in the newly established Montana Territory , pressure upon

5805-566: The Columbia River, and later by trekking over land. Before leaving, Clark gave the Chinook a letter to give to the next ship captain to visit, which was the same Captain Hill who had been nearby during the winter. Hill took the letter to Canton and had it forwarded to Thomas Jefferson, who thus received it before Lewis and Clark returned. They made their way to Camp Chopunnish in Idaho, along

5940-553: The Confederated Salish and Kootenai tribes The tribe has about 6800 members with approximately 4,000 tribal members living on the Flathead Reservation as of 2013, and 2,800 tribal members living off the reservation. Their predominant religion is Roman Catholicism . 1,100 Native Americans from other tribes and more than 10,000 non-Native Americans also live on the reservation. As the first to organize

6075-510: The Corps had as many as 45 members, including the officers, enlisted military personnel, civilian volunteers, and York , an African-American man enslaved by Clark. From St. Charles, the expedition followed the Missouri through what is now Kansas City, Missouri , and Omaha, Nebraska . On August 20, 1804, Sergeant Charles Floyd died, apparently from acute appendicitis . He had been among

6210-493: The Crow nation. Over the course of the winter, he explored the region that later became Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks . Colter reportedly visited at least one geyser basin, though it is now believed that he most likely was near present-day Cody, Wyoming , which at that time may have had some geothermal activity to the immediate west. Colter probably passed along portions of the shores of Jackson Lake after crossing

6345-592: The Indian nations inhabiting the Territory of Louisiana , which outlined the names of various tribes, their locations, trading practices and water routes used, among other points. President Jefferson would later present this report to Congress. They followed the Missouri to its headwaters, and over the Continental Divide at Lemhi Pass , then north to Traveler's Rest , and crossed the Bitteroots at Lolo Pass . They descended on foot, then proceeded in canoes down

6480-421: The Lakota near the confluence of the Missouri and Bad Rivers in what is now Fort Pierre, South Dakota . One of their horses disappeared, and they believed the Sioux were responsible. Afterward, the two sides met and there was a disagreement, and the Sioux asked the men to stay or to give more gifts (or tribute) instead, before being allowed to pass through their territory. Clark wrote they were "warlike" and were

6615-669: The Lewis and Clark expedition set off in May, the Spanish sent four armed expeditions of 52 soldiers, mercenaries , and Native Americans on August 1, 1804, from Santa Fe , New Mexico northward under Pedro Vial and José Jarvet to intercept Lewis and Clark and imprison the entire expedition. They reached the Pawnee settlement on the Platte River in central Nebraska and learned that the expedition had been there many days before. The expedition

6750-515: The Louisiana territory to the Pacific Ocean. He did not attempt to make a secret of the Lewis and Clark expedition from Spanish, French, and British officials, but rather claimed different reasons for the venture; he used a secret message to ask for funding, due to poor relations with the opposition Federalist Party in Congress. Congress subsequently appropriated $ 2,324 for supplies and food,

6885-548: The Missouri and Columbia Rivers, and for the most part the expedition did not encounter hostilities. However, there was a tense confrontation on September 25, 1804, with the Teton- Sioux tribe (also known as the Lakota people , one of the three tribes that comprise the Great Sioux Nation ), under chiefs that included Black Buffalo and the Partisan. These chiefs confronted the expedition and demanded tribute from

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7020-474: The Missouri's headwaters to the westward-flowing Columbia. The Corps of Discovery departed from Camp Dubois (Camp Wood) at 4   pm on May 14, 1804. Under Clark's command, they traveled up the Missouri River in their keelboat and two pirogues to St. Charles, Missouri where Lewis joined them six days later. The expedition set out the next afternoon, May 21. While accounts vary, it is believed

7155-453: The Native American nations for extended periods of time during the winter months, they soon learned first hand of their customs and social orders. One of the primary customs that distinguished Native American cultures from those of the West was that it was customary for the men to take on two or more wives if they were able to provide for them and often took on a wife or wives who were members of

7290-524: The Native American nations were constantly at war with other tribes, especially the Sioux, who, while remaining generally friendly to the white fur traders, had proudly boasted of and justified the almost complete destruction of the once great Cahokia nation, along with the Missouris, Illinois, Kaskaskia , and Piorias tribes that lived about the countryside adjacent to the upper Mississippi and Missouri rivers. Sacagawea, sometimes spelled Sakajawea or Sakagawea ( c. 1788 – December 20, 1812),

7425-512: The Native Americans along the Missouri River. Jefferson also wanted to establish a US claim of "discovery" to the Pacific Northwest and Oregon territory by documenting an American presence there before European nations could claim the land. According to some historians, Jefferson understood that he would have a better claim of ownership to the Pacific Northwest if the team gathered scientific data on animals and plants. However, his main objectives were centered around finding an all-water route to

7560-418: The Native Americans, who had never seen a Black man. He also helped with hunting and the heavy labor of pulling boats upstream. Despite his contributions to the Corps of Discovery, Clark refused to release York from bondage upon returning east. While all the other explorers enjoyed rewards of double pay and hundreds of acres of land, York received nothing. After the end of the expedition, Clark allowed York only

7695-486: The Pacific Ocean for the first time on November 7, 1805, arriving two weeks later. The expedition faced the beginning of its second bitter winter camped on the north side of the Columbia River, in a storm-wracked area Clark called Dismal Nitch . Lack of food was a major factor. The elk, the party's main source of food, had retreated from their usual haunts into the mountains, and the party was now too poor to purchase enough food from neighboring tribes. On November 24, 1805,

7830-469: The Pacific coast and commerce. His instructions to the expedition stated: The object of your mission is to explore the Missouri River, & such principle stream of it, as, by its course and communication with the waters of the Pacific ocean, whether the Columbia, Oregon, Colorado or any other river may offer the most direct & practicable water communication across this continent for the purpose of commerce. The US mint prepared special silver medals with

7965-424: The Salish had lived in conical tents covered with two to four layers of sewed tule mats, depending on the season. The tipi soon replaced the old lodge. Instead of rawhide bags of many shapes and sizes, the women made parfleches from now on. Both the Salish-Tunaxe and the Semteuse were almost "killed off in wars" with the Blackfoot and further reduced by smallpox . Some of the survivors took refuge among

8100-402: The Salish intensified from both illegal non-Indian squatters and government officials. In 1870, Victor died, and he was succeeded as chief by his son, Chief Charlot (aka Charlo, Claw of the Little Grizzly). Like his father, Charlot adhered to a policy of nonviolent resistance. He insisted on the right of his people to remain in the Bitterroot Valley. But territorial citizens and officials thought

8235-408: The Salish out of the Bitterroot and roughly marched the small band sixty miles to the Flathead Reservation. The three main tribes moved to the Flathead Reservation were the Bitterroot Salish, the Pend d'Oreille, and the Kootenai. The Bitterroot Salish and the Pend d'Oreille tribes spoke dialects of the same Salish language. A dispute over off-reservation hunting between a band of Pend d'Oreilles and

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8370-457: The Salish. The Salish got horses from the Shoshone, and the animal changed the life of the people. When they had had only dogs, the Salish had paid no special attention to the American bison , which they had hunted just like deer and elk . Newly acquired mounts made it possible to overtake the American bison and the secured meat and skins could easily be carried by packhorses. All other game lost in importance. Before they had had horses,

8505-441: The Salish. With the near extinction of the Salish-Tunaxe, the Salish extended their hunting grounds northward to Sun River . Between 1700 and 1750, they were driven back by pedestrian Blackfoot warriors armed with fire weapons. Finally, they were forced out of the bison range and west of the divide along with the Kutenai-Tunaxe. The Flatheads lived now between the Cascade Range and Rocky Mountains . The first written record of

8640-419: The Semteuse a relatively small area. The numerous Shoshone semi-surrounded the Salish from northeast to southwest. It seems the Salish did not know the Comanche and Kiowa at this time. They may have been regarded as bands of Shoshone. Later well-established plains tribes like the Sarsi , Assiniboine , Cree , Crow , Gros Ventre , Arapaho , Cheyenne and Sioux lived far away. They were unknown to

8775-409: The West's biodiversity , topography and geography and to establish positive trade relations with (potentially unknown) Native American tribes. The expedition returned to St. Louis to report their findings to President Jefferson via maps, sketches, and various journals. One of Thomas Jefferson 's goals was to find "the most direct and practicable water communication across this continent, for

8910-636: The adventures of various explorers on the western frontier, and, consequently, maintained a long-held interest in further exploring this mostly-unknown region of the continent. In the 1780s, while Minister to France , Jefferson met John Ledyard in Paris , where they discussed a possible trip to the Pacific Northwest . Jefferson had also read Captain James Cook 's A Voyage to the Pacific Ocean (London, 1784), an account of Cook's third voyage , and Le Page du Pratz 's The History of Louisiana (London, 1763), all of which greatly influenced his decision to send an expedition. Like Captain Cook, he wished to discover

9045-473: The appropriation of which was left in Lewis's charge. In 1803, Jefferson commissioned the Corps of Discovery and named Army Captain Meriwether Lewis its leader, who then invited William Clark to co-lead the expedition with him. Lewis demonstrated remarkable skills and potential as a frontiersman, and Jefferson made efforts to prepare him for the long journey ahead as the expedition was gaining approval and funding. Jefferson explained his choice of Lewis: It

9180-417: The areas of Montana, parts of Idaho , British Columbia ( Canada ) and Wyoming . The original territory comprised about 22 million acres (89,000 km ) at the time of the 1855 Hellgate treaty . The Flathead Reservation in northwest Montana is over 1.3 million acres (5,300 km ) in size. The Tribal Council represents eight districts: During World War II , a 422-foot (129 m) Liberty Ship,

9315-492: The camp during points of illness and recuperation, showing Lewis and Clark's confidence in him. Another major contribution Colter made to the Corps of Discovery was providing the expedition with the means to swiftly descend the Bitterroot Mountains, allowing access to the Snake River , Columbia River , and subsequently the Pacific Ocean. While hunting far ahead of the main party, Colter encountered three Tushepawe Flatheads. Through non-verbal peace symbols and communication, Colter

9450-400: The conclusion that Colter had actually upset relations with the Blackfeet, which was only expounded upon by the notoriety of Colter's Run. Numerous locations in northwestern Wyoming have been named after him, notably Colter Bay on Jackson Lake in Grand Teton National Park and Colter Peak in the Absaroka Mountains in Yellowstone National Park. A plaque commemorating Colter was displayed at

9585-401: The construction of another fort located at Three Forks, Montana . After returning from gathering fur pelts, he discovered that two of his partners had been killed by the Blackfeet. This event convinced Colter to leave the wilderness for good, and he returned to St. Louis before the end of 1810. He had been away from civilization for almost six years. After returning to St. Louis, Colter married

9720-508: The details of Colter's Route that were published in 1814. Several unexplained geographical discrepancies were printed on the 1814 map, including the Big Horn Mountains and basin being drawn about two times too large, an error believed to be Clark's. The nature behind these discrepancies eludes historians, as Clark had not only his own personal information of the region but information from George Drouillard and John Colter as well. It

9855-531: The details were simply dictated to Clark by Colter following his return to St. Louis after a six-year absence. Colter's Route was included in a version of Clark's map, titled "A Map of Lewis and Clark's Track Across the Western Portion of North America from the Mississippi to the Pacific Ocean," which was published in 1814. Clark's original field sketches, drawn on numerous separate sheets that traced

9990-530: The earth, and then continued his flight. Colter took a blanket from the Indian he had killed. Continuing his run with a pack of Indians following, he reached the Madison River , five miles (8.0 km) from his start, and hiding inside a beaver lodge , escaped capture. Emerging at night he climbed and walked for eleven days to a trader's fort on the Little Big Horn. In 1810, Colter assisted in

10125-415: The expected blow, he suddenly stopped, turned round, and spread out his arms. The Native American, surprised by the suddenness of the action, and perhaps at the bloody appearance of Colter, also attempted to stop; but exhausted with running, he fell whilst endeavouring to throw his spear, which stuck in the ground, and broke in his hand. Colter instantly snatched up the pointed part, with which he pinned him to

10260-399: The expedition declare "sovereignty" and demonstrate their military strength to ensure native tribes would be subordinate to the U.S., as European colonizers did elsewhere. After the expedition, the maps that were produced allowed the further discovery and settlement of this vast territory in the years that followed. In 1807, Patrick Gass , a private in the U.S. Army, published an account of

10395-427: The expedition encountered the various Native American tribes during the course of their journey, they observed and recorded information regarding their lifestyles, customs and the social codes they lived by, as directed by President Jefferson. By European standards, the Native American way of life seemed harsh and unforgiving as witnessed by members of the expedition. After many encounters and camping in close proximity to

10530-442: The expedition for their passage over the river. The seven native tribes that comprised the Lakota people controlled a vast inland empire and expected gifts from strangers who wished to navigate their rivers or to pass through their lands. According to Harry W. Fritz, "All earlier Missouri River travelers had warned of this powerful and aggressive tribe, determined to block free trade on the river. ... The Sioux were also expecting

10665-591: The expedition sent the keelboat back to St. Louis with a sample of specimens, some never-before-seen east of the Mississippi. One chief asked Lewis and Clark to provide a boat for passage through their national territory. The Americans quickly continued westward (upriver), and camped for the winter in the Mandan nation's territory. After the expedition had set-up camp, nearby tribal members came to visit in fair numbers, some staying all night. For several days, Lewis and Clark met in council with Mandan chiefs. Here they met

10800-486: The expedition while Lewis was waiting for the completion of their vessels in Pittsburgh and nearby Elizabeth, Pennsylvania . The outdoor skills he had developed from this frontier lifestyle impressed Meriwether Lewis , and on October 15, 1803, Lewis offered Colter the rank of private and a pay of five dollars per month when he was recruited to join what became the Lewis and Clark Expedition. The expedition arrived at

10935-463: The expedition, in modern Wyoming. Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes The peoples of this area were named Flathead Indians by Europeans who came to the area. The name was originally applied to various Salish peoples , based on the practice of artificial cranial deformation by some of the groups, though the modern groups associated with the Flathead Reservation never engaged in it. The Salish (Flatheads) initially lived entirely east of

11070-504: The expedition, shortly after the Louisiana Purchase of 1803, to explore and detail as much of the new territory as possible. Furthermore, he wished to find a practical travel route across the western half of the continent—directly avoiding the hot and desolate desert southwest —and to establish an American presence in the new lands before European powers attempted to establish claims of their own. The campaign's secondary objectives were scientific, economical and humanitarian, i.e., to document

11205-487: The final week of August, Lewis and Clark reached the edge of the Great Plains , a place abounding with elk , deer , bison , pronghorn and beavers . The Lewis and Clark Expedition established relations with two dozen Native American nations, without whose help the group would have risked starvation during the harsh winters and/or become hopelessly lost in the vast ranges of the Rocky Mountains. The Americans and

11340-557: The first known white man to have ever entered this region. Colter headed back toward civilization in 1807 and was near the mouth of the Platte River when he encountered Manuel Lisa , a founder of the Missouri Fur Trading Company, who was leading a party that included several former members of the Lewis and Clark Expedition, towards the Rocky Mountains. Among the band were George Drouillard , John Potts , and Peter Weiser . Colter once again decided to return to

11475-413: The first to sign up with the Corps of Discovery and was the only member to die during the expedition. He was buried at a bluff by the river, now named after him , in what is now Sioux City , Iowa . His burial site was marked with a cedar post on which was inscribed his name and day of death. 1 mile (2 km) up the river, the expedition camped at a small river which they named Floyd's River . During

11610-533: The first year of the journey was built near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania , in the summer of 1803, to Lewis's specifications, and was completed on August 31. The vessel was immediately loaded with equipment and provisions. While in Pittsburgh, Lewis bought a Newfoundland dog , Seaman , to accompany them. Newfoundlands are amicable, large working dogs and good swimmers, lovers of water and commonly found on fishing boats, as they can assist in water rescues. Seaman proved

11745-449: The flows of principal rivers as opposed to traditional rectangular or square maps, were shown to President Jefferson in 1807 and did not include Colter's Route, as he was still traveling at the time. A version of these original field maps was produced in 1810 by Clark and Nicholas Biddle so that inaccurate recordings of latitude and longitude could be corrected by astronomer and mathematician Ferdinand Hassler . This 1810 manuscript provided

11880-629: The group in St. Charles, Missouri , then went up the Missouri River . The expedition crossed the Continental Divide of the Americas near the Lemhi Pass , eventually coming to the Columbia River , and the Pacific Ocean in 1805. The return voyage began on March 23, 1806, at Fort Clatsop , Oregon , ending six months later on September 23 of that year. President Thomas Jefferson commissioned

12015-507: The groups reunited, one of Clark's hunters, Pierre Cruzatte, mistook Lewis for an elk and fired, injuring Lewis in the thigh. Once together, the Corps was able to return home quickly via the Missouri River. They reached St. Louis on September 23, 1806. In March 1804, before the expedition began in May, the Spanish in New Mexico learned from General James Wilkinson that the Americans were encroaching on territory claimed by Spain. After

12150-587: The immediate family circle, e.g. men in the Minnetaree and Mandan tribes would often take on a sister for a wife. Chastity among women was not held in high regard. Infant daughters were often sold by the father to men who were grown, usually for horses or mules. Women in Sioux nations were often bartered away for horses or other supplies; yet this was not practiced among the Shoshone nation, who held their women in higher regard. They witnessed that many of

12285-474: The indigenous peoples. Lewis and Clark were the first Americans to cross the Continental Divide, and the first Americans to see Yellowstone, enter into Montana, and produce an official description of these different regions. Their visit to the Pacific Northwest, maps, and proclamations of sovereignty with medals and flags were legal steps needed to claim title to each indigenous nation's lands under

12420-477: The journey. He was promoted to sergeant during the course of the expedition. Paul Allen edited a two-volume history of the Lewis and Clark expedition that was published in 1814, in Philadelphia , but without mention of the actual author, banker Nicholas Biddle . Even then, the complete report was not made public until more recently. The earliest authorized edition of the Lewis and Clark journals resides in

12555-545: The lower Columbia River, Lewis and Clark repeatedly asked the local Chinooks about trading ships. They learned that Captain Samuel Hill had been there in early 1805. Miscommunication caused Clark to record the name as "Haley". Captain Hill returned in November 1805, and anchored about 10 miles (16 km) from Fort Clatsop. The Chinook told Hill about Lewis and Clark, but no direct contact was made. A Russian maritime expedition under statesman Nikolai Rezanov arrived at

12690-596: The lucrative fur trade of the Columbia River , convincing him of the importance of securing the territory posthaste. In Philadelphia , Israel Whelen , purveyor of public supplies, purchased necessities for the expedition with a list provided by Lewis; among the items found were 193 pounds of portable soup , 130 rolls of pigtail tobacco , 30 gallons of strong spirit of wine , a wide assortment of Native American presents, medical and surgical supplies, mosquito netting and oilskin bags. Two years into his presidency, Jefferson asked Congress to fund an expedition through

12825-500: The majority of the party voted to move their camp to the south side of the Columbia River near modern Astoria, Oregon . Both Sacagawea and the enslaved York participated in the vote. On the south side of the Columbia River, 2 miles (3 km) upstream on the west side of the Netul River (now Lewis and Clark River), they constructed Fort Clatsop . They did this not just for shelter and protection, but also to officially establish

12960-505: The mouth of the Columbia River while Lewis and Clark were still there. Neither Rezanov nor Lewis and Clark knew about each other. Rezanov had come from Novo-Arkhangelsk (today Sitka, Alaska ), intending to establish a Russian agricultural colony to help with the perennial food shortages in Russian America , and made plans for a relocation of the capital of Russian America from Sitka to the lower Columbia River. But his ship, Juno ,

13095-479: The new chief could be pressured into capitulating. In 1871, they successfully lobbied President Ulysses S. Grant to declare that the survey required by the treaty had been conducted and that it had found that the Jocko (Flathead) Reservation was better suited to the needs of the Salish. On the basis of Grant's executive order, Congress sent a delegation, led by future president James Garfield , to make arrangements with

13230-604: The new governor and superintendent of Indian affairs for the Washington Territory , was intent on obtaining cession of the Bitterroot Valley from the Salish. Many non-Indians were already well aware of the valley's potential value for agriculture and its relatively temperate climate in winter. Because of the resistance of Chief Victor (Many Horses), Stevens ended up inserting into the treaty complicated (and doubtless poorly translated) language that defined

13365-566: The north bank of the Clearwater River, where the members of the expedition collected 65 horses in preparation to cross the Bitterroot Mountains , lying between modern-day Idaho and western Montana. However, the range was still covered in snow, which prevented the expedition from making the crossing. On April 11, while the Corps was waiting for the snow to diminish, Lewis's dog, Seaman , was stolen by Native Americans, but

13500-537: The northwest in general. The expedition was to make native people understand that their lands now belonged to the United States and that "their great father" in Washington was now their sovereign. The expedition encountered many different native nations and tribes along the way, many of whom offered their assistance, providing the expedition with their knowledge of the wilderness and with the acquisition of food. The expedition had blank leather-bound journals and ink for

13635-601: The only local electricity provider Mission Valley Power, as well as S&K Electronics (founded 1984), and the internationally operating S&K Technologies (founded 1999). Other tribal businesses are the KwaTaqNuk Resort & Casino in Polson ( county seat of Lake County and most populous community on the reservation) and Gray Wolf Peak Casino in Evaro, Montana . The peoples of these tribes originally lived in

13770-475: The other party and was also involved with diplomatic affairs with another tribe. Consequently, both chiefs were offered a few gifts, but neither was satisfied and they wanted some gifts for their warriors and tribe. At that point, some of the warriors from the Partisan tribe took hold of their boat and one of the oars. Lewis took a firm stand, ordering a display of force and presenting arms; Captain Clark brandished his sword and threatened violent reprisal. Just before

13905-408: The party, at that point only consisting of Colter and Hancock following a falling out with Dixon, spent the winter of 1806–1807. However, Wyoming historian J.K. Rollinson asserts in a personal letter that he had met the stepson of one of Colter's companions, mostly likely Hancock's as Dixon is known to have left the region for Wisconsin in 1827. This stepson, Dave Fleming, accompanied his stepfather on

14040-483: The potion, she delivered a healthy boy who was given the name Jean Baptiste Charbonneau . When the expedition reached Marias River, on June 16, 1805, Sacagawea became dangerously ill. She was able to find some relief by drinking mineral water from the sulphur spring that fed into the river. Though she has been discussed in literature frequently, much of the information is exaggeration or fiction. Scholars say she did notice some geographical features, but "Sacagawea ...

14175-541: The purported transcontinental journey of Moncacht-Apé by the same route about a century before. Jefferson had a copy of Le Page's book in his library detailing Moncacht-Apé's itinerary, and Lewis carried a copy with him during the expedition. Le Page's description of Moncacht-Apé's route across the continent neglects to mention the need to cross the Rocky Mountains , and it might be the source of Lewis and Clark's mistaken belief that they could easily carry boats from

14310-473: The purpose of recording such encounters, as well as for scientific and geological information. They were also provided with various gifts of medals, ribbons, needles, mirrors, and other articles which were intended to ease any tensions when negotiating their passage with the various Native American chiefs whom they would encounter along their way. Many of the tribes had friendly experiences with British and French fur traders in various isolated encounters along

14445-449: The purposes of commerce." He also placed special importance on declaring US sovereignty over the land occupied by the many different Native American tribes along the Missouri River , and getting an accurate sense of the resources in the recently completed Louisiana Purchase. The expedition made notable contributions to science, but scientific research was not the main goal of the mission. For years, Thomas Jefferson read accounts about

14580-406: The recovered resources and horses but also retrieved deer to gift the hospitable Nez Perce tribes and strengthen sick corp members. Colter was noted by Lewis for his ability to barter with various tribes, an attribute which may have led to his later role with Manuel Lisa . Colter never appeared on sick lists, suggesting very advantageous health. He was often one of the few hunters allowed to leave

14715-420: The scholarly disagreements surrounding Colter's Route. The following year, Colter teamed up with John Potts , another former member of the Lewis and Clark Expedition, once again in the region near Three Forks, Montana. In 1808, Colter and Potts set out from Fort Raymond to negotiate trade agreements with local nations. While leading a group of 800 Flathead and Crow Indians back to the trading fort, Colter's party

14850-416: The search for possible living remnants. Lewis, however, was not ignorant of science, having demonstrated a marked capacity to learn, especially with Jefferson as his teacher. At Monticello , Jefferson possessed an enormous library on the subject of North American geography, to which Lewis had full access. He spent time consulting maps and books, as well as conferring with Jefferson. The keelboat used for

14985-430: The situation erupted into a violent confrontation, Black Buffalo ordered his warriors to back off. The captains were able to negotiate their passage without further incident with the aid of better gifts and a bottle of whiskey. During the next two days, the expedition made camp not far from Black Buffalo's tribe. Similar incidents occurred when they tried to leave, but trouble was averted with gifts of tobacco. As

15120-750: The state of Montana's Fish and Game department resulted in the Swan Valley Massacre of 1908 . Though marked for termination in 1953 under the House concurrent resolution 108 of the US federal Indian termination policy , the Flathead Tribes were able to resist the government's plans to terminate their tribal relationship in Congressional hearings in 1954. In 2021 the Bison were returned to

15255-507: The stone has not been fully authenticated to have been carved by Colter. If the stone is an actual carving made by Colter, in the year inscribed, it would coincide with the period he is known to have been in the region, and that he did cross the Teton Range and descend into Idaho, as descriptions he dictated to William Clark indicate. Another possible artifact of Colter's was discovered within Yellowstone National Park in

15390-609: The struggle, the soldiers killed two Blackfeet men. Lewis, George Drouillard , and the Field brothers fled over 100 miles (160 kilometres) in a day before they camped again. Meanwhile, Clark had entered the Crow tribe 's territory. In the night, half of Clark's horses disappeared, but not a single Crow had been seen. Lewis and Clark stayed separated until they reached the confluence of the Yellowstone and Missouri Rivers on August 11. As

15525-471: The terms spelled out in the written document, the tribes ceded to the United States more than twenty million acres (81,000 km ) of land and reserved from cession about 1.3 million acres (5300 km ), thus forming the Jocko or Flathead Indian Reservation. Conditions had become intolerable for the Salish by the late 1880s, after the Missoula and Bitter Root Valley Railroad was constructed directly through

15660-465: The time unguided, he did so in the dead of winter, in a region in which nighttime temperatures in January are routinely −30 °F (−34 °C). Colter arrived back at Fort Raymond, and few believed his reports of geysers, bubbling mudpots and steaming pools of water. His reports of these features were often ridiculed at first, and the region was somewhat jokingly referred to as " Colter's Hell ". It

15795-514: The tribe for their removal. Charlot ignored their demands and even their threats of bloodshed, and he again refused to sign any agreement to leave. U.S. officials then simply forged Charlot's "X" onto the official copy of the agreement that was sent to the Senate for ratification. Over time, the real reason for the Hellgate treaty meetings became clear to the Salish and Pend d'Oreille people. Under

15930-422: The tribe's lands, with neither permission from the native owners nor payment to them. Charlot finally signed an agreement to leave the Bitterroot Valley in November 1889. Inaction by Congress, however, delayed the removal for another two years, and according to some observers, the tribe's desperation reached a level of outright starvation. In October 1891, a contingent of troops from Fort Missoula forced Charlot and

16065-534: The tribe. Their request was finally granted, and a number of missionaries, including Pierre-Jean De Smet , were eventually sent. The Flatheads are also located in Sula, Montana . The tribes negotiated the Hellgate treaty with the United States in 1855. From the start, treaty negotiations were plagued by serious translation problems. A Jesuit observer, Adrian Hoecken, said that the translations were so poor that "not

16200-514: The tribes is either from their meeting with trapper Andrew Garcia, explorer David Thompson , or the Lewis and Clark Expedition (September 4, 1805). Lewis and Clark came there and asked for horses but eventually ate the horses due to starvation. The Flatheads also appear in the records of the Roman Catholic Church at St. Louis , Missouri, to which they sent four delegations to request missionaries (or "Black Robes") to minister to

16335-458: The two trappers back to the region they had explored. Upon his discharge, Colter had earned payment for 35 months and 26 days, totaling $ 179.33 1/3rd dollars. However, a discrepancy in the books provided Colter with payment for the two months he had skipped to accompany Hancock and Dickson trapping. This over-payment may have been justified by Colter's significant work ethic and personal praise by Thomas Jefferson himself. In 1807, Colter's settlement

16470-463: The wilderness, even though he was only a week from reaching St. Louis. At the confluence of the Yellowstone and Bighorn Rivers , Colter helped build Fort Raymond and was later sent by Lisa to search out the Crow Indian tribe to investigate the opportunities of establishing trade with them. Colter left Fort Raymond in October 1807 and traveled over 500 miles (800 km) to establish trade with

16605-433: Was court-martialed after threatening to shoot sergeant John Ordway . After a review of the situation, Colter was reinstated after he offered an apology and promised to reform. Colter was considered to be one of the best hunters in the group and was routinely sent out alone to scout the surrounding countryside for game meat . Colter was often trusted with responsibilities that went beyond hunting and woodsman activities. He

16740-542: Was a Shoshone Native American woman who arrived with her husband and owner Toussaint Charbonneau on the expedition to the Pacific Ocean. On February 11, 1805, a few weeks after her first contact with the expedition, Sacagawea went into labor which was slow and painful, so the Frenchman Charbonneau suggested she be given a potion of rattlesnake's rattle to aid in her delivery. Lewis happened to have some snake's rattle with him. A short time after administering

16875-400: Was able to persuade the Flatheads to abandon their search for two Shoshones who had stolen 23 head of horses and accompany him to the expedition's camp. One of the young Flatheads agreed to act as the party's guide down the mountains and through Flathead country, a great advantage in challenging and unfamiliar terrain plagued by a scarcity of game. Once at the mouth of the Columbia River, Colter

17010-641: Was among a small group selected to venture to the shores of the Pacific Ocean, as well as explore the seacoast north of the Columbia into present-day Washington state. After traveling thousands of miles, in 1806 the expedition returned to the Mandan villages in present-day North Dakota . There, they encountered Forrest Hancock and Joseph Dickson, two frontiersmen who were headed into the upper Missouri River country in search of beaver furs . On August 13, 1806, Lewis and Clark permitted Colter to be honorably discharged almost two months early so that he could lead

17145-462: Was attacked by over 1,500 Blackfeet. The Flatheads and Crows managed to force the Blackfeet into retreat, but Colter suffered a leg wound from either a bullet or arrow. This wound was not serious as Colter quickly recuperated and left Fort Raymond with Potts once more the following year. In 1809, another altercation with the Blackfeet resulted in Potts' death and Colter's capture. While going by canoe up

17280-512: Was covering 70 to 80 miles (110 to 130 km) a day and Vial's attempt to intercept them was unsuccessful. The Lewis and Clark Expedition gained an understanding of the geography of the Northwest and produced the first accurate maps of the area. During the journey, Lewis and Clark drew about 140 maps. Stephen Ambrose says the expedition "filled in the main outlines" of the area. The expedition documented natural resources and plants that had been previously unknown to Euro-Americans, though not to

17415-492: Was impossible to find a character who to a complete science in botany, natural history, mineralogy & astronomy, joined the firmness of constitution & character, prudence, habits adapted to the woods & a familiarity with the Indian manners and character, requisite for this undertaking. All the latter qualifications Capt. Lewis has. In 1803, Jefferson sent Lewis to Philadelphia to study medicinal cures under Benjamin Rush ,

17550-495: Was instrumental in helping the expedition find passes through the Rocky Mountains . In one instance, Colter was handpicked by Clark to deliver a message to Lewis, waylaid at a Shoshone camp, concerning the impracticability of following a route along the Salmon River . In another instance he was charged with retracing a route in the Bitterroot Mountains to recover lost horses and supplies, and not only returned with some of

17685-499: Was not the guide for the Expedition, she was important to them as an interpreter and in other ways." The sight of a woman and her infant son would have been reassuring to some indigenous nations, and she played an important role in diplomatic relations by talking to chiefs, easing tensions, and giving the impression of a peaceful mission. In his writings, Meriwether Lewis presented a somewhat negative view of her, though Clark had

17820-516: Was reportedly purchased from the Beards in 1933 by A.C. Lyon, who presented it to Grand Teton National Park in 1934. Fritiof Fryxell , noted mountain climber of numerous Teton Range peaks, geologist and Grand Teton National Park naturalist, concluded that the stone had weathering that indicated that the inscriptions were likely made in the year indicated. Fryxell also believed that the Beards were not familiar with John Colter or his explorations. However

17955-411: Was retracted after Congress passed a mandate supplying all members of the Corps of Discovery with doubled wages and land grants of 320 acres. Lewis personally took responsibility for Colter's reparations, and following Lewis' death and Colter's subsequent return to St. Louis, a court decided Colter was owed an amount of $ 377.60. Colter, Hancock, and Dixon ventured into the wilderness with 20 beaver traps,

18090-537: Was retrieved shortly. Worried that other such acts might follow, Lewis warned the chief that any other wrongdoing or mischievous acts would result in instant death. On July 3, before crossing the Continental Divide, the Corps split into two teams so Lewis could explore the Marias River . Lewis's group of four met some men from the Blackfeet nation. During the night, the Blackfeet tried to steal their weapons. In

18225-531: Was unable to cross the Columbia Bar . So Rezanov went to California instead, setting in motion a process that eventually led to the founding of Fort Ross, California . Lewis was determined to remain at the fort until April 1, but was still anxious to move out at the earliest opportunity. By March 22, the stormy weather had subsided and the following morning, on March 23, 1806, the journey home began. The Corps began their journey homeward using canoes to ascend

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