The small American military outpost of
Fort Kaskaskia (1803–1807), Illinois,
played a pivotal role in the early days of
the Lewis and Clark Expedition. Fort
Kaskaskia was one of a series of forts
constructed by the U.S. Army in 1803
under orders from Secretary of War Henry
Dearborn to protect the frontier. It was
there on 29 November 1803 that Lewis
and Clark stopped to recruit eleven
soldiers. Lewis and Clark lingered at Fort
Kaskaskia for about a week, conducting
business or visiting influential citizens
such as fur trader and merchant Pierre
Menard in the nearby town of Kaskaskia.
With the departure of Lewis on 3
December 1803, followed by Clark on 7
December 1803, the fort slipped away into
obscurity.
FORT KASKASKIA
The Missouri History Museum explores St. Louis history
from the Mississippian people to today. Its historic building,
the first national monument to Thomas Jefferson, opened in
1913 on the former entrance site of the 1904 World’s Fair.
Exhibits highlight the city’s baseball legacy, “The Spirit of St.
Louis” plane, life on the Mississippi River, and the Civil
Rights movement. The History Clubhouse offers hands-on
experiences for children. With a collection built over 150
years, MHM is one of the nation’s largest regional history
museums, committed to dynamic, rotating exhibitions that
bring the past to life.
MISSOURI HISTORY MUSEUM