Nez Perce people welcomed the members of the Lewis and Clark Expedition here in 1805 and again in 1806. They fed them, allowed them to stay, and shared information about the geography and people of the area. Two Nez Perce men here guided Meriwether Lewis and William Clark’s party from Weippe Prairie to The Dalles.
Meriwether Lewis and William Clark crossed the Lolo Trail during a bad time of year. With little food left, they killed and ate the horses that Shoshone people had lent them.
Meriwether Lewis, William Clark, and the members of their party crossed the Lolo Trail with the help of a Shoshone guide in September 1805, in less-than-ideal conditions.
Salmon, Idaho calls itself the “Birthplace of Sacajawea.” Nestled in the beautiful Lemhi Valley with its many streams and rivers, in the shadow of the Beaverhead Mountains and the Continental Divide, this is the homeland of the Agai’dika Shoshone-Bannock people. The Sacajawea Interpretive, Cultural, and Educational Center which is dedicated to honoring and providing education about America’s great historical heroine, Sacajawea, and her role in the Corps of Discovery.
Locations:Lewis & Clark National Historic Trail, Nez Perce National Historical Park
In mid-September 1805, the Lewis and Clark Expedition reached the historic Lolo Trail. The Corps knew the Lolo Trail would provide them a physical challenge, and they feared they would not survive the peaks without assistance. They were able to acquire as many horses as possible and enlist the help of a few guides who knew the route that lay ahead. Under the guidance of Old Toby (Shoshone), the Corps turned northward and began their ascent into the Bitterroot Mountains.
Ta’c ‘éetx papáayn’iinim wenỉikt wées k’uusnim qicxnew’eet soyapoo wenỉikt wées Stacia Morfin. Welcome. My Indian name is Takes Care of Water, my given name is Stacia Morfin. As owner of Nez Perce Tourism, LLC my vision is to represent Nimiipuu to our visitors with an integrated approach to cultural understanding. As a citizen of Nez Perce Nation, I am proud to say that our nation is alive and dynamic.
The Sacajawea Interpretive, Cultural & Educational Center is dedicated to honoring and providing education about America’s great historical heroine, Sacajawea (a member of the Agaidika (Salmon Eater) Shoshone-Bannock Tribes) and her role in the Corps of Discovery. Cradled in the Lemhi River Valley between the Salmon River and the Beaverhead Mountains, the Center lies in the heart of Sacajawea’s homeland.
It was in the autumn of 1805 that Meriwether Lewis and William Clark passed through the region dominated by the Nez Perce. At the time, the Nez Perce resided in the northwestern quarter of what would become the United States of America. In 1863, the village of Lewiston was incorporated as part of the Idaho Territory, just three years after Captain E.D. Pierce found gold in the area.
