Last updated: March 27, 2023
Place
Meriwether Lewis Boat Replica
NPS / Claire Hassler
Quick Facts
Amenities
1 listed
Historical/Interpretive Information/Exhibits
A replica made at the Armory Grounds, this metal boat is a way for visitors to see what transportation was like for the Lewis and Clark Expedition. In 1803, Meriwether Lewis arrived at the U.S. Armory at Harpers Ferry on a mission from President Jefferson. Lewis, with William Clark, had been appointed to lead a Corps of Discovery across the continent, exploring the vast western lands recently acquired through the Louisiana Purchase. We now call this journey the Lewis and Clark Expedition (1803-1806).
Lewis worked with Armory engineers to develop a collapsible iron-framed boat that could be transported over land when necessary. He dubbed it “The Experiment”. This strange craft was comprised of an iron frame that came apart in sections, over which was stretched a covering of animal hide. Lewis planned to use the craft following the portage around the Great Falls of the Missouri River, when the river got too shallow for heavy wooden boats to navigate.