Our Historical Markers across Nebraska highlight fascinating moments and places in our state’s past. Today, we’re focusing on the story of one day in the years-long Lewis and Clark expedition. Specifically, the story of their discovery of Prairie Dogs.
Marker Text
On this day the Lewis and Clark Expedition to the Pacific Ocean camped on the bank of the Missouri River at the base of a river landmark near here, now called The Tower. Clark wrote, “Capt Lewis & my Self walked up to the top which forms a Cone and is about 70 feet higher than the high lands around it.” Nearby they “discovered a Village of an annamale the french Call the Prarie Dog…the Village of those animals Covs. about 4 acrs of Ground on a Gradual decent of a hill and Contains great numbers of holes on the top of which those little animals Sit erect make a Whistleing noise and whin allarmed Slip into their hole.” They “attempted to dig to the beds of one of thos animals, after diging 6 feet, found by running a pole down that we were not half way to his Lodges.” They finally “Cought one a live by poreing a great quantity of water in his hole.”
Location
David Dr, Lynch, Boyd County, Nebraska. View this marker’s location
