The journey begins here!

Walk in the footsteps of Meriwether Lewis and William Clark as they plan their journey to explore the western United States in 1804 at the Lewis & Clark State Historic Site in Hartford, IL. As National Trail Site #1 on the Lewis & Clark Trail, the site houses a museum dedicated to the planning and journey of the two explorers and their Corps of Discovery.

Located near the confluence of the Mississippi and Missouri Rivers, the site showcases how common men became soldiers and then embarked on a military expedition to explore uncharted territory west of St. Louis. It was near this site that the group began their journey on May 14, 1804.

Experience Lewis & Clark like never before in five exhibit rooms, the film "At Journey's Edge" and a 55-foot full scale "cutaway" keelboat.

After visiting the museum, take a tour of a replica settler cabin and see how people lived in the early 1800's.