Box 2.2.1.F4 Meriwether Lewis in Blackfeet Country

Merrill J. Mattes Original Research·

“Lewis realizes the danger the day before, surmising of the Indians that, ‘from their known character I expected that we were to have some difficulty with them; that if they thought themselves sufficiently strong I was convinced they would attempt to rob us in which case…I should resist to the last extremity preferring death to that of being deprived of my papers, instruments, and gun…Jefferson, in his letter of instruction to Lewis on June 20, 1803, advises caution, reminding him, ‘In the loss of yourselves we should lose also the information you will have acquired.” ~ Excerpt from “Meriwether Lewis in Blackfeet Country”

A 1964, 33 page book written by Helen B. West
Page 3 is a map of the route of Lewis’ travels on what is now the Blackfeet Reservation
Pages 10-11 contain photos of the area

The collection was begun in 1991 by the late Merrill J. Mattes, a co-founder of the Oregon-California Trails Association. That original nucleus was a result of a generous donation from Merrill and reflected his many years as an award-winning National Park Service historian and also included works of his own authorship. The collection is housed at the national Frontier Trails Museum in Independence, Missouri. Here, you have access to many of the original trail diaries he collected in digital form.