Lewis and Clark State Historic Site
A Confluence Attraction

Contact
(618) 251-5811

Participating Confluence Organization
Illinois Historic Preservation Agency

Hours
Wednesday through Sunday 9:00 am - 5:00 pm

Admission
Free

Location
#1 Lewis & Clark Trail
Hartford IL 62048

Directions
(By car) Three miles north of I-270 on Illinois Route 3. Turn left (west) at the first stoplight (New Poag Road).

(By bike) On the MCT Confluence Trail, which runs north from Granite City to Alton (see Trail description on this website).

History and Features
On December 12, 1803 William Clark and his men entered the River Dubois near the present village of Hartford IL and pulled up on the southern bank. The river's mouth made a good harbor for boats, and its location was quite near the mouth of the Missouri River, the route chosen for the Corps of Discovery expedition. Clark chose this spot for the group's winter camp.

Today, the Lewis and Clark State Historic Site - the first official site on the National Lewis and Clark Trail - includes an Interpretive Center, a replica of Camp River DuBois and the Corps of Discovery Monument. The Interpretive Center, focused on the story of Lewis and Clark in Illinois, contains a 55-foot full-scale model of the expedition’s keel boat. Constructed by hand, the boat's mast is 30 feet high. One side of the boat is cut away to show how provisions were packed for the journey. A 17-minute film immerses visitors in the preparations and challenges facing the expedition. The nearby Monument is a memorial that chronicles Lewis and Clark's departure and and shows how the rivers have changed over the last 200 years since the time of their departure. This historic site has a spectacular view of the confluence of the Mississippi and Missouri Rivers.

For more information about the Lewis and Clark State Historic Site, see
http://www.campdubois.com

For more information about the Confluence Tower in Hartford Illinois, see
http://www.confluencetower.com