For history buffs, adventurers, map lovers, and those in awe and envy of the pioneering spirit of early explorers, Meriwether Lewis and William Clark, of Lewis and Clark Expedition, are heroes.
Tasked by President Jefferson in 1804 to find an all water route from the Atlantic to Pacific the 35 member team made up of diplomats, scientists, and navigators trekked off into the unknown. Though the all-water route was never found the maps, documented plant and animal species, and the good relations created with the native Indian people ensured the trip was not a complete loss when they returned in 1806.
Upon his arrival home, the President Jefferson appointed Lewis Governor of the Upper Louisiana Territory as a reward for a job well done.
In 1809 Meriwether Lewis, was traveling along the Natchez Trace on his way to Washington D.C. to meet with President Jefferson to discuss questionable financial matters that needed resolved.
He stayed overnight at the Grinder Stand, and some time in the morning hours of October 11, 1809 gunshots were heard. Lewis was found with two gunshot wounds, one to the head the other in his chest.
The design of the monument is a broken column representing a life cut short.
John thought all this was great, but what about looking for rocks? Ok let’s see what we can find.
We came across this historic area and it is the last of our historic tour of this area of the Natchez Trace.
What does this have to do with rocks you ask? The slag pile of course! John went hunting for slag rock.
Off he went and low and behold he found some slag rock.
We took a short hike down a rocky path, with me complaining all the way because I had on my slip on shoes and not my sneakers. Again Will I Never Learn. Remember that post?
Anywho, off we go.
When we get to the stream, I try to see what the travelers saw in the stream bed but, I just don’t get it.
The last part of the trip took us down a path that looked not man made, but high water stream carved.
John pondered how they might have controlled the stream flow.
Pretty ingenious back then. They didn’t have a hardware store to run to. If they needed a tool they had to make all of the material before even making the tool.
And this ends our tourist time. Next stop Campbellsville, Kentucky for John; he is working at Amazon and I am heading to North Carolina. Grandbaby number 5 is due any day now and Mama and Daddy need help.
