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| This bronze statue of Sacajawea (sa ka ja wee ah) is located at the Sacajawea Interpretive, Cultural, and Education Center in Salmon, Idaho. Sacajawea is a Agaidika Shoshone-Bannock Native American who was born near Salmon. She was a guide with her husband, Toussaint Charboneau, for the Lewis and Clark Expedition between 1804 and 1806. |
The new house is moving along quite well. After the Lehmi Valley trip, we returned to Idaho Falls for the week to take care of things pertaining to the new house. This week, we are traveling north again. This time, we are going to camp near Salmon, Idaho. I have yet to spend time there and look forward to discovering the area.
Salmon, Idaho, is in the top right of the black circle in the image below. The small town of about 3,000 people sits along the Salmon River and on the Lewis and Clark Trail. This scenic area is known for whitewater rafting and trout fishing.
When Lewis and Clark encountered the Salmon River, it was known as the River of No Return. For about 42% of its 425 mi (684 km), there is a massive canyon that is 1,000 ft (305 m) deeper than the Grand Canyon of the Colorado River.
Lewis and Clark were explorers hired by the U.S. Government to explore the newly acquired Louisiana Purchase. In 1803 A.D., France sold the Louisiana Territory to the U.S. Government for approximately $15 Million or about $18 per sq. mi (per 2.6 sq km). Lewis and Clark were the first to traverse this land, and the two kept detailed journals of their adventures. It is one of the reasons why their story is so well-known in American History.
Meriwether Lewis and William Clark's incredible 2 1/2 year journey with Sacajawea was around 8,000 mi (12,875 mi) and can be viewed here.
Stopping at the Sacajawea Center is a real treat. Sacajawea is well-known and considered an American Heroine, but I have never spent much time learning her story or truly understanding her role in the expedition.
When Sacajawea was 12 years old, she was captured by a neighboring tribe and held captive in North Dakota. A year later, she was sold into a non-consensual marriage to Toussaint Charbonneau, and three years later, in 1804, the two were hired by Lewis and Clark as guides/interpreters for their journey. There are only a few instances where Sacajawea provided the expedition with directions. Nevertheless, her importance to the venture cannot be understated. She helped the expedition in critical moments by negotiating with Native Americans and finding food for the expedition. She made the entire journey with her newborn, which benefited the expedition. Her motherly presence is believed to have helped Lewis and Clark easily demonstrate the peaceful nature of the venture.
The intrepid wrote in their journals, "The sight of this Indian woman, wife to one of our interpreters, confirmed those people of our friendly intentions, as no woman ever accompanies a war party of Indians in this quarter.
Her quote resonated with me "Plant an act, harvest a habit; plant a habit, harvest a character; plant a character, harvest a destiny." It demonstrates a very deliberate and mindful approach to life, which I love. The more I immersed myself in the life of Sacajawea at the center, the more I connected with her. I never expected to discover this here. Sometimes, the best moments of the day reveal themselves in unexpected ways.
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