First Dilemmas with Transportation - 6 July to 22 July 1803

Lewis arrived at the Harpers Ferry Arsenal on 6 July, and learns that the supplies had not been taken by the wagon from Philadelphia. Arranging for another wagon, Lewis examined the supplies, "shot my guns and found the quality be good". ⁽¹⁾

Small Wagon

Courtesy: National Park Service

Leaving the United States Arsenal at the confluence of the Potomac and Shenandoah Rivers, he traveled a familiar road and arrived in Pittsburgh on 15 July to learn that the keel boat was not complete. Disappointment would be an understatement, Lewis' letters for more than a month tell the frustration he experienced with the boat and boat builder ⁽²⁾

David Gilbert, National Park Service’s, masterful research, and brochure, https://www.nps.gov/hafe/learn/historyculture/route-from-harpers-ferry-va-to-pittsburgh-pa.htm provides the historic route traveled by Lewis. Today the route would follow the corridor of WV 9 to US 40 (National Road) to PA 43 passing near Elizabeth and into Pittsburgh.

At Uniontown, Lewis would have been approximately 15 miles for Albert Gallatin’s Friendship Hill.

Albert Gallatin Sculpture

Courtesy: National Park Service- Friendship Histional Historic Site

Albert Gallatin is almost forgotten in the Lewis and Clark Story, except for the river named for him in 1805. Lewis remembered and recognized the behind-the-scenes energy of the Swiss-born secretary of treasury had devoted to the planning of the expedition. ⁽³⁾

With the water falling in the Ohio River, the only positive event was the receipt of Clark's acceptance to be the co-Captain of the expedition. Clark's immediate judgement concerning the qualifications for the expedition men was pleasing to Lewis. Surely, Seaman, Lewis' newly purchased Newfoundland Dog, gave him some diversion from the slow progress with the keel boat delayed construction.

Seaman

An outstanding recreational opportunity is the Great Allegheny Passage Trail (https://gaptrail.org/) with a Trail-head at the confluence of the Allegheny-Monongahela-Ohio Rivers (36 AC Point State Park, 601 Commonwealth Place, Pittsburgh). The Trail Head is approximately one mile from the location of Old Fort Fayette, along the Allegheny River, within Pittsburgh, see map above. Biking and hiking along the 150- mile GAP Trail to the southern trail head, Cumberland Maryland, is an outstanding historical and recreational exploration. The Three Rivers Trail (https://friendsoftheriverfront.org/homepage/three-rivers-heritage-trail/) follows the Monongahela and is part of the Great Allegheny Passage Trail.