Day-by-Day / December 6, 1803

December 6, 1803

Passing the Meramec River

Meramec River, MO As the expedition nears St. Louis, Lewis travels by land ahead of Clark, who is with the boats. Clark camps above the Meramec River.

Meramec River

Meramec Springs Park, March 1973. Courtesy U.S. National Park Service, Gateway Arch National Park.

passed the mouth of the Merrenek and came to at a farm ¾ of a mile above, this River is about 110 yards wide at its mouth.
—William Clark

News of Lewis

A Dark wet morning I was informed this morning that Capt Lewis passd by this place yesterday on his way to St Louis.
—William Clark

Discover More

The Lewis and Clark Expedition: Day by Day by Gary E. Moulton (University of Nebraska Press, 2018). The story in prose, 14 May 1804–23 September 1806.
The Lewis and Clark Journals: An American Epic of Discovery (abridged) by Gary E. Moulton (University of Nebraska Press, 2003). Selected journal excerpts, 14 May 1804–23 September 1806.
The Lewis and Clark Journals. by Gary E. Moulton (University of Nebraska Press, 1983–2001). The complete story in 13 volumes.

This page was funded in part by the Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail, U.S. National Park Service.

This site is provided as a public service by the

Lewis and Clark Trail Heritage Foundation
with cooperation and funding from the following organizations:

Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail
Montana Committee for the Humanities
Idaho Governor's Lewis and Clark Trail Committee
The Capital Gallery (Lewis and Clark Fort Mandan Foundation)
Yellowstone Public Radio

Unless otherwise noted, journal excerpts are from The Journals of the Lewis and Clark Expedition, edited by Gary E. Moulton, 13 vols. (Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press, 1983-2001).