14 May - The Lewis and Clark Expedition departs on its historical journey 1804

 On May 14, 1804, the Lewis and Clark Expedition, also known as the Corps of Discovery Expedition, departed from St. Louis, Missouri, on its historic journey across the western United States. Led by Meriwether Lewis and William Clark, the expedition was commissioned by President Thomas Jefferson to explore the newly acquired Louisiana Territory and to find a route to the Pacific Ocean.

The expedition consisted of a diverse group of approximately 45 men, including soldiers, interpreters, hunters, and boatmen. Over the course of the next two years and four months, the expedition would travel thousands of miles by foot, horseback, and by boat up the Missouri River, across the Rocky Mountains, and down the Columbia River to the Pacific Coast.

Along the way, Lewis and Clark documented previously uncharted territory, encountered and established relationships with Native American tribes, collected scientific data, and paved the way for future exploration and settlement of the American West. Their journey remains one of the most important and celebrated expeditions in American history, symbolizing the spirit of adventure, discovery, and exploration that characterized the early years of the United States.