Lewis and Clark were on their way to St. Louis to begin exploring. On this day they crossed the Mississippi and set foot on Missouri soil for the first time. They were not far from present day Charleston, MO.

This post was contributed by Ross Malone. A historian and a retired school teacher, Ross has authored many books about Missouri’s history, weird facts, and folk tales. He has also written children’s historical fiction. Visit his website, and buy his books in the Missouri Life store.