Lewis & Clark's Fort Mandan

Lewis & Clark's Fort Mandan Contact information, map and directions, contact form, opening hours, services, ratings, photos, videos and announcements from Lewis & Clark's Fort Mandan, History Museum, Intersection of US Highway 83 And ND Hwy 200A (2576 8th St SW), Washburn, ND.
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Experience engaging exhibits, hundreds of period artifacts, world-class art collections, and friendly interpreters who tell the story of the Lewis and Clark Expedition like never before.

One of the many specimens collected by Meriwether Lewis was Lomatium cous, commonly known as biscuit root. Lewis noted i...
09/01/2026

One of the many specimens collected by Meriwether Lewis was Lomatium cous, commonly known as biscuit root. Lewis noted its use and trade among indigenous nations living around the Columbia River. The root would be pounded, roasted and shaped into cakes for storage.

Did you know that Lewis and Clark sent live animals back to St. Louis on the keel boat? On April 7th of 1805 as the expe...
08/31/2026

Did you know that Lewis and Clark sent live animals back to St. Louis on the keel boat? On April 7th of 1805 as the expedition was leaving Fort Mandan the keel boat was bound to return to St. Louis with a small crew led by Richard Warfington. Being carried by the keel boat was a cargo made up of goods from different tribes, samples and findings from the expedition up to that point, some maps, and most interestingly, live animals. Contained in crates were one prairie dog, one sharp-tailed grouse, and four magpies, all heading to St. Louis on the keel boat. The prairie dog went on to live with Jefferson for a while as a pet before living the rest of its life at a museum in Philadelphia.

Come enjoy educational programs and hands-on learning activities, hosted daily at the Fort Mandan visitor center. No pre...
08/31/2026

Come enjoy educational programs and hands-on learning activities, hosted daily at the Fort Mandan visitor center. No preregistration required.

Considered one of the youngest members of the expedition (born in 1785, presumably 18-19 upon departing Camp Dubois), Ge...
08/30/2026

Considered one of the youngest members of the expedition (born in 1785, presumably 18-19 upon departing Camp Dubois), George Shannon has a rather infamous reputation among the expedition members. He is probably most well-known for getting himself lost...twice. On August 27, 1804, Shannon was reported as missing, previously being sent alongside George Douillard to track down a lost horse (one of only two they initially brought with on the expedition).
He was not found until 16 days later, nearly starving. He had reportedly managed to survive on only grapes and a rabbit he killed. This was unsurprising as Clark had once described Shannon as, “Not being a first-rate Hunter…”
A year later, he would find himself lost again. In early August, several parties were out hunting along the various forks of the Jefferson River (located in present-day southwest Montana). When the parties reconverged around the Beaverhead River, they had found Shannon had not returned. Lewis had reported sounding off a horn and several gunshots as signal to return to camp, but there was still no response. Three days later, Shannon would find his way back to the party of his own accord.

Image Credit:
"Jefferson River, Madison County, Montana near Parrot Castle"
Mike Cline, Wikipedia (given permission for public domain use).

Have you ever wondered if Lewis and Clark had coffee during their long trip? Well they did! Lewis documents purchasing 5...
08/29/2026

Have you ever wondered if Lewis and Clark had coffee during their long trip? Well they did! Lewis documents purchasing 50 pounds of coffee beans for the expedition. These beans would have been green coffee beans, meaning they were not pre roasted and would be roasted in a skillet right before being ground and brewed. While for us coffee is an everyday commodity for the expedition, coffee was often doled out as a treat or luxury due to the amount of beans Lewis brought.

Mark your calendars! Twilight Hike at Fort Mandan State Historic Site The public is invited to join the 2026 Twilight Hi...
08/28/2026

Mark your calendars! Twilight Hike at Fort Mandan State Historic Site

The public is invited to join the 2026 Twilight Hike at Fort Mandan State Historic Site in Washburn on Saturday, Sept. 19, from 6 to 7:30 p.m. The free tour will be hosted by nationally certified interpreters who will guide participants from the Fort Mandan Visitor Center along the trail beside the Missouri River.

Light the path with candles and lanterns as you explore Fort Mandan after dark. Staff will share stories of the Lewis and Clark Expedition—the men’s journey up the Missouri River, their encounters with the Mandan and Hidatsa peoples, and the search for the perfect winter camp. Inside the fort, guided tours bring the Corps of Discovery’s winter to life. Rooms glow with firelight and punched tin lanterns, showing how the men lived through long, cold evenings on the Missouri River.
“The evening tour offers a different way to experience Fort Mandan,” said Interpretive Coordinator Bethany Schatz. “Seeing the fort in the evening reveals aspects daytime programs can’t capture.” During the event, interpreters will wear clothing similar to what members of the expedition used, and attendees can try on select period garments.

This event is part of the ND250 commemoration celebrating our country’s 250th birthday.

Come in to either the Lewis & Clark Interpretive Center or the Fort Mandan Visitor's Center and ask us about our Junior ...
08/28/2026

Come in to either the Lewis & Clark Interpretive Center or the Fort Mandan Visitor's Center and ask us about our Junior Ranger program! It's easy to do and anyone can do it. As a 'reward' for finishing the book we give you(either a coloring or activity journal), you will receive a Junior ranger badge! How cool!

In February of 1806, Corps private William Bratton had reportedly begun to experience a "tedious illness". This illness ...
08/27/2026

In February of 1806, Corps private William Bratton had reportedly begun to experience a "tedious illness". This illness had continued for months, with Lewis writing on May 24, 1806:

"So weak in the loins that he is scarcely able to walk, nor can he set upwright but with the greatest pain. we have tryed every remidy which our engenuity could devise, or with which our stock of medicines furnished us, without effect."

Private John Shields had recommended the ingesting of a diaphoretic, medicines that induce sweating. Shields would specifically recommend a species of snakeroot native to southern Canada (Senega officinalis). This plant was unavailable to them, still on the eastern edges of the Rockies. Instead, they utilized a "horsemint", a name commonly given to a handful of plants in the mint (Lamiaceae) family. Many botanists believe the specific mint used was Bee Balm (Monarda fistulosa), which was quite common to the area.

The treatment Lewis gave involved "copious amounts of strong tea" and repeatedly submerging Bratton in an ice bath for 20 minutes before moving him and covering him up in blankets, to continue the sweat treatment. It’s hard to say what part of the treatment resolved the ailment, but Lewis did record that,
"Bratton feels himself much better and is walking about today and says he is nearly free from pain."

Sources:
Lewis, Meriwether. May 24, 1806. The Journals of the Lewis and Clark Expedition. 2005. U of Nebraska Press / U of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries-Electronic Text Center. 5 Oct. 2005 http://lewisandclarkjournals.unl.edu.

Townsend, Kristopher K. “Bee Balm (Horsemint)” Discover Lewis & Clark, https://lewis-clark.org/sciences/plants/bee-balm-horsemint/.

Image Credit: Krzystof Ziarnek 2022 (Creative Commons 4.0)

Our calendar says today is National Dog Day, and who could be a better ambassador for both our sites and the dogs in our...
08/26/2026

Our calendar says today is National Dog Day, and who could be a better ambassador for both our sites and the dogs in our lives? SEAMAN!!!

In honor of our four-legged companions, share a picture of your puppers in the comments.

Care to test your mettle as an explorer? Our Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center has set up a scavenger hunt for kids (o...
08/25/2026

Care to test your mettle as an explorer? Our Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center has set up a scavenger hunt for kids (of all ages) to enjoy looking through our museum. Within the 'hunt', they will learn directions(North, East, South, and West), learn how to use a binoculars, and much more! Stop in and ask our employee at the front desk.

Address

Intersection Of US Highway 83 And ND Hwy 200A (2576 8th St SW)
Washburn, ND
58577

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 5pm
Tuesday 9am - 5pm
Wednesday 9am - 5pm
Thursday 9am - 5pm
Friday 9am - 5pm
Saturday 9am - 5pm

Telephone

+18774628535

Website

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