November 23, 1803
Lewis and Clark were still making their way toward St. Louis when they arrived at Cape Girardeau. Lewis was the dinner guest of Louis Lorimier. Clark was not welcome. Read more about this in Tales From Missouri and the Heartland. Lewis noted that there was also a group of “duch” (German) settlers who had already erected mills and a group of about 400 Shawnee.
TRIVIA: Clark was not welcome in Lorimier’s home because, years earlier, his older brother, George Rogers Clark, had burned Lorimier’s trading post and run him out of Ohio. This was because of the actions of Lorimier and his Shawnee allies during the French and Indian War. The 400 Shawnee came with Lorimier to Missouri. While in Missouri the Shawnee were operating ferry boats and other small businesses.
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.
Related Posts
November 28, 1803
Lewis and Clark visited the oldest permanent settlement in Missouri, Ste. Genevieve.
November 23, 1871
The Missouri School of Mines and Metallurgy opened in Rolla. It is now the Missouri University of Science and Technology.
November 21, 1803
Lewis and Clark were struggling to get upstream. On this day they passed the area of New Madrid going toward Cape Girardeau.