By Horse to Big Bone, Cincinnati, OH

Ft. Washington was built in 1789-1790 at Losantiville, later renamed Cincinnati, across from the Licking River. Lewis wrote to Jefferson on 3 October 1803, advising that he had arrived in Cincinnati on 28 September with a need to resupply the keel boat and rest his men. On 1 October he sent his men and the boats to Big Bone Creek, on the south side and down the Ohio River.⁽¹⁾ 

Thomas Jefferson’s curiosity was insatiable, including hopes of finding living Mammoths and Megatherium during the expedition. Information describing Big Bone Lick was first recorded by French Captain Longueil in the 1729 Map of Jacques Nicolas Bellin and noted by traveler Nicholas Cresswell in 1775.⁽²⁾ More broadly disseminated information by John Filson’s 1784 Map of Kentucke and Filson’s best-selling book, The Discovery, Settlement and Present State of Kentucke, significantly raised the interest in Big Bone Lick and the Mammoth bones. George Turner, a member of the American Philosophical Society, further stirred interest of Dr. Caspar Wistar, Charles Wilson Peale, and Thomas Jefferson in securing a complete skeleton of the Mammoth for a full examination.⁽³⁾ Dr. Goforth, of Cincinnati, was a source for securing the large bones and knew their location. The Doctor guided Lewis to Big Bone Lick for the purpose of securing mastodon bones for President Jefferson. 

The route Lewis and Goforth followed was not recorded but most likely followed the old Bison (Buffalo) Trail which followed the incline from the Ohio River, in the vicinity of today’s Roebling Bridge and Licking River, to Union, KY then Big Bone Lick. Bison Trails were recorded being as much as 15 feet wide and as hard as stone from continuous use by the 800-2000-pound animals. Even with urban development and Interstate highways, the route today can be traced by using: West Pike Street though Covington connecting with U.S. 25 (Dixie Highway) through Park Hills, Ft. Wright, Erlanger, Florence, to U.S. 42 in Union then to KY 338 (Beaver Road) to the Big Bone Historic Site.⁽⁴⁾

The letter Lewis wrote Jefferson, on 3 October 1803, fully describes the investigation before going to Big Bone Lick and the on-sight finding at Big Bone Lick. Clearly, the length of the letter and detailed description of preparation to travel to Big Bone Lick describes the importance of the trip Thomas Jefferson had requested.⁽⁵⁾

Lewis would have followed Big Bone Creek to his crew and the keel boat at present day Big Bone Landing, Boone County, KY. KY 338, and KY 1925, follow the drainage to Big Bone Landing.⁽⁶⁾ By road today, the distance is approximately 3 miles.

Unfortunately, the Lewis collection of bones was lost in a boating accident near Natchez. President Jefferson never gave up and directed Wm. Clark to return to Big Bone in 1807. Clarks’ excavation crew included his brother Gen. George Rogers Clark and York. The three (3) week dig resulted in an eleven (11) page letter to Jefferson detailing the findings and a conclusion about the collection and site. The 1807 excavation and report became the foundation of vertebrate paleontology as a science. ⁽⁷⁾⁽⁸⁾ During Clark’s excavation, attended by Dr. Goforth, flint points were found and retained by the Doctor. The unquestionable provenance for the points can be seen in In Search of Ice Age Americans. Similar flint points were later found near Clovis, NM thus their name. In reality, the flint arrow points should be called Big Bone Points. ⁽⁹⁾

Note: The Lewis and Clark Trust appreciates the on-site research for Lewis and Dr. Goforth’s route of travel from the Licking River-Ohio River confluence to Big Bone Lick by Ralph G. Wolf and Woodrow Schuster. https://www.nps.gov/places/big-bone-lick-state-historic-site.htm