Vincennes to Louisville

Lewis and Clark and the East bound traveling party’s return to Louisville was joyous on November 5 1806, even in the rain.⁽¹⁾⁽²⁾ 

Following the Buffalo Trace, a.k.a., The Louisville Trace, Clarksville Trace, and the Old Indian Road, surveyed shortly after the Vincennes Treaty of 1804, connected Vincennes with the Clark Grant at the Falls of the Ohio. The treaty line followed within 1/2 mile of the most northerly bend of the road.⁽³⁾ Multiple American Bison or Buffalo Trails, from Vincennes to the Falls of the Ohio are noted in Holmberg’s, Getting Out the Word. The travel time was at least 5 days.⁽⁴⁾⁽⁵⁾ The Buffalo Trail from Vincennes, IN to the Falls of the Ohio at Louisville would have followed the corridor of U.S. 50/U.S. 150 to the Fall of the Ohio and Louisville, KY.

The letters written to President Jefferson and Jonathan Clark, William Clark’s oldest brother, on 23 and 24 September, were carried east by Patrick Gass.⁽⁶⁾ As planned, the letter to Jonathan Clark announcing the successful return and exploration of the West was published in the Palladium, Frankfort, KY 2 October 1806.⁽⁷⁾

On 8 November 1806, the captains, members of the traveling party, including Sheheke his family and the Osage delegation, enjoyed a Clark Family homecoming at Locust Grove, the home of William and Lucy Clark Croghan. The elder statesman and leader, General George Rogers Clark, enjoyed seeing the success of his younger brother as box after box was opened to reveal the expedition collection.⁽⁸⁾⁽⁹⁾

York’s return home was no doubt an occasion for celebration and an opportunity to tell of the wonders of the West that included the Tribal People they met and their respect for his black skin.

In-addition to festivities, in Louisville, Lewis was clearly securing cash to finance the traveling party headed to Washington. On 9 November 1806, he wrote Bill of Exchange #117 in the amount of $400.00, to Thomas Procter, a Louisville merchant.⁽¹⁰⁾