In Ft Pierre, SD, where the Bad River dumps into the Misouri River, there is a marker where L&C were forced to spend 3 days giving gifts to the Sioux indians before they were allowed to continue North. Two years later, on their way back, they were told to stop and give up more trinkets but with the fast moving current they flipped them off and kept going.
The site of the Verndrye marker is also in Ft Pierre. The Verndrye brothers buried a lead plate in the 1700’s claiming the land for France which became the Louisiana Purchase. The plate was found by some kids digging on a Ft Pierre hiltop in the 1920’s.
I grew up in Pierre.
Very interesting thanks we are in Sandpoint w friends heading into Montana ina few days. Nice to see mountains after so much sagebrush