Philadelphia, PA. to Gettysburg, PA.
140 miles
Field Notes:
Leaving Washington DC on March 15, 1803, Meriwether Lewis traveled via
horseback (route in gold) through the eastern towns preparing
himself for the western expedition. Lewis attended crash
courses on botany, paleontology, navigation and field medicine.
Purchased guns, tomahawks and knives and sent an invitation to William
Clark to co-command the expedition.
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Clark Trail Points of Interest (highlighted below)
from Philadelphia to Gettsyburg on your
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POINT OF INTEREST: Philadelphia, PA. - Academy of Natural Sciences of
Philadelphia, Lewis and Clark Herbarium. More than 200 dried, preserved
plant specimens were brought back by the explorers.
POINT OF INTEREST Lancaster, PA - Sehner-Ellicott -von Hess
House,Andrew Ellicott's former home. Lewis conferred with astronomer
Andrew Ellicott to learn to plot latitude and longitude before leading
the expedition.
Gettysburg, PA- On June 10, 1803, a Conestoga wagon loaded to
capacity with 3500 pounds of supplies and equipment destined for the
western expedition left Philadelphia. At a rate of ten to twelve miles a
day it traveled through the towns of Lancaster, York, Gettysburg and
arrived at Harper's Ferry on June 28. Crossing the Appalachian Mountains
the Conestoga wagon arrived at Pittsburgh on July 22. The only
member of the Corps living during the Civil War was
Patrick Gass.
POINT OF INTEREST: Gettysburg National Military Park
(National Park Service).
