Missouri Town 1855, Lesson Plans

The Jackson County Parks and Recreation Department has a Historic Sites Teacher's Guide that highlights lessons to teach at Fort Osage National Historic Landmark and Missouri Town 1855.

Picture from http://www.jacksongov.org/content/7880/7890/7994/default.aspx

The Lesson plans include ideas for things to do before visiting the park, things to do at the park, and things to do after your visit.

Pre-visit activities include; doing school work without electricity and learning about non-refrigerated foods.  There is also a great vocabulary list to study.

For activities to do at the park, included are quests to find information in the Mercantile Store, Blacksmith's Shop, and Tavern as well as questions to ask the interpreters at the park, such as discussing the similarities and differences between 1850s agriculture and today's practices.

Picture from http://www.jacksongov.org/content/7880/7890/7994/default.aspx

After visiting the park, the activities include using descriptive writing to write a summary of their experiences or a letter to family about the trip.  Make a memory trip about what senses you used and what they were, and discuss time capsules and what students would put in them.

In the Teachers Guide, there is also a list of additional resources for further study.

Missouri Town 1855

Missouri Town is not a location that represents something that Lewis and Clark experienced on their Corps of Discovery journey.  It sounds like a fun place to visit and have some experiences.

Picture from http://www.jacksongov.org/content/7880/7890/7994/default.aspx

Missouri Town 1855 is located:
Fleming Park
8010 E Park Road
Lee's Summit, Missouri

Hours are:
March 1-November 15:  Tuesday-Sunday 9:00am to 4:30 pm
November 16-February 28:  Weekends only 9:00am to 4:30 pm

Admissions:  Adult $5
                    Children (5-13) $3
                    Seniors (62+) $3

Picture from http://www.jacksongov.org/content/7880/7890/7994/default.aspx

From the Jackson County Parks and Recreation Department's Historic Sites Teacher's Guide

Missouri Town 1855 is a collection of original mid-19th century structures carefully relocated from seven western Missouri counties to one site.   Over twenty-five period building including houses with barns and outbuildings, a one-room schoolhouse, church, tavern, lawyer's office, blacksmith shop and a livery stable depict a typical antebellum farming community.  Living history interpreters, in 19th century attire, bring the site to life by portraying the daily routies of village residents.

Other references for Missouri Town 1855

Missouri Town 1855

Map of Missouri Town 1855

Society of Friends of Missouri Town

Flemming Park

Fort Osage, Lesson Plans

The Jackson County Parks and Recreation Department has a Historic Sites Teacher's Guide that highlights lessons to teach at Fort Osage National Historic Landmark and Missouri Town 1855.

Picture from http://www.jacksongov.org/fortosage/

The Lesson plans include ideas for things to do before visiting the park, things to do at the park, and things to do after your visit.

Pre-visit activities include; doing school work without electricity and learning about non-refrigerated foods.  There is also a great vocabulary list to study.

For activities to do at the park, included are questions to ask the interpreters at the park, such as the differences between jobs in frontier times and current times and the experiences of living at a frontier outpost.

Picture from http://www.jacksongov.org/fortosage/

After visiting the park, the activities include using descriptive writing to write a summary of their experiences or a letter to family about the trip.  Make a memory trip about what senses you used and what they were, and discuss time capsules and what students would put in them.

In the Teachers Guide, there is also a list of additional resources for further study.

Fort Osage National Historic Landmark

This site was noted on the Corps of Discovery journey by Clark, he noted "a high commanding position, more than 70 feet above high-water mark, and overlooking the river, which is here but of little depth." Making this a suitable location for a future fort.   

Picture from http://www.jacksongov.org/fortosage/

The Fort Osage National Historic Landmark is run by the Jackson County Parks and Recreation Department.

It is located at:
107 Osage Street
Sibley, Missouri
(816)650-5737


Hours are:
Yearround -   Tuesday-Sunday 9:00am to 4:30 pm

Admissions:  Adult $7
                    Children (5-13) $4
                    Seniors (62+) $3

Picture from http://www.jacksongov.org/fortosage/

From the Jackson County Parks and Recreation Department's Historic Sites Teacher's Guide

Under the direction of William Clark, joint commander of the Lewis and Clark expedition, soldiers began construction of the Fort in 1808 to serve several purposes.  It functioned as one of the first Federal outposts in the newly acquired Louisiana Territory, housing soldiers to guard the new territory and to protect the trading post located there.  

Other references about Fort Osage National Historic Landmark:

Fort Osage National Historic Monument

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fort_Osage

http://www.nps.gov/nr/travel/lewisandclark/osa.htm

June 12, 1804

Today Lewis and Clark met three trappers, including Pierre Dorion.  Pierre Dorion was hired by the Corps of Discovery because of his experiences living with the Yankton Sioux Indians.
Journal entry by Clark

12th of June, Tuesday 1804
Set out early    passed Some bad Placies, and a Small Creek on the L. S. Called plumb Creek at abt. 1 me.    at 1 oClock we brought too two Chaussies one Loaded with furs & Pelteries, the other with Greece buffalow grease & tallow    We purchased 300 lb. of Greese, and finding that old Mr. Durioun was of the party we questioned him untill it was too late to Go further and Concluded to Camp for the night, those people inform nothing of much information
Colcluded to take old Durion [X: (who went accg)] back as fur as the Soux nation with a view to get some of their Chiefs to Visit the Presdt. of the United S.    (This man being a verry Confidential friend of those people, he having resided with the nation 20 odd years) and to accompany them on

 
Journal entries from:

Lewis, Meriwether, Clark, William, et al. September 4, 1806. The Journals of the Lewis and Clark Expedition. Ed. Gary Moulton. Lincoln: U of Nebraska Press, 2002.The Journals of the Lewis and Clark Expedition. 2005. U of Nebraska Press / U of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries-Electronic Text Center. 5 Oct. 2005 .  http://lewisandclarkjournals.unl.edu/read/?_xmlsrc=1804-06-12.xml&_xslsrc=LCstyles.xsl

June 9, 1804

On June 9, the Corps of Discovery passed Arrow Rock. 
Journal entry by Clark

a fair morning, the River rise a little    we got fast on a Snag Soon after we Set out which detained us a Short time    passed the upper Point of the Island    Several Small Chanels running out of the River below a 〈Bluff〉 [NB: cliff of rocks called the arrow rock][4] & Prarie (Called the Prariee of Arrows) where the river is confined within the width of 〈300〉 [NB: 200] yds.    Passed a Creek of 8 yds. wide Called Creek of Arrows, this Creek is Short and heads in the Praries on the L. S.    passed a Small Creek Called Blackbird Creek S. S. and One Islands below & a Prarie above on the L. S.    a Small Lake above the Prarie—    opposit the Lower point of the 2d. Island on the S. S. we had like to have Stove our boat, in going round a Snag her Stern Struck a log under Water & She Swung round on the Snag, with her broad Side to the Current expd. to the Drifting timber, by the active exertions of our party we got her off in a fiew Mints. without engerey and Crossed to the Island where we Campd.    our hunters lay on the S. S.    the Perogue Crossed without Seeing them & the banks too uncertain to Send her over—    Some wind from the S accompanied with rain this evening—    The Lands on the S. S. is a high rich bottom    the L. S. appears oven [open?] and of a good quallity runing gradually to from fifty to 100 foot.

Journal entry by Whitehouse

Satery 9    Got on our way at the usal hour    roed. 7 miles    Stopd to take dinner at the End of a large Island above the arrow prarie    the distance from the latter to the River Charrotte River[7] is 14 miles    the hunters did Not Come 〈in〉 as the Storm was Great [illegible, crossed out]    the peirouge Could not Cross for them    Roed 15 Miles

Journal entries from:

Lewis, Meriwether, Clark, William, et al. September 4, 1806. The Journals of the Lewis and Clark Expedition. Ed. Gary Moulton. Lincoln: U of Nebraska Press, 2002.The Journals of the Lewis and Clark Expedition. 2005. U of Nebraska Press / U of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries-Electronic Text Center. 5 Oct. 2005 .

June 7, 1804

Journal Entry by Clark

June 7th Thursday 1804

Set out early passed the head of the Island opposit which we Camped last night, and brackfast at the Mouth of a large Creek on the S. S. of 30 yds wide Called big Monetou, from the pt. of the Isd. or Course of last night to the mouth of this Creek is N 61° W 4½ ms. a Short distance above the mouth of this Creek, is Several Courious Paintings and Carveing in the projecting rock of Limestone inlade with white red & blue flint, of a verry good quallity,[7] the Indians have taken of this flint great quantities. We landed at this Inscription and found it a Den of rattle Snakes, we had not landed 3 minutes before three verry large Snakes wer observed on the Crevises of the rocks & Killed—    at 〈whilst from〉 the mouth of the last mentioned Creek Capt. Lewis took four or five men & went to Some 〈Creeks〉 Licks or Springs of Salt water from two to four miles up the Creek on Rt. Side    the water of those Springs are not Strong, Say from 4 to 600 Gs. of water for a Bushel of Salt    passed Some Small willow Islands and Camped at the Mouth of a Small river called Good Womans River    this river is about 35 yards wide and Said to be navagable for Perogues Several Leagues    Capt. Lewis with 2 men went up the Creek a Short distance.    our Hunters brought in three Bear this evening, and informs that the Countrey thro: which they passed from the last Creek is fine rich land, & well watered.

7. The lower Mississippian rocks (Pierson, Fern Glen, Reeds Spring, Grand Falls, Burlington, and Keokuk formations) of central Missouri are noted for their chert (flint) content. Some are mottled and colorful. Pierson cherts are red to brown; those of Fern Glen are grayish green and Reeds Springs are black; most of the remainder are cream to light gray. Howe & Koenig, 59–66.

Journal entries from:

Lewis, Meriwether, Clark, William, et al. September 4, 1806. The Journals of the Lewis and Clark Expedition. Ed. Gary Moulton. Lincoln: U of Nebraska Press, 2002.The Journals of the Lewis and Clark Expedition. 2005. U of Nebraska Press / U of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries-Electronic Text Center. 5 Oct. 2005 .  http://lewisandclarkjournals.unl.edu/read/?_xmlsrc=1804-06-07.xml&_xslsrc=LCstyles.xsl

Lesson Plans National Park Service

The National Park Service has some excellent teacher activity ideas.

http://www.nps.gov/jeff/forteachers/curriculummaterials.htm

Museum of Westward Expansion

http://www.nps.gov/jeff/forteachers/upload/mwetagk_3.pdf

Lewis and Clark Expedition

http://www.nps.gov/jeff/forteachers/loader.cfm?csModule=security/getfile&PageID=168953

Bellefontaine Cemetery - William Clark's Gravesite

This photo of Bellefontaine Cemetery is courtesy of TripAdvisor

One stop on the trip would be visiting William Clark's Gravesite in Bellefontaie Cemetery in St. Louis.

http://bellefontainecemetery.org/timeline/general-william-clark-1770-1838/

The cemetery is open daily from 8am to 5pm and is free to visit.

This photo of Bellefontaine Cemetery is courtesy of TripAdvisor

June 1, 1804

Today the Corps of Discovery reaches the mouth of the Osage River.
Journal entry by Clark

a fair morning    Set out at 5 oClk    pass a remarkable Coal Hill on the Larboard Side Called by the French Carbonere, this hill appear to Contain great quantity of Coal & ore of a [blank] appearance[8]    from this hill the village of St Charles may be Seen at 7 miles distance—    we arrived at St. Charles at 12 oClock    a number Spectators french & Indians flocked to the bank to See the party. This Village is about one mile in length, Situated on the North Side of the Missourie at the foot of a hill from which it takes its name Petiete Coete [NB: petite côte] or the Little hill    This village Contns. about 100 [NB: frame] houses, the most of them Small and indefferent and about 450 inhabitents Chiefly French, those people appear pore, polite & harmonious—    I was invited to Dine with a Mr. Ducett [NB: Duquet]    this gentleman was once a merchant from Canadia, from misfortunes aded to the loss of a Cargo Sold to the late Judge Turner[9] he has become Somewhat reduced, he has a Charming wife an eligent Situation on the hill Serounded by orchards & a excellent gardain.

Journal entry by Ordway

Friday June 1st 1804.    we Set out from Panther or Grind stone Creek at 5 oC    a fair day.    came 1½ miles    passed Big Muddy Creek[7] on N. Side    R. high    Banks on S. Side    came 2½ miles    passed Bear Creek.    arrived at the Osage River at 4 oC. P. M    We Encamped & fell a nomber of Trees in the Point for the 〈purpose of〉 Captains Takeing observations

Journal entry by Gass

Friday 1st June, 1804.    Before daylight we embarked and proceeded on our voyage; passed Big Muddy creek on the north side; and on the opposite side saw high banks. Two and an half miles higher up, we passed Bear creek and at 4 o'clock P. M. arrived at the Osage river; where we remained during the evening and the next day. The Osage river is 197[8] yards wide at its confluence with the Missouri, which, at this place, is 875 yards broad. The country on the south side is broken, but rich: and the land on the other of a most excellent quality. The two men who went by land with the horses, came to us here: they represented the land they had passed through as the best they had ever seen, and the timber good, consisting chiefly of oak, ash, hickory, and black walnut.[9] They had killed in their way five deer. The periogue left at the mouth of Gaskenade river, came up with the man who had been lost. Here our hunters went out and killed three deer. The Osage nation of Indians live about two hundred miles up this river. They are of a large size and well proportioned, and a very warlike people. Our arms and ammunition were all inspected here and found in good order.

Journal entries quoted from:

Lewis, Meriwether, Clark, William, et al. September 4, 1806. The Journals of the Lewis and Clark Expedition. Ed. Gary Moulton. Lincoln: U of Nebraska Press, 2002.The Journals of the Lewis and Clark Expedition. 2005. U of Nebraska Press / U of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries-Electronic Text Center. 5 Oct. 2005 . http://lewisandclarkjournals.unl.edu/read/?_xmlsrc=1804-06-01.xml&_xslsrc=LCstyles.xsl