Ambrose, Stephen E. Undaunted Courage: Meriwether Lewis, Thomas Jefferson, and the Opening of the American West. New York, 1996.
Exciting, well-told story of the expedition, but William Clark's role is minimized.
Barnhart, John D., and Dorothy L. Riker. Indiana to 1816: The Colonial Period. Indianapolis, 1971.
Standard source for the period.
Clanin, Douglas E., ed. The Papers of William Henry Harrison, 1800-1815. Indianapolis, 1994-1999.
This ten-reel microfilm edition (with printed guide) is the standard for Harrison materials.
Holmberg, James J., ed. Dear Brother: Letters of William Clark to Jonathan Clark. New Haven, Conn., 2002.
Over fifty letters, most discovered in 1988, written by Clark before, during, and after the expedition provide fascinating insights about Clark and his time. Extensive footnotes are invaluable.
Holmberg, James J. Lewis and Clark at the Falls of the Ohio: A Timeline. Typescript, 2001.
A very useful document with sources, compiled by the curator of Special Collections, The Filson Historical Society, Louisville, Ky.
Jackson, Donald, ed. Letters of the Lewis and Clark Expedition with Related Documents, 1783-1854. 2nd ed. Chicago, 1978.
Extensive and invaluable work provides context before, during, and after the expedition, and an annotated bibliography.
Moulton, Gary E., ed. The Journals of the Lewis & Clark Expedition. 13 vols. Lincoln, Neb., 1983-2001.
The most extensive and complete presentation of the primary sources from and on the expedition; includes the Lewis and Clark journals and other materials located after publication of prior versions of the journals.
Philbrick, Francis S., ed. The Laws of Indiana Territory, 1801-1809. Indianapolis, 1931.
Reprinted from Illinois publication (1930) with supplemental Indiana materials.
Smith, Dwight L., and Ray Swick, eds. A Journey through the West: Thomas Rodney's 1803 Journal from Delaware to the Mississippi Territory. Athens, Ohio, 1997.
Rodney gives a detailed account of his travels to the Mississippi Territory. On several occasions he encounters, and spends time with, Lewis and Clark as they prepare for the expedition.
Thompson, Charles N. Sons of the Wilderness: John and William Conner. 2nd ed. Noblesville, Ind., 1988.
Contains valuable information about early Indiana history.
Additional Resources:
Betts, Robert B. In Search of York: The Slave Who Went to the Pacific with Lewis and Clark. 2nd ed. Boulder, Colo., 2000.
Biography of York, William Clark's slave, updated with an epilogue by James J. Holmberg.
[Biddle, Nicholas, ed.]. History of the Expedition under the Command of Captains Lewis and Clark . . . . 2 vols. Philadelphia, 1814.
Biddle accepted the job of editing the expedition journals from William Clark after Lewis' suicide. There was to be a third volume of scientific material which was not accomplished, leaving the image of the expedition as a romantic adventure.
Coues, Elliott, ed. History of the Expedition under the Command of Lewis and Clark . . . . 1893. 3 vols. New York, 1965; reprinted as The History of the Lewis and Clark Expedition . . . . New York, n.d. [1970-1980?].
Coues, an ornithologist, realized the value of the scientific materials in the journals, worked from the original journals, and provided extensive footnotes on geography, ethnology, and natural history.
Thwaites, Reuben Gold, ed. Original Journals of the Lewis and Clark Expedition, 1804-1806. 8 vols. New York, 1904-1905.
The journals and other documents are transcribed literally; many new items were added that had not been available for the Coues edition. There is an extensive index.
Internet Resources:
Located in Clarksville, Indiana; is an official site on Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail. Has information about the Falls of the Ohio Lewis and Clark Bicentennial Committee.
Gillette, Lance, comp. Bibliography of the Lewis and Clark Expedition
Indiana Lewis and Clark Bicentennial Commission
Highlights Indiana's important role in the expedition and lists events to commemorate the expedition.
Jefferson's West
From Monticello, provides good information and timeline of expedition.
Lewis and Clark Expedition, American Treasures in the Library of Congress
Provides images of related primary sources. See also information on an exhibition at the Library of Congress.
Lewis and Clark Trail Heritage Foundation, Inc.
Brings public attention and appreciation to the expedition's contribution to America's heritage; supports education, research, development, and preservation of the Lewis and Clark experience.
National Council of the Lewis and Clark Bicentennial 2003-2006
Celebrates the achievements of the expedition and promotes the natural, historical, and cultural resources that are part of the Lewis and Clark story. Provides national timetable of commemorative events.