How much did the presence of Sacajawea, a young Agaidika Indian mother
and her child affect the success of the Lewis and Clark Corps of
Discovery in the early years of the 19th century? According to members
of her tribe, the land the expedition crossed was well-known to dozens
of tribes, who fiercely defended their territory. A group the size of
the Corps could easily have been mistaken for a war party and paid with
their lives for trespassing. However, because of the presence of a woman
and child, the intruders’ intentions were interpreted as peaceful.
Learn the stories behind Sacajawea and her influence on Lewis and Clark,
and about village life of Native Americans when the United States was
only a couple dozen years old — when most Native Americans had never
seen a white person — at the 71-acre Sacajawea Interpretive, Cultural
and Education Center in Salmon, Idaho. Created for travelers along the
Lewis and Clark Trail, the visitor center’s Interpretive Trail, outdoor
amphitheater, demonstrations, performances and re-enactments bring
Sacajawea’s ancestral home to life.
Parking for large rigs makes the center easily accessible to RVers.
For more information, call (208) 756-1188, or go to sacajaweacenter.org.
