York the Explorer Project

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The Lewis and Clark Expedition, also known as The Corps of Discovery, began on May 14, 1804, going by boat up the Missouri River. Both Clark and Lewis wrote detailed journal entries chronicling the journey and encounters with foreign places, animals and dangerous situations. They also wrote about York and his contributions. During the journey York lived and worked as a free person. He helped gather wild plants and vegetables, worked from sun up until sun down to ensure the safety of Clark and the other explorers and he provided valuable input on major decisions affecting the health and welfare of the expedition. In late October, the explorers decided to stop for the winter and build a small fort near the villages of two Native American tribes, the Mandan and the Hidatsa. The tribesmen had never seen anyone like York. They believed that the brown on his skin would wash away. York was named “big medicine,” and the people of the tribe admired him.