Lewis and Clark Memorial, Kansas City

The Lewis and Clark Memorial in Kansas City stands as a tribute to one of the most significant expeditions in American history. Situated in the northern part of Case Park, specifically at Clark's Point, this bronze sculpture was created by Eugene Daub, a renowned figure in American sculpture. The memorial marks the exact location where Meriwether Lewis and William Clark, along with their Corps of Discovery, made a stop on September 15, 1806, during their return journey from the Pacific Ocean.

Unveiled in April 2000, coinciding with Kansas City’s 150th anniversary, the sculpture titled “Corps of Discovery” features lifelike figures of Captains Lewis and Clark, their Shoshone guide Sacagawea with her infant son Jean-Baptiste, York (Clark’s African-American slave), and Seaman, Lewis’ Newfoundland dog. The 18-foot-tall and 21-foot-wide bronze statue is set within a circular plaza. The plaza’s pavement, constructed from bricks salvaged from Kansas City’s original stockyards, is laid out in a geometric pattern inspired by Michelangelo’s design for Rome’s Piazza del Campidoglio.

The granite base of the statue bears an inscription from Thomas Jefferson in 1813, paying tribute to Meriwether Lewis: “Of courage undaunted and a fidelity to truth… I could have no hesitation confiding the enterprise to him.”

This commanding location, once identified by Lewis and Clark as an ideal spot for a fort due to its sweeping view of the Missouri River Valley, now offers visitors a powerful connection to the past, right in the heart of downtown Kansas City.