Calumet Bluff is a hill about 180 feet high overlooking

Lewis and Clark Lake Lewis and Clark Lake is a 31,400 acre (130 km²) reservoir located on the border of the U.S. states of Nebraska and South Dakota on the Missouri River. The lake is approximately in length with over of shoreline and a maximum water dep ...

and the Missouri River in

Cedar County Cedar County may refer to: * Cedar County, Iowa * Cedar County, Missouri * Cedar County, Nebraska * Cedar County, Choctaw Nation * Cedar County, Washington The list of county secession proposals in the United States includes proposed new co ...

Nebraska Nebraska () is a state in the Midwestern region of the United States. It is bordered by South Dakota to the north; Iowa to the east and Missouri to the southeast, both across the Missouri River; Kansas to the south; Colorado to the southwe ...

U.S. The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territori ...

, where the

Lewis and Clark Expedition The Lewis and Clark Expedition, also known as the Corps of Discovery Expedition, was the United States expedition to cross the newly acquired western portion of the country after the Louisiana Purchase. The Corps of Discovery was a select gro ...

held its first council with the Sioux Indians for two days in 1804. Today the Bluff forms the right or south abutment of the

Gavins Point Dam Gavins Point Dam is a long embankment rolled-earth and chalk-fill dam which spans the Missouri River and impounds Lewis and Clark Lake. The dam joins Cedar County, Nebraska with Yankton County, South Dakota a distance of 811.1 river miles (1,30 ...

. The

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers , colors = , anniversaries = 16 June (Organization Day) , battles = , battles_label = Wars , website = , commander1 = ...

maintains the Lewis and Clark Visitor Center and the Gavins Point Project Administration Offices on Calumet Bluff overlooking the dam.

History

The Lewis and Clark Expedition's Corps of Discovery camped below Calumet Bluff during the period of August 28 to September 1, 1804. In his diary, Clark noted the bluff was "Called White Bear Clift, one of those animals haveing been killed in a whole in it ic" The bluff is often called "White Bear Cliff" in historical records, but is now more commonly called Calumet Bluffs. A "Calumet" refers to a peace pipe, his is a misinterpretation, at that time it was a name given to a Golden Eagle; eagles nest on bluffs and their feathers were probably on the peace pipe To this day, the bluff matches Lewis and Clark's description of it as "composed of a yellowish red, and brownish clay as hard as chalk." It was at Calumet Bluff that the Corps had their first encounter with the Yankton-Sioux Tribe on August 30, 1804, meeting with them for two days. Folklore claims that a male child was born into the Yankton tribe while Lewis and Clark were meeting with them on Calumet Bluff. When he heard this, Capt. Lewis had the child brought forward and wrapped him in an American flag. Lewis predicted that the boy would become a leader of his tribe and a friend of the white men. The child grew up to be the famous Yankton Chief Padaniapapi, or "Struck By The Ree." Today, Calumet Bluff is a Federally-protected area by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) as a part of the Lewis and Clark Lake - Gavins Point Dam Project and is located along the

Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail The Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail is a route across the United States commemorating the Lewis and Clark Expedition of 1804 to 1806. It is part of the National Trails System of the United States. It extends for some from Pittsburgh, Pe ...

. The USACE maintains two scenic overlooks and the Calumet Bluff Trail - a 0.9 mile hiking trail along the bluffs overlooking the lake.

Gallery

File: Calumet Bluff and Gavins Point Dam.jpg, From the east, the Bluff appears behind the Gavins Point Dam, for which it forms the right or south abutment. File: Gavins-point-dam1.jpg, Calumet Bluff can be seen beside the Gavins Point Dam and Power Plant. The Missouri River spills through the dam below the bluff. File:LewisandClarkLakefromCalumetBluffNE.jpg, View of Lewis and Clark Lake from Calumet Bluff overlook and hiking trail.

References

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External links

Gavins Point Dam & Lewis & Clark Lake, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

Further Information

*

" National Park Service, Survey of Historic Sites and Buildings.

National Park Service
Lewis and Clark Visitor Center at Calumet Bluff
- Lewis and Clark Trail Historic sites in Nebraska Protected areas of Cedar County, Nebraska Landforms of Cedar County, Nebraska Hills of Nebraska Tourist attractions in Cedar County, Nebraska Federal lands in Nebraska Hiking trails in Nebraska

History

Gallery

See also

References

External links

Further Information