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Camp Disappointment
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Camp Disappointment, 1975, view from meadow campsite northeast toward buffalo jump and creek
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| Nearest city: | Browning, Montana |
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| Built: | 1806 |
| Governing body: | Private |
| NRHP Reference#: | 66000434 |
| Significant dates | |
| Added to NRHP: | October 15, 1966[1] |
| Designated NHL: | May 23, 1966[2] |
Camp Disappointment is the northernmost campsite of the Lewis and Clark expedition, on its return trip from the Pacific Northwest.[2] The site is on private land within the Blackfeet Indian Reservation in Glacier County, Montana. It is located along the south bank of Cut Bank Creek and 12 miles (19 km) northeast of Browning, Montana. Glacier National Park can be seen in the distance.[1] The modern Canada–United States border with Montana is the 49th parallel north.[3]
The campsite was used by a detachment of the expedition from July 22-26, 1806.[4][5] Captain Meriwether Lewis, George Drouillard, the two Fields brothers—Joseph and Reubin—, possibly five more men,[6] along with six horses,[5] were exploring the Marias River in an attempt to show that the Missouri River watershed extended to the 50th parallel north in order to claim more land for the United States under the Louisiana Purchase.[6] However, they discovered that the watershed does not extend to the 50th parallel and consequently named their campsite Camp Disappointment. Lewis called the site which is shaded by cottonwood trees a "beautiful and extensive bottom".[1] Since it was overcast and damp throughout their stay the expedition could not make any astronomical observations.[5] This part of the expedition split off from William Clark's group at the Great Falls of the Missouri on July 16.[5]
On the morning of July 26, they left the camp to head back and that evening met eight Blackfeet Indians, the first members of that tribe the expedition had met. They seemed friendly and set camp together for the night, but that night the Blackfeet tried to steal the expedition's guns because the expedition said it would trade with all tribes in the area, including Blackfeet enemies, and members of the expedition killed two of the Blackfeet. These were the only Indians killed during the entire expedition.[6] This fight occurred by the Two Medicine River and became known as the Two Medicine Fight.[7][8]
In 1925 the Great Northern Railway erected a monument similar to the Washington Monument and a sign four miles south of the campsite reached on July 23, 1806. This is near mile marker 233 and several hundred yards north of U.S. Route 2.[1] Access to the campsite is only via a primitive road just west of this marker.[5] It was declared both a National Historic Landmark and listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1966.[1][2] The site is relatively unchanged since the expedition camped here. Trees are primarily found along creeks and the terrain is broken.[5]
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