Lewis & Clark Scenic Byway
Fort Atkinson State Historical Park, NE

This Nebraska state park commemorates the first and largest military post west of the Missouri River. In 1804, Lewis and Clark met with Native Americans on the "Council Bluff" near the spot where Fort Atkinson was later located. The long promontory overlooking the Missouri River was often a gathering place for Native Americans, fur traders, and soldiers. Clark reported that the site was ideal for a military fort. Accordingly, Fort Atkinson was established in 1820. From 1820 to 1827, it had a garrison of 1,000 soldiers within its walls. Fort Atkinson was an important gateway to the fur region of the Upper Missouri and the Rocky Mountains. It was abandoned in 1827 to concentrate efforts further south where there was more traffic going west.