Pompey's Pillar National Monument

Our one stop today between Red Lodge and Medora, North Dakota was Pompey's Pillar National Monument.  Pompey's Pillar is a rock that sits along the Yellowstone River.  William Clark, of the Lewis and Clark expedition stopped here on his way to meet up with Meriwether Lewis on their return trip to St. Louis.  He named the rock after Sacagawea's son, whose nickname was Pomp.  Clark saw some carvings on the sandstone formation from earlier people and decided to add his name to the rock.  It is protected by glass so that no one looking to carve their name in the rock can deface it.  

Pompey's Pillar

Just on the walk to the Visitor Center, I had three mosquitoes get on my arm, so I went back to the motorhome to get some bug spray.   Henry and I toured the Visitor Center while Jeff got some work done.  Ruth took Dramamine before we left Red Lodge and she was sleeping.  They came later to meet us as we walked out to the rock to see William Clarks' carving.

Reproduction of Clark Signature

It's difficult to photograph the carving because of the glass, so the Visitor Center has a replica of the carving on display.  I took a photo of that because it is easier to see.

Actually, lots of people besides William Clark have carved their name in the rock - some back in the 1800's but sadly, many more recently.  We looked for the pictographs or petroglyphs that Clark mentioned, but couldn't find any.

Actual carving on Pompey's Pillar

From high atop Pompey's Pillar, Clark said he could see elk and bison, as well as the river and mountains in the distance.  The view from the top (which gave us all great exercise getting there, I might add) was incredible.  Henry and I both wish we could see the prairie covered with bison and elk, as it was back when Clark traveled through North Dakota.

Visitor Center