Overview
The Lewis and Clark Expedition bicentennial is producing an unprecedented flurry of interest in the United States, and an array of commemorative activities are being planned in the regions visited by the Corps of Discovery.During the 28-month trek (1804-06), Captain William Clark dutifully surveyed the expedition's route by taking continual compass readings to determine directions while estimating distances between geographic points. Clark assumed that his painstakingly recorded ""surveyed traverse"" would be converted into well-crafted, accurate maps by cartographers soon after the journey's completion. For a variety of reasons, this did not occur--until now. By using measurements, notes, maps, and sketches in Clark's records as well as other sources, Martin Plamondon II has accomplished the cartographic reconstruction that Clark expected upon the expedition's return. Volume I is the first of a three-volume set delineating the Corps' journey. The first volume includes 153 full-page maps of the Missouri River from Illinois to North Dakota. In addition to presenting key geographic and historic features, the maps compare the modern beds of rivers to their courses at the time of the exploration. The contrast is striking between what Lewis and Clark saw and what we see today. The ever meandering Missouri River, in particular, has changed its channel hundreds of times since the men of the expedition fought its currents. Even Clark commented on the return trip in 1806 that some sections fo the river were barely recognizable compared to when they passed by two years earlier. Modern America likewise has wrought great change. Of further interest in Volume I are the many excerpts from the expedition diaries, an insightful essay on frontier surveying, and cartographic indexes. Plamondon's years of careful cartographic reconstruction have resulted in a captivating and never-before-seen record of the American West.
Full Product Details
Author: Martin Plamondon II ,
Martin Plamondon II
Publisher: Washington State University Press
Imprint: Washington State University Press
Volume: 1
Dimensions:
Width: 22.90cm
, Height: 1.90cm
, Length: 30.50cm
Weight: 0.885kg
ISBN: 9780874222340
ISBN 10: 0874222346
Pages: 206
Publication Date: 13 September 2000
Audience:
General/trade
,
General
Format: Spiral bound
Publisher's Status: Active
Availability: In Print
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Reviews
A multi-layered masterwork. Plamondon's work is nothing short of a brilliant effort created by a man obviously obsessed with detail. --Columbia Magazine An extraordinary work. With his eye for detail, his understanding of the story of the Corps of Discovery, and his abilities as a cartographer, Plamondon has given us a gift of immense importance. --Barb Kubik, past president, Lewis and Clark Trail Heritage Foundation As never before, we can now see clearly the explorers' trail. William Clark would love these maps. -- Gary Moulton, editor of The Journals of the Lewis and Clark Expedition Plamondon's reconstruction of those maps helps modern-day explorers reconstruct the world that the Corps of Discovery saw with fresh eyes. --Dayton Duncan, author of Out West and Lewis & Clark: The Journey of the Corps of Discovery
Author Information
Martin Plamondon II of Vancouver, Washington, was a chairman of the Governor's Washington Lewis and Clark Trail Committee. His long-term research in exploration history and 28 years of experience as a professional cartographer provided the unique set of skills required to complete the trail maps.
