North Dakota - Block #7

 

BY October 24th, the expedition was well north of present Bismarck and approching the Mandan villages. The captains knew from their research in St. Louis that the Mandans (and their neighbors and allies) were the center of the Northern Plains trade, attracting Indians from vast distances. This was the location the expedition would spend the winter. Relations with the Mandans was excellent and the Indians were delighted that the expedition would spend the next five months as their neighbors.