Meriwether Lewis and William Clark met in Louisville, actually forming their historic partnership, on October 14, 1803. Almost one-third of the members of the Expedition were from the Louisville area, including co-leader William Clark and his enslaved African American York.

The nucleus of the Corps of Discovery was enlisted at the Falls of the Ohio. These nine recruits became known as the “Nine Young Men from Kentucky” and became some of the most important members of the Corps. Together with the captains and York, the successful foundation for the expedition was therefore laid at the Falls of the Ohio.

Because of its significance to the expedition, the Falls of the Ohio was chosen by the National Council of the Lewis and Clark Bicentennial as the site of the second Lewis & Clark National Signature Event in October 2003.

• View a brochure on Lewis and Clark at the Falls of the Ohio with a listing of expedition-related sites in the area
• Timeline of Lewis and Clark at the Falls
• Read the Falls of the Ohio historical marker