Beaverhead Rock

Beaverhead Rock, also known as Point of Rocks, is a rock formation overlooking the Beaverhead River in Montana protected as Beaverhead Rock State Park. It is located on Montana State Highway 41, twelve miles (19 km) south of Twin Bridges, Madison County. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1970.[3] The site may be viewed and photographed from a distance, but is not directly accessible.[4]

Beaverhead Rock-Lewis and Clark Expedition
Overland Trail bridge across Beaverhead River, with Beaverhead Rock—"Point of Rocks" in background (1871).[1]
Beaverhead Rock is located in Montana
Beaverhead Rock
Beaverhead Rock is located in the United States
Beaverhead Rock
LocationMadison County, Montana
Nearest cityDillon, Montana
Coordinates45°23′11″N 112°27′35″W [2]
Built1805 (expedition)
NRHP reference No.70000359
Added to NRHPFebruary 11, 1970

History

Beaverhead Rock is a rock feature identified in 1805 by Sacagawea, during the Lewis and Clark Expedition, as a landmark not distant from the summer retreat of her nation. According to the Journal of Lewis:[5]

The Indian woman recognized the point of a high plain to our right which she informed us was not very distant from the summer retreat of her nation on a river beyond the mountains which runs to the west. This hill she says her nation calls the Beaver's Head, from a conceived resemblance of its figure to the head of that animal...as it is now all important with us to meet with those people as soon as possible I determined to proceed tomorrow with a small party...and pass the mountains to the Columbia; and down that river until I found the Indians...without horses we shall be obliged to leave a great part of our stores...

References
  1. "Beaverhead Rock State Park, Montana", Survey of Historic Sites and Buildings, Lewis and Clark: Historic Places Associated with Their Transcontinental Exploration (1804-06), National Park Service, 2004 [1975], archived from the original on October 1, 2009
  2. "Beaverhead Rock". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
  3. "Beaverhead Rock-Lewis and Clark Expedition". NPGallery. National Park Service. Retrieved June 14, 2018.
  4. "Beaverhead Rock State Park". Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks. Retrieved June 14, 2018.
  5. "Beaverhead Rock". Lewis and Clark Expedition. National Park Service. Retrieved June 14, 2018.
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