E arly in November, 1806, Meriwether Lewis set out from St. Louis, bound for Washington, D.C., with a stop en route for a visit with his mother.On December 13th he arrived at Locust Hill, the 2,000-acre family plantation in Albemarle County, Virginia, among the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains. The Garden Committee wanted to take a moment to update the whole community on the status of the Lewis School Garden as the growing season gets underway. This is part of the original estate of explorer Meriwether Lewis, who was commissioned by Thomas Jefferson in 1804 to lead an exploration across the recently acquired Louisiana Territory and into the uncharted lands far beyond. Lewis also advanced scientific knowledge through his careful work detailing numerous plants and animals that were previously unknown to Europeans.We strive for accuracy and fairness. Message from the Principal. If you see something that doesn't look right, Subscribe to the Biography newsletter to receive stories about the people who shaped our world and the stories that shaped their lives.William Clark was half of the famous exploration team Lewis and Clark, who explored and mapped the unknown lands west of the Mississippi River.Sacagawea was a Shoshone interpreter best known for being the only woman on the Lewis and Clark Expedition into the American West.One of the "Big Six" leaders of the civil rights movement in the 1960s, John Lewis continued to fight for people's rights since joining Congress in 1987.John Marshall became the fourth chief justice of the U.S. Supreme Court in 1801. Lewis also tried to publish the journals that he and Clark wrote during their great adventure. He had been on his way to Washington, D.C., at the time. Once reaching the nation's capital, Lewis received payment for his courageous efforts. In total, the expedition traveled roughly 8,000 miles by boat, on foot and on horseback.Traveling to Washington, Lewis and the other members of the expedition received a warm welcome from nearly every place they went. This group — often called the Corps of Discovery by historians — faced nearly every obstacle and hardship imaginable on their trip. Along the way, Lewis kept a detailed journal and collected samples of plants and animals he encountered.Lewis and his expedition received assistance in their mission from many of the native people they met during their journey westward. Our art experts provide certificates of authenticity (COA). Everyone who knows anything about Meriwether Lewis beyond that he was one half of the famous exploring duo knows that he died a violent death at the age of 35, just three years after the completion of the most successful exploration mission in American history.