Meriwether Lewis and William Clark Sculpture, Charlottesville, VA
1919 (photographs 1997)
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Located in Charlottesville, Virginia, this sculpture of Meriwether Lewis and William Clark (also known as "Their First View of the Pacific") by Charles Keck was erected in 1919. As part of the Corps of Discovery, Lewis and Clark's expedition to the Pacific Ocean explored many of the lands acquired through the Lousiana Purchase. In the sculpture, William Clark stands in front, while Meriweather Lewis stands above and behind him. Sacagawea, their Shoshone guide, crouches at their left.
Inscribed in the pedestal is the description: "Bold and Farseeing Pathfinders who Carried the Flag of the Young Republic to the Western Ocean and Revealed an Unknown Empire to the Uses of Mankind" and "A Territory of 385,000 Square Miles was Added to the Country by These Men, an Area Larger Than the Then Existing Size of the United States."
This was part of a series of sculptures by Members of the National Sculpture Society donated by Paul Goodloe McIntire to the city of Charlottesville, Virginia, and the University of Virginia during the late City Beautiful movement from 1919-1924. On July 10, 2021, the Charlottesville City Council voted unanimously for the removal of the statue. It was removed later that afternoon following the removal of nearby statues of Robert E. Lee and Stonewall Jackson. A statue of George Rogers Clark located on the University of Virginia campus was removed the following day.
These photos are part of materials from the registration of Four Monumental Figurative Outdoor Sculptures in Charlottesville, VA, in the National Register of Historic Places.
Inscribed in the pedestal is the description: "Bold and Farseeing Pathfinders who Carried the Flag of the Young Republic to the Western Ocean and Revealed an Unknown Empire to the Uses of Mankind" and "A Territory of 385,000 Square Miles was Added to the Country by These Men, an Area Larger Than the Then Existing Size of the United States."
This was part of a series of sculptures by Members of the National Sculpture Society donated by Paul Goodloe McIntire to the city of Charlottesville, Virginia, and the University of Virginia during the late City Beautiful movement from 1919-1924. On July 10, 2021, the Charlottesville City Council voted unanimously for the removal of the statue. It was removed later that afternoon following the removal of nearby statues of Robert E. Lee and Stonewall Jackson. A statue of George Rogers Clark located on the University of Virginia campus was removed the following day.
These photos are part of materials from the registration of Four Monumental Figurative Outdoor Sculptures in Charlottesville, VA, in the National Register of Historic Places.
This primary source comes from the Records of the National Park Service.
National Archives Identifier: 41678621
Full Citation: Meriwether Lewis and William Clark Sculpture, Charlottesville, VA; 1919 (photographs 1997); National Register of Historic Places and National Historic Landmarks Program Records: Virginia; National Register of Historic Places and National Historic Landmarks Program Records, 2013 - 2017; Records of the National Park Service, Record Group 79; National Archives at College Park, College Park, MD. [Online Version, https://www.docsteach.org/documents/document/meriwether-lewis-and-william-clark-sculpture, April 25, 2025]Rights: Public Domain, Free of Known Copyright Restrictions. Learn more on our privacy and legal page.
