Fort Belle Fountaine Steps

Fort Belle Fountaine Steps
"Fort Belle Fontaine was built in 1805 on the south bank of the Missouri River near its confluence with the Mississippi River. The fort was the first U.S. military outpost west of the Mississippi River in the newly acquired Louisiana Territory and served as a starting point for many expeditions to the American West. Fort Bellefontaine Park offers sweeping views of the Missouri River and overlooks the location of the site of Lewis and Clark's first campsite after they left Camp River Dubois in 1804 and the site of the fort where they spent their last night on their return trip in 1806. The original sites of the Corps campsite and the first Fort Belle Fontaine have been destroyed by shifts in the Missouri River channel. The grounds below the bluff became a popular summer retreat during the late 1930s. In 1936 the Works Progress Administration (WPA) built a grand limestone staircase down from the bluff and a number of other structures. In 1986 the County acquired most of the property and turned it into a park. Interpretive markers along a hiking trail designate points of interest and help visitors learn about the important role the Fort played in American history.
The fort was originally called Cantonment Belle Fontaine and was located at the mouth of Coldwater Creek, then called La Petite Riviere or Saint Ferdinand River. The site was selected by General James Wilkinson, first governor and military commander of the Louisiana Territory. Buildings were erected by three companies of the First Infantry under the supervision of Lt. Colonel Jacob Kingsbury. The Fort took its name from a nearby spring named "Belle Fontaine" which means "beautiful fountain" in French. Besides being a military outpost, the fort served as an "Indian Factory" or trading post for the local Sac, Fox, and other Native American tribes of the region. The “Factory System” was established under provisions of the Trade and Intercourse Act that was passed by Congress in 1791. This act was one of four Trade and Intercourse Acts that Congress legislated between 1790 and 1799 to regulate relations with Native Americans. It was believed if trade goods were provided at a fair price the Native Americans would stay close to the factory posts and eventually assimilate into the European culture. In 1808, the factory at Fort Belle Fontaine was closed and its mission was relegated to Fort Osage near present day Kansas City and Fort Madison in Iowa." http:--greatriverroad.com-stlouis-fortbelle.htm
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