Gravesite of William Clark, Co-Captain of the Corps of Discovery with Meriwether Lewis

Reading the Monument

The memorial's centerpiece is a 35-foot granite obelisk rising on a pedestal in the northern part of the cemetery, above Meadow Lane and near the Broadway Avenue entrance. Set in front of it, a bronze portrait bust of Clark rests atop its own pedestal; the front bears the epitaph: "William Clark – Born in Virginia August 1, 1770 – Entered Into Life Eternal September 1, 1838 – Soldier, Explorer, Statesman, and Patriot – His Life Is Written in the History of His Country."

Flanking the obelisk are rectangular stone piers, one carved in relief with the head of a grizzly bear and the other with a lion's head—bold emblems of the wilderness Clark crossed and the strength he personified. Three steps lead up on either side of the obelisk to the rear of the memorial, and subtle Masonic symbolism runs through the design, reflecting Clark's prominent ties to the fraternal order during his life in St. Louis.

The carvings read almost like a public ledger of nationhood. A passage from Deuteronomy—"Behold the Lord thy God hath set the land before thee: go up and possess it"—is cut into the granite beside a dedication noting that the monument was erected "in honor and loving memory of William Clark by his son, Jefferson Kearney Clark." Other faces record the expedition's meaning, claiming that this primary exploration through more than four thousand miles of wilderness "planted the flag of the United States for the first time on the shores of the Pacific Ocean."

The Long Journey of Clark's Grave

Clark died in St. Louis on September 1, 1838, at the age of 69, at the home of his eldest son, and the entire city mourned. He was buried two days later with military and Masonic honors in the family tomb on the farm of his nephew, the wealthy businessman Colonel John O'Fallon, in the area now known as O'Fallon Park.

After Bellefontaine Cemetery opened, Clark's sons bought a large family plot on a bluff overlooking the Missouri River, and the remains of William Clark, his wife Harriet, and several of their children were moved there—the cemetery records his reinterment on October 23, 1860. The great monument that marks the spot today was a later act of tribute: his son Jefferson Kearney Clark designed and commissioned it for about $25,000, and after Jefferson's own death in 1900, his widow saw the memorial completed.

Sculptor William Ordway Partridge created the bust and the bear and lion heads, and W. Liance Cottrell of the Harrison Granite Company realized the granite design; the memorial was unveiled in 1904 on the centennial of the expedition and the Louisiana Purchase. Time took its toll, and despite a family endowment the site had fallen into disrepair by the late twentieth century. Clark's descendants raised $100,000 to rehabilitate the obelisk, rededicating it on May 21, 2004—the bicentennial of the Corps of Discovery's departure from St. Charles, Missouri.

More Than a Gravesite: Bellefontaine Cemetery

Clark's obelisk sits within a destination that is worth the trip in its own right. Bellefontaine is a 314-acre outdoor museum and a certified Level III Arboretum, listed on the National Register of Historic Places and often voted one of St. Louis's best-hidden gems—a tranquil rival to the city's well-known botanical gardens. With some fourteen miles of paved roads, lakes, flowering gardens, and rolling acres, it is as much a place for a long, contemplative walk as for monument-spotting.

If you come for history, the cemetery surrounds Clark with a cast of St. Louis luminaries: the engineer James B. Eads, who designed the world's first steel-truss bridge; the political dynast of the Francis family, remembered by the brooding bronze "Perpetual Mourner"; brewing pioneer Anton Griesedieck; and, in more modern times, the writer William S. Burroughs, whose modest grave neighbors his inventor father's obelisk and is frequently left with tokens by pilgrim readers. The landscape itself offers quieter attractions too, from the secluded Wildwood Valley Gardens to a walking-meditation labyrinth.

Planning Your Visit

The William Clark monument stands in the northern section of Bellefontaine Cemetery, above Meadow Lane and near the Broadway Avenue entrance, in the family plot on the bluff. Because the grounds are vast and the gravesites are spread out, picking up a map at the cemetery office is the easiest way to find him and to chart a route to other points of interest.

Visitors can explore at their own pace on self-guided routes—including the cemetery's White Line Tour—or join one of the many guided tours and special events, making it simple to learn the stories behind the monuments as you walk. The setting is peaceful and open most days of the year, so allow at least an hour for Clark's grave and a longer window if you want to enjoy the arboretum's paths, gardens, and architecture at a leisurely pace.