The Corps of Discovery met countless challenges on their western trek, not the least of which was encounters with the grizzly bear. Grizzlies were virtually unknown in the “civilized” parts of the United States, but the explorers heard cautionary tales of these tremendous beasts from their hosts while wintering over with the Mandan in 1804–1805 and looked forward to seeing the bears firsthand. Soon after their departure from Fort Mandan in April 1805, they got their wish. Duane Buchi of the Great Falls’ Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center introduces some of those early encounters with grizzly bears and discusses the ways in which bears helped shape how Corps members conducted day-to-day activities throughout the expedition. Thursday Night at the Museum, Feb. 23, 2017
