Lewis & Clark and the Legend of the Stone Idols (wordage from Historical marker)
On their epic exploratory expedition Meriwether Lewis & William Clark stopped near here and noted two stones resembling human figures, and a third like a dog, Capt. Clark writes on Oct.13, 1804 “... a Creek on the S.S. (starboard) 18 miles above the Ricaras I call Stone Ido(l) Creek, this Creek heads ina small lake at no great distance, near what is a Stone to which the Indians asscribe a great virtue...” Known as “Pond River” in accounts by Sgts. Patrick Gass and John Ordway, this creek flowed 3 Mi. S.E. of here through what was known prior to Oahe flooding as “The Lakes.” Stone Idol Creek noted by Capt. Clark is currently interrupted by Pocasse Causeway.
On the banks of this creek stood the stones that inspired Arikara legend and Clark’s name for the creek. Clark writes of the legend in his notebook journal “those people have a curious Tr(a)dition of those Stones, one was a man in Love, one a Girl whose parents would not let (them) marry, the Dog went to morn with them (and) all turned to Stone gradually, ...Those people fed on grapes until they turned (to stone), & the woman has a bunch of grapes yet in her hand.” When passing by these stones, the Arikara paid reverence and made votive offerings.
On the banks of this creek stood the stones that inspired Arikara legend and Clark’s name for the creek. Clark writes of the legend in his notebook journal “those people have a curious Tr(a)dition of those Stones, one was a man in Love, one a Girl whose parents would not let (them) marry, the Dog went to morn with them (and) all turned to Stone gradually, ...Those people fed on grapes until they turned (to stone), & the woman has a bunch of grapes yet in her hand.” When passing by these stones, the Arikara paid reverence and made votive offerings.
