Pompeys Pillar

These pictures were taken off Interstate 94 at Pompeys Pillar National Monument in Pompeys Pillar, Montana.  The bottom photo shows the massive sandstone outcrop that rises 150 feet from a two-acre base on the banks of the Yellowstone River.  The monument's most notable visitor, Captain William Clark of the Lewis and Clark Expedition, arrived at Pompeys Pillar on July 25, 1806, on his return trip from the Pacific Ocean.  Clark's journal recorded his stop at "this remarkable rock" with its "extensive view in every direction".  Clark marked his presence by engraving his name and the date of his visit on the outcrop, middle right bottom photo, and was so described in his journal.  The top photo shows the actual inscription on the stone.  Clark named this rock Pompy's Pillar from the nickname 'Pomp', that he gave to Sacagawea's young son Jean Baptiste Charbonneau.  Pomp means "little chief" in the Shoshoni language.  Sacagawea was of course, the party's interpreter during the journey.