Fort Osage National Historic Landmark

Built in 1808 under the initial direction of William Clark of the Lewis and Clark Expedition, Fort Osage served a dual role as both a military garrison and a trade center.

Today, authentically attired historical interpreters take visitors on a journey through Fort Osage’s past. Visitors will enjoy breathtaking views of the partially reconstructed historic site that overlooks the Missouri River as they learn about the daily life of military, civilian and American Indian populations at Fort Osage and explore museum exhibits at the Fort Osage Education Center in Sibley, MO.

Built under the initial direction of General William Clark, Joint Commander of the famous Lewis and Clark Expedition, Fort Osage was established in 1808 as a military post in the newly acquired Louisiana Territory. Fort Osage was built strategically on a bluff overlooking the Missouri River, where the elevation and location provided a clear view of the river for many miles. The river current around the bluff forced boats to slow down considerably in order to safely navigate the waters. These conditions provided a natural defense for the Fort.

The Fort’s purpose was to provide a military presence in the territory was to assure Spain, France and Great Britain that the United States intended to both protect its territory through military strength and trade with the American Indian population. At the time of its establishment, Fort Osage had a company of 81 officers and enlisted men under the command of Captain Eli B. Clemson of the 1^st US Infantry. The soldiers enlisted for a minimum of five 5 years and were paid based on service and rank. Those with the rank of Private were paid $5 a month. Soldiers performed military drills, work details, and guarded the Fort 24 hours a day. Extra duty was also required of each soldier at the Fort to be performed during their free time. Soldiers were paid 10 cents a day for common labor and 16 cents a day for skilled labor. Daily rations included 1 ¼ pounds of beef or ¾ of a pound of pork, 18 ounces of bread and one gill of rum, whiskey or brandy. Salt for their food, candles and vinegar were issued every one-hundred days. Soldiers also supplemented their diet by planting and caring for gardens.

The United States Factory System, established in 1795 under President George Washington, was later expanded by President Thomas Jefferson into the Louisiana Territory. The Factory System derives its meaning from the English Common Law definition of a "Factor" as a person who buys and sells on behalf of his employer. George Sibley served as Factor at Fort Osage from 1808 to 1822. His duties included bookkeeping, processing furs, supervising and stocking the trade room, and attending to Indian affairs.  

The purpose of the Fort Factory was to trade quality goods at a low price with Indian tribes in order to establish good relations with them. From the federal government's perspective, the fur trade by private European and American traders seemed to be a constant contributor to unrest in the Territory. President Jefferson hoped to undermine private traders and gain alliances with American Indians for the United States. However, the early years of the 19^th century would see the interference of Great Britain in American trading enterprises. This interference was a driving factor of the War of 1812, which in turn impacted operations at Fort Osage. The military garrison and Factory staff evacuated Fort Osage in June of 1813 and did not return until October of 1815. During that time, the Factory operated out of a temporary location in Arrow Rock, Missouri.

Fort Osage remained a military post and trade center until the late summer of 1822, when Congress abolished the United States Factory System due to pressure from rival fur trade interests and years of turmoil. The decline of the United States Factory System was attributed to the lack of staff familiar with the Indian trade, government regulations, and budget restrictions. A lack of incentives for Factors to increase trade under their management, and the competition from private traders, who had greater trading flexibility by travelling to distant American Indian villages, also worked against the government’s trade efforts.

Today, Fort Osage National Historic Landmark is directly connected to the Lewis and Clark and Santa Fe Trails, including the National Park Service passport stamp program. The Education Center and partially reconstructed Fort welcome thousands of visitors from across the United States and the world each year.

We look forward to your visit!

Lissandrello, Stephen. "Fort Osage." National Park Service - National Register of Historic Places Nomination Form. October 15, 1966. https://catalog.archives.gov/OpaAPI/media/63818147/content/electronic-records/rg-079/NPS_MO/66000418_NHL.pdf

“History of the Fort.” Jackson County Parks + Rec. Accessed August 9, 2022.

https://www.makeyourdayhere.com/Events-Attractions/Historic-Sites/Fort-Osage/History-of-the-Fort

“Fort Osage National Historic Landmark.” National Park Service – Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail. Accessed August 9, 2022. https://www.nps.gov/places/fort-osage-national-historic-landmark.htm.