Lewis and Clark with Sheheke-shote

Three figures, Meriwether Lewis, William Clark and the Mandan chief Sheheke, stand 12 feet tall outside the North Dakota Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center in Washburn. According to Prairie Public, Lewis and Clark wintered with the Mandan people near Washburn, and the statues were dedicated in June 2004 for the Bicentennial Commemoration. They are the work of Tom Neary, who moved to Washburn in the 1970s as a pipefitter and welder and began by welding candle holders and knick-knacks from scrap iron. According to Prairie Public, the statues took four years to complete, after many years of research aimed at historical accuracy. Neary's statue of Seaman, the expedition's Newfoundland dog, was installed near the Missouri River in Washburn in June 2006. North Dakota Tourism describes the three figures as steel. The centre's opening days and hours change with the season and it closes on some holidays, so check with the State Historical Society of North Dakota before you go.