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William
Clark’s Gravesite
8 am - 5 pm Daily Upon completion of the Expedition, William Clark was appointed Brigadier General of Militia and Superintendent of Indian Affairs for the Louisiana Territory by President Thomas Jefferson. This position included dealing with the population growth of the new territory, ambitious government officials, scheming businessmen, and relations with Native Americans. Clark held this post for nearly 30 years and he made St. Louis his home. Clark married twice, having five children by his first wife, and after a brief illness, died on September 1, 1838, at the age of 69 in the home of his son on Broadway near the St. Louis riverfront. Following a grand funeral procession that was over a mile long, Clark was buried with Masonic and military honors outside the city, on the farm of his nephew, Col. John O'Fallon. Today the gravesite is incorporated within the boundaries of Bellefontaine Cemetery. A son by his second wife, John Kennerly Clark, bequeathed money for a monument over the grave, which was erected in 1904. This elaborate granite obelisk also features a bust of the explorer and an inscription that reads: "SOLDIER, EXPLORER, STATESMAN AND PATRIOT. HIS LIFE IS WRITTEN IN THE HISTORY OF HIS COUNTRY." The cemetery is also the final resting site for other famous people including influential Senator Thomas Hart Benton, Anheuser Busch Brewery founder Adolphus Busch, bridge builder James Eads, kindergarten innovator Susan Blow, and poet Sara Teasdale. Maps and information on self guided tours of the grounds are available at the office to guide visitors to the notable gravesites. The cemetery is open 8 am - 5 pm daily. The office is open 9 am - 4 pm, Monday - Friday.
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