100th Anniversary Of Discovery Of Verendrye Plate

Saturday marks the 100th anniversary of the discovery of the Verendrye Plate near Fort Pierre.

The South Dakota State Historical Society says eight documents relating to the history of the Verendrye Expedition and the Verendrye Plate discovery are available on the South Dakota Digital Archives. The online collection features brochures, photographs and firsthand accounts of the discovery and history.

French-Canadian brothers Francois and Louis Joseph Verendrye were trying to discover a route to "the Western Sea" when they claimed the land for France on March 30, 1743 atop a bluff overlooking the Missouri River near present-day Fort Pierre.

The Verendrye Plate is on display at the Cultural Heritage Center museum. It provides evidence of the location of the expedition and its journey through present-day South Dakota.