The complete journals of Lewis and Clark (1905 Thwaites edition) are now available for free at American Journeys, along with images drawn by the explorers and engravings made by German artist Karl Bodmer, who followed their route in the 1830's.

American Journeys is a digital collection made by the Wisconsin Historical Society and funded by the Institute of Museum and Library Services. It offers free access to 18,000 pages of eyewitness accounts of North American exploration. In addition to Lewis and Clark, it includes the 1492 log of Columbus, narratives by Renaissance explorers, hundreds of maps and engravings, manuscripts by Thomas Jefferson and Daniel Boone, and much more. Its 159 documents describe all parts of the continent and date from nearly every decade between the 1490's and the 1830's.

Every page is not only searchable by keyword but was also manually indexed by a librarian or historian, so North America's classic exploration literature can now be searched systematically by subject. Users will also find a background essay on each document, reference maps, and guidance on interpreting primary sources. All content may be searched, printed, and downloaded for free.

American Journeys is targeted at non-specialists, especially undergraduates, high school students and their teachers, and was built in partnership with National History Day (www.nationalhistoryday.org) to support students researching the 2004 theme, "Exploration, Encounter and Exchange in History." For more information, visit the site or email Michael Edmonds, Wisconsin Historical Society.