One of President Jefferson’s goals for the expedition commanded by Meriwether Lewis and William Clark was to seek out native peoples and council with them. On July 28, 1804, the expedition passed this overlook area early in the morning and noted “a bluff on the S.S. (Starboard Side), the first high land above the Nodaway (river) on that side.” The party observed a site below these bluffs where the “Aiawuay (Iowa) Indians formerly lived” and had just passed another old Indian camp downstream on the other side of the Missouri where the “Otteauze (Oto) Indians” had once lived. In this vicinity, principal hunter George Drouillard made contact with a “Missouri Indian” who was friendly and informative; he was one of the few remaining of his tribe and the first Indian seen since the expedition set out. On August 3, approximately 20 miles upriver, a council was held with chiefs of the Oto and Missouri tribes. It was the first major meeting between Indians of the territory and Lewis and Clark, and as a result this whole region became known as “Councile Bluff.” In 1803, President Thomas Jefferson sent the expedition to explore the newly acquired Louisiana Purchase, seek an all-water route to the Pacific Ocean, and make peaceable contact with native peoples. The explorers headed up the Missouri on May 14, 1804, reached the Pacific in November 1805, and returned to St. Louis on September 23, 1806, having traveled more than 8000 miles in two years, four months and nine days.