“La Charrette” transports the reader back in time to the village’s unique place in America’s history and the fascinating lives, including both the hardships and the adventures, of its people.

Visitors to this sleepy little Missouri River village include Lewis and Clark and the Corps of Discovery during their epic journey of 1804 and triumphant return in 1806.  Zebulon Pike visited La Charrette before exploring and opening the trade route over the famous Santa Fe Trail.  Other historical figures such as trapper Jim Bridger, Major Stephen Long, and the Duke of Wurttemberg visited La Charrette.

The heart and soul of La Charrette belonged to its citizens and neighbors including the one and only Daniel Boone, his son-in-law Flanders Callaway, “Mountain Man” John Colter and Charles “Indian” Phillips.  As a fourth great grandson of John Colter, I enjoyed reading about his home on Little Boef Creek.  There he lived with his wife Sarah, his children Hiram and Evelina, and neighbors John Sullens and Charles Phillips.  Of particular interest to the reader concerns Nathan Boone’s last tribute to John Colter.

The author, himself a native of Charrette Creek, insightfully describes the interdependency between the Native Americans, French Canadians, African Americans, American trappers, and later the German populations of La Charrette as a “continuing process of cultural assimilation.”  Lowell Schake skillfully ties together the microcosm of the village to the national events shaping history such as the Louisiana Purchase, War of 1812, and the Trail of Tears.

This book is highly recommended not only as a result of the impeccable research by the author, but also his talent for “bringing to life in print” the village of La Charrette.

Timothy Forrest Coulter
St. Wendel, Indiana