Sometimes writing requires inspiration from real sources, and American Journeys helps to fill that need. American Journeys is a digital library created through a partnership with the Institute of Museum and Library Services, National History Day, and the Wisconsin Historical Society. Though it focuses on eyewitness accounts of early American exploration, the archive contains the perspectives of Native Americans, Vikings, and traders in addition to explorers and settlers.

For history buffs and for authors writing about the past, American Journeys is an invaluable resource. Since I can’t provide an overview of all 18,000 documents on the site, I want to highlight a few of the most interesting ones.

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Lewis and Clark Documents

This collection contains over 3,000 pages of illustrations, manuscripts, and books about Lewis and Clark’s expeditions westward. Some of the most fascinating pieces include letters and maps from the adventurers as well…