About Sergeant Floyd Monument
The Sergeant Floyd Monument stands on a bluff above the Missouri River in Sioux City and marks the burial place of Sergeant Charles Floyd. Floyd died on August 20, 1804, while traveling with the Lewis and Clark Expedition, becoming the only member of the Corps of Discovery to die during the journey. His death and burial were recorded by the expedition, making the site one of the most personal surviving landmarks associated with the Corps’ passage through the region.
Floyd’s remains were moved more than once as erosion threatened earlier gravesites. In 1901, the present 100-foot Kettle River sandstone obelisk was completed over his final resting place. The monument later received National Historic Landmark recognition and remains a prominent landmark visible from the surrounding Missouri River valley.
Visitors can walk the monument grounds, view the obelisk and burial site, read historical interpretation, and look across the river landscape traveled by the expedition. The surrounding 23-acre city park includes picnic facilities and restrooms, making the monument a straightforward historical stop that pairs well with other Lewis and Clark sites in Sioux City.
