Pike's Expedition to the Upper Mississippi

Pike's expedition reached the town of Prairie D'Shin, a community of about 400 people located where the Wisconsin River joins the Mississippi. It was the northern most settlement of whites on the river. Pike's arrival was a sign that things were going to change, even if many did not realize it. He recognized that a series of forts and outposts up the river would be beneficial to advancing the United States cause on the Mississippi.