Lewis and Clark Forums

World Travel Guru Arthur Frommer Visits Lewis & Clark Trailhead Plaza

2009-08-10T23:45:37-06:00

In July 2009 we were proud to show off the new Lewis & Clark Trailhead Plaza and the heroic bronze sculpture group “Corps of Discovery” to world renowned travel advisor Arthur Frommer and his wife Roberta from New York City on their visit to Missouri’s capital city.

Frommer grew up in Jefferson City and for his 80th birthday, his wife surprised him with a secret birthday trip—- whose destination wasn’t disclosed to him until they were in the taxi headed to their airport in New York—- for this trip via air to St. Louis and then AMTRAK’s “Missouri River Runner” to Jefferson City.

Their visit was chronicled on the front page of the Jefferson City News Tribune. See:
http://www.newstribune.com/articles/2009/07/17/news_local/167local11travel.txt

For the occasion Sabra Tull Meyer, the Columbia, Missouri sculptor was on hand for a special tour of her vision in bronze. The statue group is composed of Captain Meriwether Lewis, Captain William Clark, York the manservant of Clark’s, and George Drouillard—the civilian guide/interpreter. Lewis’ Newfoundland retriever named Seaman is also a part of this “Captain’s Mess.” Together they passed by today’s Jefferson City on June 4, 1804 and returned on September 19, 1806 on their river highway—the Missouri River.

A good front page picture and caption are worth a thousand words! Arthur also had nice things to say about the sculptor Sabra Tull Meyer, her sculpture and his visit to Jefferson City on the Frommer Travel Show July 19,2009 podcast from NYC’s WOR radio station.

Pictures of my travels along the Lewis and Clark Trail

2011-11-13T14:19:22-06:00

Just sharing some of my travels of the Lewis and Clark Trail. Over the past 9 years I spend many summer months following and photographing the Lewis and Clark campsites and other sites of interest on their Trail. This past summer I picked up the Trail in Great Falls and travels over to the edges of the Lolo Trail again. But my most interesting trip was to Ivy, Virginia and finally locating the Lewis family farm/plantation and to Cairo, Illinois at the confluence of the Ohio and Mississippi rivers. At this confluence is the known campsite where Lewis taught Clark most of what he knew about navigational instruments. Nearby the confluence is Fort Mattac where the captains hired Drouillard and camped for several days.

New pictures on my site include extensive pictures of Agency Creek Road (in Idaho) that Clark traveled to on their way to Northfork of the Salmon and Lost Trail Pass.

Last week I finally made it to the location of Tavern Cave (Rock) in Missouri and challenge all to tackle the 1 1/2 mile hike to the cave.

For those not familiar with my travels, I recently published the GPS coordinates of roughly 1,100 known Lewis and Clark campsites and many other sites mentioned and documented in their Journals.

A link to my 4,000+ pictures can be found below.

http://lewisandclark.smugmug.com/

New Missouri River Bridge pedrestrian/bike attachment connects Lewis & Clark Trailhead Plaza with KATY Trail and River Access

2011-04-11T22:27:26-06:00

The US/54/US 63 Pedestrian/Bicycle Attachment was opened to the public on April 8,2011. It connects with the Lewis & Clark Trailhead Plaza and “Corps of Discovery” monument on the state capitol grounds with the Noren Conservation Access and the North Jefferson Trailhead on the Katy Trail State Park.

It is of course of great interest to the general public, as is a fine pedestrian/bike path with two viewing platforms with great views of the City of Jefferson and the waters of the Missouri rapidly flowing below.

For Lewis & Clark travelers it is a valuable place to observe the great river highway that the Corps of Discovery explored in 1804. It will also be a good spot to observe the Missouri River 340 canoe/kayak race from high above the river’s surface. From Jefferson City cyclists can visit by bicycle Lewis & Clark points of interest and signage on the KATY trail.

For travelers on the Katy it connects to Jefferson City’s greenway system and points of interest in the city. We feel the most important four would include:
1. The Missouri State Archives and Information Center on Main Street with its “Corps of Discovery” painting by L. Edward Fisher

2. The Lewis & Clark Trailhead Plaza with its “Corps of Discovery” statues by sculptor Sabra Tull Meyer on the capitol grounds

3. The DNR building with its Lewis & Clark displays and model of the “Corps of Discovery” statue by sculptor Eugene Daub

4. Riverside/Ellis-Porter Park with its great view of the Missouri River with bicentennial signage.

Water from the Missouri’s True Most Distant Source is Hand Delivered to the Mississippi

2008-03-30T11:01:39-06:00

In the mid-1890s, a Civil War Veteran, surveyor and historian known as Jacob V. Brower set out to find the true most distant source of the Missouri. Convinced it was not the spring Lewis had found as his party was ascending Lemhi Pass on 12 August 1805, Brower and his companions followed source streams of the Jefferson River, the Beaverhead and Red Rock rivers and discovered another spring more than 100 miles from the one Lewis noted. Today this spring is know as Brower’s Spring and it is recognized as being the most distant source of the Missouri.

This article describes how one Lewis & Clark enthusiast from Cherokee, Iowa, visited Brower’s Spring and then hand delivered some of it’s water to the Mississippi. Also posted in Region 7.

The article is posted via a link to our Chapter’s website. Clicking on this link should take you directly to the newsletter containing the article. Once there, you will need to scroll down to page 5 to view the article.

Ken Jutzi
CALCTHF (California Chapter of the LCTHF)
calcthf at verizon dot net
March 2008

Missouri’s Most Distanct Source is Hand Delivered to the Mississippi

New Guy

2010-10-19T22:23:29-06:00

Gald to be here I am Dean. I am an aspiring actor who also writes part-time about any given topic under the sun.
Writing for me has been third to breathing and acting, and my main interests include food, gadgets, movies, and vinyl records.
I am also a budget traveler who loves to go on road trips and write and share about my personal discoveries. Thanks guys! I hope to hear from you soon. God bless us all!

Young students of Lewis & Clark propose a State Dog for Missouri

2010-01-13T00:22:26-06:00

Two young fourth grade students had an original idea. Some states have state dogs, but Missouri does not have an official state dog. In Missouri, fourth graders study Missouri history and the importance of the Lewis & Clark Expedition to Missouri and the nation. These two girls focus became a state dog for Missouri based on their studies of the expedition.

So, they wrote a letter to their state representative Jason Brown of Platte City. Platte City is a little east of Leavenworth, Kansas and northwest of Kansas City. These cities were each stops on the Heart of America “A Journey Fourth” commemoration of the Lewis & Clark Bicentennial in July 2004 on the Missouri River highway of Lewis & Clark.

It turns out that the bicentennial fever of 2004-2006 resulted in four new statue groups in the State of Missouri that included “Seaman,” the Newfoundland dog who accompanied Lewis & Clark and the Corps of Discovery.

One by Harry Weber is on the Mississippi River banks just below the Eads Bridge in St.Louis and it was dedicated in September 2006. High water there sometime covers Meriwether Lewis, William Clark and “Seaman.” The one in St. Charles is on a little higher ground and again includes Lewis, Clark, and the dog. It is by Pat Kennedy and it was dedicated in 2003. Kansas City’s Case Park has a fine “Corps of Discovery” statue by Eugene Daub that towers above the Missouri River and also visitors to the park.

The last Missouri tribute to “Seaman” was dedicated on the Missouri State Capitol grounds in June, 2008 and is a very fine statue group that includes a user friendly dog statue that children and adults enjoy climbing on the dog’s back for photo opportunities. We think it is the best Lewis & Clark statue group in the state of Missouri or perhaps on the entire Lewis & Clark National Historic Trail.

The Eugene Daub “Corps of Discovery” statue was dedicated in Kansas City in April 2000. National Lewis & Clark bicentennial leaders were in attendance including Stephen E. Ambrose, Dayton Duncan and Tex Hall. It was Missouri’s first bicentennial tribute to the Corps of Discovery.

A smaller version of the “Corps of Discovery” by Eugene Daub that was dedicated in Kansas City can also be seen in the DNR Lewis and Clark Building in Jefferson City. There a one-third scale model is in the first floor atrium and is an excellent place to view another “Seaman” and York on the back side of this 360 degree interpretation by sculptor Daub. On the front you can see Lewis & Clark and perhaps one of the finest image of Sacagawea on the entire Lewis & Clark Historic Trail. See photos below.

Representative Brown filed a bill #1271 in December 2009 proposing that the Newfoundland be named the state dog in honor of “Seaman.” So some time before the current legislative session ends in mid-May 2010, Missouri may just have a new state dog.
However, Missouri is blessed with several famous dogs and breeds like the coonhounds favored by hunters that might make this proposal a real “dog fight.”

Tonight television station KOMU (http://www.komu.com) had a very nice story that included thoughts by sculptor Sabra Tull Meyer, and we hope Lewis & Clark faithful across this great land will perhaps look to Missouri to see how this little drama plays out. Huzzah!See the KOMU link at:http://www.komu.com/satellite/SatelliteRender/KOMU.com/ba8a4513-c0a8-2f11-0063-9bd94c70b769/250910bc-80ce-0971-00ad-a113c2a07a63

News of the bill filing has also reached as far away as St. Johns, Newfoundland and a CBC St. Johns morning program podcast that I listened to today from a December 2009 interview with the congressman.

And So it Goes! Attached photos included : 1 winter scene in Jefferson City Lewis and ClarkTrailhead; 2 Harry Weber sculpture “Captains’ Return” near the St. Louis Gateway Arch on the Mississippi River. Clark is waving his hat; 3 Eugene Daub sculpture in Jefferson City; 4 Eugene Daub statue image of Sacagawea in DNR Lewis & Clark building atrium in Jefferson City;5 Discovery Expedition of St. Charles musters at “Captains’ Return” in St. Louis;6. Well known portrayer of York, Hussan Davis with Newfoundland dog at Clarksville, KY at bicentennial “The Journey Begins” event.

Someone has to be first!!

2008-07-14T16:56:55-06:00

My husband and I are members of the Mouth of the Platte Study group in Council Bluffs, IA. We have attended about 5 years. We are parents of four grown children, 10 grandchildren, and 9 greatgrandchildren. The study of Lewis and Clark seems to have taken over a large part of our lives.
Besides making clothes for Biddle Bear, I am a quilt maker. I have done 4 Lewis and Clark full size quilts. Two of these were done in redwork embroidery, and two in patchwork and applique.
I have a degree in secondary education, history major and library science, native american minors. so I teach when I can. I teach and prepare materials for an adult class at our church.
This will be my 12th year doing this.
When I student taught in college, one of the classes was a Montana history class, during which the students for their final had to write out the travels of Lewis and Clark in chronological order. The results were not good. Did you know that the Corps of Discovery went up the Mississippi River, went around the Cape of Good Hope, and through the Panama Canal?
They ended up on the coast, but never made it back. So either I was not a good teacher, or they were trying to get my goat. But I had a good laugh.
Finding the obscure points of the Corps of Discovery seems to have become my goal. I have given talks to the group about the waterfalls, before Lewis and Clark, and other weird points.
Let’s hear from the rest of you.
Betty Smallen, moderator
srbabc at cox dot net

Jefferson City Lewis & Clark Plaza

2008-03-29T23:16:44-06:00

Please note that a new tribute to President Thomas Jefferson’s Corps of Discovery will be dedicated on Wednesday, June 4, 2008. Its official name will be the Lewis & Clark Trailhead Plaza. See photo summary( 5 photos) at end of second article.

Directions:
GPS (N38 34.708 W92 10.281)
Missouri State Capitol Grounds, Jefferson City, Missouri.
Cross Jefferson Street on East Capitol Avenue to view up close the new Lewis & Clark Trailhead Plaza. Heroic size bronze figures in a native stone and waterfall setting look out over the plaza to the Jefferson Landing and the Missouri River. Conceived by mid-Missouri sculptor Sabra Tull Meyer and funded by private commissions and contributions that also included Missouri school children’s donations—it remembers the heroes of the Corps of Discovery, and the part Missourians played in the Lewis & Clark bicentennial across America. Public transportation enhancement funds and city matching funds were used for the trailhead plaza setting.

Note in particular Lewis’s dog Seaman and the lesser known members of Lewis & Clark’s team who traveled with them in their Captain’s Mess . Also note the waterfalls and trailhead plaza design of internationally renowned landscape architect Austin Tao Associates of St. Louis. The plaza functions as a cyclists and hikers trailhead to eventually connect to the Katy Trail State Park Trail via a pedestrian bridge across the Missouri River. Check it out at dusk as the plaza and monument are bathed in light after dark .The plaza will be dedicated on June 4, 2008, exactly two hundred and four years after Lewis & Clark first traveled past the future site of Jefferson City.

My favorite is the statue of George Drouillard. I believe this is the first such work in bronze to capture his likeness, in the country. He was the nephew of the founder of Cape Girardeau, Missouri—Louis Lorimier. He was the valuable civilian guide and interpreter for the expedition with Shawnee and French Canadian bloodlines and hunting skills that also proved to be of great value.

York, William Clark’s body servant– a slave—looks out on the Missouri River with rifle in hand. He is seated and relaxed. Today’s viewer can’t deduce from his figure in bronze that he was a slave. It is true that on the journey he proved his great value and had unusual freedoms, only to return to being William Clark’s slave when they returned to St Louis in September 1806.

See the sculptor’s web page : http://www.sabratullmeyer.com for sculpture details. If you want to read more about George Drouillard, I recommend Sign Talker by James Alexander Thom or Larry E. Morris’s book The Fate of the Corps: what became of the Lewis and Clark explorers after the expedition.

Lewis and Clark Trail Images and brief Travelog for different areas

2008-03-06T12:20:32-06:00

Hi,

Just a quick note to invite anyone interested in Lewis and Clark Trail images to my website:
http://lewisandclarkpictures.com

Trail coverage is from Mandan, North Dakota to Seaside, Oregon and most points in between.

Have fun!

Wayne Mumford
http://lewisandclarkpictures.com
http://waynemumford.com

Some Clark family sites

2008-09-18T09:17:33-06:00

We’re deep into work on our novel-in-progress right now, and writing a lot of scenes that involve the Clark family. There are still a lot of great Clark sites that you can visit to get a sense of this amazing family who played such a critical role in the winning of the west. Best of all, they’re located in and around Louisville, Kentucky, a really fun city. Here are a few favorites that will be in the new book:

The Falls of the Ohio was once on the great landmarks of the Ohio River. This series of rough rapids formed a natural defense that caused George Rogers Clark to choose the area when he began his campaign in the West during the Revolutionary War. A few years later, Clark founded the town of Louisville and it became the Clark family homebase.

Today,the Falls of the Ohio State Park is a great place to visit! Located in Clarksville, Indiana, just across the river from Louisville, you can see amazing exposed fossil beds and visit a recreation of the cabin of George Rogers Clark.

Mulberry Hill was the site of the Clark family homestead, and remained in the family from 1784 until after the Civil War. While the original house was torn down to make way for an army traing camp, during World War I, the grounds later became George Rogers Clark park. The graves of parents Ann and John Clark are here along with several other family members. Because they raised a family of 10, I like to think that Ann and John would have loved the idea of a playground on their old farm.

Lots of good details about Mulberry Hill can be found in this booklet prepared for the Lewis and Clark Trail Heritage Foundation (PDF format).

A couple hours drive from Louisville will take you to Vincennes, Indiana, site of George Rogers Clark’s capture of Fort Sackville, one of the great feats of the American Revolution. You can also visit Grouseland here, the home of William Henry Harrison, a major character in the new book.