Wednesday, July 08, 2009

Death of Meriwether Lewis book talk at Charlottesville

We launched our book tour for The Death of Meriwether Lewis: A Historic Crime Scene Investigation at Virginia's oldest bookstore, the New Dominion Bookshop,in downtown Charlottesville. Charlottesville is Meriwether Lewis's hometown, as he was born a few miles outside of town at Locust Hill, his family's plantation, in Albemarle County. Co-author James E. Starrs and I had never met before this book talk. Thankfully, we had no trouble in sharing the presentation, and I think it made it more interesting. We gave another talk at Barnes & Noble bookstore at Baltimore's Inner Harbor a few days later.

PODCAST: Before I left Omaha to fly to Charlottesville I did an interview with radio host Coy Barefoot on Charlottesville--Right Now, a talk show on radio station WINA.To listen to the 19 minute interview, in which you will learn whom I think murdered Meriwether Lewis and why, click here.

I also met Howell Bowen, a Lewis family member, and collateral descendant, who grew up in his native Albemarle County hearing stories of "Uncle Meriwether." Howell and Tom McSwain are leaders of the Lewis family's efforts to have the remains of Meriwether Lewis exhumed in order to determine the cause of death. Starrs, an emeritus professor of forensic science and law at George Washington University, will lead the exhumation team if and when the National Park Service grants the family's request.

The family has launched a website, www.solvethemystery.org and our book has a website, www.deathofmeriwetherlewis.com  Join the mailing list to receive monthly email newsletters with Lewis and Clark news from around the country.

I have visited Charlottesville several times, but never had the opportunity to see the famous George Rogers Clark, Conqueror of the Old Northwest, statue. It turned out I could see it right across the street from my motel window at the Red Roof Inn. GRC, as he is called, was an older brother of William Clark. He won the Old Northwest Territory for the United States by capturing the British fort at Vincennes, Indiana. There is a massive memorial for him there.

Thomas Jefferson, Meriwether Lewis, and George Rogers Clark are all native sons of Albemarle County.

Posted by Kira Gale on 07/08/2009 at 02:53 PM

BOOKS/AUTHORS • James E. Starrs • Kira Gale • DEATH OF MERIWETHER LEWIS • GEOGRAPHY/PLACES • Virginia • PEOPLE • George Rogers Clark • (0) Comments • Permalink • Digg It • Add to del.icio.us