July 2004, Volume 4, Issue 7

REP. BAIRD'S LEWIS AND CLARK LEGISLATION PASSES HOUSE

Bill to create Lewis and Clark National Historic Park will now go to Senate

U.S. Rep. Brian Baird announced that the House of Representatives passed the Lewis and Clark National Park Designation Act of 2004.The Act includes Fort Clatsop, Cape Disappointment State Park (formerly Fort Canby), Station Camp, and the Megler Safety Rest Area in the Lewis and Clark National Historic Park Upon approval by the Senate, Rep. Baird's legislation will be sent to the President and signed into law.

"The Lewis and Clark National Historical Park will allow people to appreciate the richness and heroism of the Lewis and Clark expedition that is vital to the history of Washington and Oregon," said Rep. Baird. "In addition, the visitors that come to enjoy the park will bring valuable tourism dollars to the local communities of Southwest Washington."

HOUSE PASSES LEGISLATION TO CREATE LEWIS & CLARK NATIONAL HISTORICAL PARK IN WASHINGTON AND OREGON

Secretary of the Interior Gale Norton applauded passage by the U.S. House of Representatives of H.R. 3819, legislation to expand Fort Clatsop National Memorial in Oregon to include three sites along the lower Columbia River in Washington state. The legislation, which was proposed by the Administration in February, would rename the park as the Lewis & Clark National Historical Park. Introduced by Rep. Brian Baird of Washington with 17 cosponsors, the bill passed by voice vote.

"This timely legislation will help ensure that Washington and Oregon will meet the needs of the influx of visitors for the Bicentennial of the Lewis and Clark Expedition. By protecting the sites in Washington where the explorers first camped when they reached the Pacific Ocean, it will save these areas for future generations as well," said Norton.

The Secretary, who chairs the federal Bicentennial commemoration, opened the national observance in January 2003 at Thomas Jefferson's Monticello home in Virginia. She predicts that visitation will increase in Washington and Oregon in 2005. "By protecting this park, we can ensure that Bicentennial visitors and future generations of Americans will be able to visit the place at the mouth of the Columbia River where Captain William Clark first glimpsed the ocean in November 1805."

The Oregon and Washington congressional delegations worked with the Department of Interior to pass Public Law 107-221, the Fort Clatsop Expansion Act, signed by President Bush in August 2002. The law authorized expansion of Fort Clatsop and called for an NPS study of the three sites.

The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee voted on July 14 to approve similar legislation to expand and rename the Fort Clatsop National Memorial. S. 2167 has not yet been considered by the full Senate.

LEWIS & CLARK TRAIL HERITAGE FOUNDATION SUPPORTS MARYHILL MUSEUM

Great Falls, Mont. - The Lewis and Clark Trail Heritage Foundation has awarded the Maryhill Museum in Goldendale, Wash., a $500 grant for its native plant garden, interpretive signage and accessible walk.

The proposed pathway to the Lewis and Clark Overlook will take visitors through a specially designed native plant garden featuring native plants of the region, with a focus on those studied and collected by Lewis and Clark. The garden, interpretive panels and accessible paths will be a permanent part of the museum's park.

"Maryhill Museum's native plant garden, interpretive signs and walking path are an outstanding collaboration using its location on the Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail, as well as exhibits and programs," said Barbara Kubik, chairman of the Foundation's Monetary Grants Committee. "The committee was impressed with the museum's partnerships with historians, tribal elders and interpretive specialists."

Maryhill and its surrounding 6,000 acres have been placed on the National Register of Historic Places and the museum was designated in 2001 as an official site on the Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail.

The Foundation's Monetary Grants Committee received eight grant applications with requests for more than $8,000.

BEYOND LEWIS AND CLARK: A SYMPOSIUM ON ARMY EXPLORATION AND NATIONAL EXPANSION

September 26 - 27, 2004
Washington State History Museum

The Washington State History Museum will host "Beyond Lewis and Clark: A Symposium on Army Exploration and National Expansion." This symposium will explore themes and issues raised in the nationally touring exhibition "Beyond Lewis and Clark: The Army Explores the West." Presenters include some of the most noted historians of the west James Ronda, John Logan Allen, Tom Chaffin, Ron Tyler and Brian Dippie-speaking on the impact of such explores as Lewis and Clark, Stephen Long and John C. Fremont.

Conference Schedule:

• September 26: Opening Reception for WSHS Members: 5:30 PM - 8 PM
• September 27: Conference Sessions: 8:30 AM - 5 PM
• Closing Reception: 5:30 PM - 7 PM

Registration:

• Members of the WSHS have the opportunity to participate in a private opening reception with WSHS Director David Nicandri and the presenting scholars on September 26.
• Registration for the general public includes admission to all sessions, viewing of the exhibition "Beyond Lewis and Clark: The Army Explores the West," light refreshments on Monday and closing reception.
• For discounted rate, registration must be received on or before September 13. After September 13, registration will only include the September 27 sessions.

Cost:

• WSHS Member - Opening Reception, Monday Sessions + Monday Reception: $55.00
• WSHS Member - Monday Sessions and Monday Reception: $35.00
• General Admission - Monday Sessions and Monday Reception: $40.00
• Student Admission - Monday Sessions: $15.00
• Late Registration (after September 13) - Monday Sessions: $50.00

For additional information, or to register, call (253) 798-5877. Teacher registration is also available. Please call for details.

CONFLUENCE PROJECT IN SCHOOLS

Twelve schools along the Columbia River Basin each will receive $5,000 grants from The Confluence Project to develop artwork that will be shown during the Lewis and Clark Bicentennial.

Students at each of the schools received the same assignment as noted artist Maya Lin: look at the Pacific Northwest from a Native American viewpoint, explore the impact of Lewis and Clark, and create artwork that reflects upon the future.

"This is a fabulous opportunity for each school to create a lasting legacy in their communities," said Jan Gallimore, the director of the Confluence Project in Schools initiative.

During a Field Institute July 6-9, 31 teachers visited all Confluence Project sites where Lin will place her artwork. The teachers will helps students develop their own art projects beginning this fall. The student projects are to be completed in spring 2005.

Schools receiving awards are Clarkston High School, Grantham Elementary School, Fort Vancouver High School, Heritage High School, Legacy High School, Vancouver School of Arts and Academics, Shahala Middle School, Thomas Jefferson Middle School, Hilltop School and the Pasco School District, which will undertake projects at various district schools.

"Next year we plan a second competition that will be open to even more schools," Gallimore said.

Lin's artwork is currently being designed and will be installed over the next few years at several sites along the Columbia River Basin. For more information http://www.confluenceproject.org

Historian Steve Beckham and Cliff Snider, honorary chief of the Chinook Nation, were consulting scholars during the tour of confluence sites.

NATIONAL COUNCIL OF THE LEWIS & CLARK BICENTENNIAL RECEIVES $320,000 QWEST FOUNDATION GRANT

The Qwest Foundation, Qwest Communications' giving program, is donating $320,000 to the National Council of the Lewis & Clark Bicentennial to help commemorate the 200th anniversary of the Lewis & Clark expedition. This grant is the largest corporate gift ever received by the council, as well as the largest education donation given by the Qwest Foundation in 2004. The donation will help fund eight bicentennial signature events in seven states in Qwest's local service territory; a Lewis & Clark educational campaign; and brochures, posters and other materials.

"The Lewis & Clark expedition is an unsurpassed tale of adventure and endurance, yet the bicentennial events must be more than a commemoration of a long-ago adventure," said Robert R. Archibald, president of the National Council of the Lewis & Clark Bicentennial. "This is an opportunity for all of us to evaluate the long chain of cause and effect that links past, present and future, and we're thankful to have the support of the Qwest Foundation."

The council selected communities from Virginia to Oregon to host its national heritage signature events, which began in January 2003 and extend through September 2006. Each community was chosen for its place in the expedition's chronology, its historical relevance, cultural diversity, tribal involvement and geographic location.

"Lewis & Clark set out on an extraordinary journey more than 200 years ago, and Qwest will help make that journey come alive for kids today," said Ric Padilla, vice president of corporate responsibility for Qwest. "Education is the backbone of our communities, and we are proud to be a part of an organization that will enhance school curriculum, enrich the minds of children, and teach them about this important part of American history."

Qwest is sponsoring eight of the 15 signature events on the Lewis & Clark trail, all taking place in states in Qwest's local service territory.

Signature events in 2004:

• Fort Calhoun/Omaha, Neb. July 31-Aug. 3
• Oacoma and Chamberlain, S.D. Aug. 27-Sept. 26
• Bismarck, N.D. Oct. 22-27

Signature events in 2005:

• Fort Benton and Great Falls, Mont. June 1-July 4
• Long Beach, Wash. to Cannon Beach, Ore. Nov. 11-25

Signature events in 2006:

• Lewiston, Idaho June. 14-17
• Billings, Mont. July 22-25
• New Town, N.D. Aug. 17-20

The first signature event receiving Qwest support and funding is in Fort Calhoun/Omaha. This event commemorates Lewis & Clark's journey through Iowa and Nebraska and also honors the expedition's First Tribal Council. Planned activities include living history demonstrations, American-Indian cultural areas, and educational interactive workshops designed for all ages and interests. For more information please visit www.lewisandclark200.org.

In addition to the National Council grant, the Qwest Foundation also will launch the "Go Back to School with Lewis & Clark" educational campaign. This program will offer educators free CD-ROMs that will allow them to easily incorporate lesson plans on Lewis & Clark into their teaching. In addition, an educational campaign Web site will be launched to show visitors how much easier Lewis & Clark's journey would have been if they would have had all of the communications technologies students have today.

The Qwest Foundation plans to distribute the educational CD-ROMs to organizations such as the Boys & Girls Club and the YMCA in signature event markets beginning in Omaha.

For more information on the Qwest Foundation please visit www.qwest.com/foundation.

LEWIS AND CLARK AT THE WASHINGTON STATE HISTORY MUSEUM IN TACOMA

Exhibits

Beyond Lewis and Clark: The Army Explores the West
Nearly two hundred years ago, army captains Meriwether Lewis and William Clark and their Corps of Discovery headed west with orders from President Thomas Jefferson to find a route to the Pacific Ocean and document the land and peoples they encountered on their way. The Lewis and Clark expedition became a model for subsequent army expeditions. An eight-decade story of army exploration west of the Mississippi is traced in the exhibition. Among the hundreds of images and objects in the exhibit are Meriwether Lewis's air rifle, original field notes and maps drafted by William Clark, and items associated with the Isaac Stevens railroad survey and treaty tour. WSHM will be the only West Coast venue to present this nationally touring exhibit. Sunday, February 15, through Sunday, October 31, 2004.

WEBSITE OF THE MONTH

By Sharon Hultman, WSHS Digital Projects Manager

TRAILTRIBES.ORG
History with a tribal perspective, along trails followed by Lewis & Clark

A product of the Lifelong Learning Project, Continuing Education, at the University of Montana, Trailtribes.org takes the user deep into the traditional and contemporary native culture of the tribes located along the Northwestern portion of the Lewis & Clark Trail.

The variety of topics covered on this site is very satisfying, and the depth of information on each of the topics will keep the motivated visitor browsing this site for a good long time. The textual content is well-supported by historic and modern-day imagery, works of art, and oral testimony from tribal members presented in both written and audio formats.

For each of the major groups, the topics of Traditional Culture, Contemporary Culture and Relationship with U. S. are included. The Traditional Culture section explores oral history traditions, ancient homelands, and various aspects of life in the Indian village. Contemporary culture features the language, environmental history and sovereignty of the tribes. Relationship with U.S. investigates early exploration, the fur trade, disease, treaties, and other elements of change introduced through the arrival of the white man.

Trailtribes.org does a remarkable job of making the culture of our native peoples enjoyable, accessible, and understandable to all. This is a site that can be visited repeatedly yet provide a new experience each time.

EVENTS LISTING

We are now listing bicentennial events and promotions in a large, searchable database, with several different search criteria, freeing up space in the electronic newsletter for more news-related items. If you would like to have an event or promotion listed in this new database, please direct all information to Mark Vessey at mvessey@wshs.wa.gov and he will post the listing.

To access this new feature, visit our website at www.washingtonhistory.org/lewisandclark and click the Bicentennial Events Calendar Database at the top of the page —or click on the link below.

PLEASE LOOK for additional information and updates on Bicentennial planning activities and projects in next month's e-newsletter.

ALSO - if you have articles or news-worthy information that you would like to contribute to this e-newsletter or to Washington's quarterly bicentennial newsletter, please contact Mark Vessey at 360.586.0219 or mvessey@wshs.wa.gov.

The Washington State Historical Society, lead agency of the state's Agency Assistance Team (AAT) for bicentennial planning, will send this newsletter via e-mail on a monthly basis to provide updates on events, projects, and activities going on around the state in preparation for the commemoration.

Your name is in the state's Lewis and Clark Trail database as someone who has expressed interest in the bicentennial. If you do not want to continue to receive this newsletter and/or other bicentennial communications, reply to this e-mail or contact Mark Vessey at the Heritage Resource Center 360.586.0219.