May 2004, Volume 4, Issue 5

SENATE TO MOVE FORWARD ON CANTWELL'S LEWIS AND CLARK PRESERVATION BILL

WASHINGTON, D.C. - A Senate hearing was held May 20th to consider U.S. Sen. Maria Cantwell's (D-WA) legislation to create the "Lewis and Clark National Historic Park" and protect three sites significant to Lewis and Clark's historic journey. The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee's National Parks Subcommittee heard testimony from National Park Service officers and Rex Ziak, noted historian of the end of the Lewis and Clark trail.

"We're moving ahead on a bill that will help Washington state and the country celebrate the Bicentennial of Lewis and Clark's epic journey," Cantwell said. "I'm glad to see this is a priority for Interior Secretary Norton and appreciate her support as we work to protect these sites for families to enjoy for another 200 years."

The hearing is an important step toward passage of Cantwell's legislation, which will create a "Lewis and Clark National Historic Park," encompassing Fort Clatsop National Memorial, other state parks and the three additional sites proposed for protection.

The hearing was scheduled after Cantwell sent a letter, along with lead co-sponsor Sen. Gordon Smith (R-OR) and co-sponsors Sens. Patty Murray (D-WA) and Ron Wyden (D-OR), to National Parks Subcommittee Chairman Craig Thomas (R-WY) and Ranking Member Daniel Akaka (D-HI) urging consideration of the bill. In the letter, dated March 30, Cantwell and her colleagues stressed the importance of quick action on the bill.

They wrote, "We believe that these sites are critical components for bicentennial visitors to fully understand the Corps' historic trip and we are eager to pass this legislation in order to give the National Park Service time to begin implementation activities."

The House version of the bill, sponsored by Rep. Brian Baird (D-WA-03), passed the House Subcommittee on National Parks, Recreation, and Public Lands last month.

Cantwell's bill, the Lewis and Clark National Historic Park Act, will protect three sites, totaling 560 acres, on the lower Columbia River that played crucial roles during the Corps of Discovery expedition's dramatic arrival at the Pacific Ocean. It will protect Clark's Dismal Nitch, where the expedition first viewed the ocean and was trapped during a horrific six-day storm. It will also set aside Station Camp, where the group held a historic vote among all group members-including Sacagawea and the African American slave York-on where the expedition should stay for the winter. Finally, Cantwell's bill will preserve a portion of Cape Disappointment State Park, marking the furthest point westward reached by Lewis and Clark.

Together, these lands will help tell the story of the explorers for visitors at the bicentennial and for many years to come.

Cantwell introduced her legislation on March 4, after the National Park Service completed a yearlong public process, determining these three sites of "national significance, suitability, and feasibility" and recommended they be added to Fort Clatsop. The study was a result of legislation Cantwell cosponsored in 2002, called the Fort Clatsop Expansion Act. The bill also expanded Fort Clatsop National Memorial from 125 acres to 1500 acres. The park is the only national park solely dedicated to Lewis and Clark.

THREE STAMPS, TWO STATES, ONE SUCCESSFUL EVENT

Senator Mark Doumit from Washington, and Representative Betsy Johnson from Oregon.

Hundreds of Lewis and Clark enthusiasts jammed the Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center at Cape Disappointment State Park to celebrate the first day of issue for the new Lewis and Clark commemorative stamps on Friday, May 14. Two hundred years to the day after Lewis and Clark set off under a "jentle brease" up the Missouri River, three stamps commemorating the explorers were released by the U.S. Postal Service at ceremonies in the eleven Western trail states.

People started lining up outside the center at 7:15 a.m.-some dressed in buckskins, and all ready to purchase the new stamps and a selection of commemorative envelopes. U.S. Postal Service Chief Financial Officer Richard Strasser dedicated the new stamps, and historian Rex Ziak spoke about the importance of letters to the Lewis and Clark Expedition.

After Ilwaco's event, it was over to Fort Clatsop National Memorial, where Washington State Senator Mark Doumit presented the first envelope canceled in Washington State to Oregon State Representative Betsy Johnson. The special missive, carried by Doumit in a leather pouch similar to those used in the 19th century, contained a joint letter from the governors of Washington and Oregon about the Bicentennial.

The Postal Service focused on the Washington-Oregon events, noting that the bi-state approach used for planning the Ilwaco and Fort Clatsop events was unique on the Trail.

BAKER APPOINTED SUPERINTENDENT OF MOUNT RUSHMORE NATIONAL MEMORIAL

OMAHA, Neb.-Gerard A. Baker, superintendent of the "Corps of Discovery II: 200 Years to the Future" project and the Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail, headquartered in Omaha, has been named superintendent of Mount Rushmore National Memorial, Keystone, South Dakota. The appointment will be effective May 30, 2004. Baker succeeds Don Striker, who recently accepted an assignment with the National Park Service's Comptroller's office in Fort Collins, Colorado.

"Gerard Baker's ability to foster partnerships and build diverse constituencies has been demonstrated time and again. We are very pleased that he has accepted this assignment and we believe he will be an excellent manager for the complex operations at Mount Rushmore," said Midwest Regional Director Ernie Quintana.

Since August 2000, Baker has led the planning, development and operations of the "Corps of Discovery II: 200 Years to the Future" project to commemorate the bicentennial of the Lewis and Clark Expedition during the years 2003-2006. The project was successfully launched in January 2003 and has been travelling the eastern part of the United States. In March, the project was showcased during the Three Flags Festival in St. Louis. It will be working its way north along the Missouri River this summer as it recreates the epic journey of Meriwether Lewis and William Clark by retracing the historic trail, following in the footsteps of these explorers. Baker recently was recognized with the Department of the Interior's Superior Service honor award for his management of Corps of Discovery II.

Baker attended schools on the Fort Berthold Indian Reservation at Mandaree, North Dakota, and graduated from St. Mary's High School in New England, North Dakota, in 1972. He graduated in 1979 from Southern Oregon State University, Ashland, Oregon, with bachelor of science degrees in Criminology and Sociology.

Baker has lectured extensively on American Indian issues. In 1997, he was a consultant to Ken Burns and Dayton Duncan on their "Lewis & Clark: A Corps of Discovery" film, which had a special preview at the White House.

"I am really look forward to South Dakota and to this new challenge. I've always been fond of the parks in South Dakota and I look forward to this move to the Southern Black Hills," said Baker. "I will miss the Corps of Discovery II Project, the great staff, and the many friends I have along the Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail," he said.

U.S. CENSUS BUREAU LEWIS & CLARK BICENTENNIAL FACTS FOR FEATURES

WASHINGTON, May 12, U.S. Newswire -- The following "Facts for Features" edition was released today by the U.S. Census Bureau:

On May 14, 1804, Capt. Meriwether Lewis and Lt. William Clark, charged by President Thomas Jefferson with finding a route to the Pacific Ocean, embarked from Camp Dubois, Ill., on the east bank of the Mississippi River, upstream from St. Louis. They were accompanied by a 33-member group skilled in botany, zoology and outdoor survival. The "Corps of Discovery" arrived at Oregon's Pacific coast in November of 1805 and returned to St. Louis on Sept. 23, 1806.

To commemorate the Lewis and Clark expedition, as well as the Louisiana Purchase, the U.S. Mint over the next two years will produce four versions of a redesigned Jefferson nickel. The new designs will replace Jefferson's home, Monticello, on the coin's reverse side. The first version, shipped to commercial banks earlier this month, features a design similar to the original Jefferson Peace Medal commissioned for the Lewis and Clark expedition. Lewis and Clark handed out these medals as tokens of goodwill to American Indians they met along their route. Later this year, a second Jefferson nickel will be issued, depicting the boat Lewis and Clark used on their expedition.

The Westward Journey
39 million
The most recent estimate of the total population of the states that Lewis and Clark traversed from 1804 to 1806. See: http://www.census.gov/Press- Release/www/releases/archives/population/ 001624.html

Following is a list of the 11 states through which the Lewis and Clark trail passes, along with their current populations and the earliest census counts for the areas that became the present states.

Note: The census counts exclude all American Indians through 1850 and include only a small proportion of the American Indian population in 1860 and 1870. See: http://www.census.gov/prod/cen1990/cph2/cph-2-1-1.pdf
See: http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/population/001624.html

1
Number of places named "Lewis and Clark." That place is Lewis & Clark Village, Mo. (near St. Joseph), which had a population of 152 in 2002.
See: http://factfinder.census.gov/home/saff/main.html?_lang=en
See: http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/population/001118.html

6
Within the states that Lewis and Clark traversed on their way to the Pacific, the number of places named Jefferson. They are: Jeffersonville, Ill.; Jefferson, Iowa; Jefferson City, Mo.; Jefferson, S.D.; Jefferson City, Mont.; and Jefferson, Ore.
See: http://factfinder.census.gov/home/saff/main.html?_lang=en

164,000
The 2002 American Indian and Alaska native population in Washington, highest of any of the states Lewis and Clark crossed. There are a total of 4.3 million American Indians and Alaska natives nationwide. A number of native Americans accompanied the Lewis and Clark expedition. In addition, the group explored several American Indian homelands during its journey.
See: http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/population/001342.html

12,000
Number of Shoshone Indians nationwide. A Shoshone Indian, Sacagewea, served as the guide for the expedition. (This number refers to those who are part of the Shoshone tribal grouping alone or in combination with another tribal grouping or race.)
http://www.census.gov/population/cen2000/phc-t18/tab001.pdf

153,400
Number of Sioux Indians in the United States today. At the time of the Lewis and Clark expedition, the Sioux nation was the most powerful tribe on the Great Plains. (This number refers to those who are part of the Sioux tribal grouping alone or in combination with another tribal grouping or race.)
http://www.census.gov/population/cen2000/phc-t18/tab001.pdf

6,500
The current population of the Nez Perce tribe. This tribe played a critical role in the survival of the Lewis and Clark expedition, serving as gracious hosts when the expedition reached its homeland in 1805.
http://www.census.gov/population/cen2000/phc-t18/tab001.pdf

Life in 1804
18 miles west of Baltimore Location of the mean center of population of the United States in 1800. The mean center was in what is now Howard County, Md. — a shift of 41 miles from 1790 when it was 23 miles east of Baltimore in Kent County, Md. America's move west would continue through the decade, advancing in 1810 to Loudoun County, Va., 40 miles west- northwest of Washington, D.C. In 2000, the center had moved to nearly three miles east of Edgar Springs, Mo., which is west of Lewis and Clark's starting point.
http://www.census.gov/geo/www/cenpop/cntpop2k.html
http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/census_2000/000717.html

5.3 million
The total number of U.S. residents counted in the 1800 census. The census count in 2000 was 281.4 million C more than 50 times higher than the 1800 count.
See: http://www.census.gov/prod/cen1990/cph2/cph-2-1-1.pdf
See: http://factfinder.census.gov/home/saff/main.html?_lang=en

From time to time, special editions of the U.S. Census Bureau's Facts for Features are issued to commemorate anniversaries or observances or to provide background information for topics in the news. Below is a listing of previous such editions:

U.S. Armed Forces and Veterans (April 10, 2003)
Tax Time (April 11, 2003)
Louisiana Purchase Bicentennial (May 12, 2003)
Dialing for Dollars (Sept. 24, 2003)
First Flight Centennial (Dec. 3, 2003)
Social Security COLA (Dec. 11, 2003)
The 2004 Presidential Election (Jan 6., 2004)
Brown v. Board of Education: 50th Anniversary (Feb. 4, 2004)

Editor's note: Some of the preceding data were collected in surveys and, therefore, are subject to sampling error. Questions or comments should be directed to the Census Bureau's Public Information Office: telephone: 301-763-3030; fax: 301-457-3670; or e-mail: pio@census.gov
http://www.usnewswire.com/

FREE TRAININGS TO HELP GORGE COMMUNITIES ROLL OUT WELCOME TO VISITORS DURING LEWIS & CLARK BICENTENNIAL

STEVENSON, Wash. (April 2, 2004) -When visitors ask you where Lewis & Clark walked, camped, ate, and paddled on their famous Corps of Discovery trip in 1805 and 1806, will you know how to answer?

The Columbia River Gorge Visitors Association is sponsoring a series of 12 trainings for guest service workers, retail workers, and anyone else interested in helping visitors during the Lewis & Clark Bicentennial Commemoration, which runs through 2006. Providing detailed information about Lewis & Clark history and local sites entices visitors to stay extra nights and spend more money in the local economy.

The training is 90 minutes long, and is free. Two sessions have been scheduled in each of six Columbia River Gorge counties to provide ample opportunity for interested people to attend. Course content in each county contains Lewis & Clark lore specific to that county.

Instructors are Hood River residents Stu and Kathy Watson, authors of "The Lewis & Clark Expedition: A Traveler's Companion for Oregon and Washington" (East Oregonian Publishing, 2000).

During the class, participants will get a brief overview of the entire journey, and details about what Lewis & Clark did and saw while in the local area. They will learn to guide guests to interpretive sites and upcoming local Lewis & Clark events. Attendees will also be provided maps and brochures that can help them tell the Lewis & Clark story.

Sessions are scheduled for:

Clark County: from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Tuesday, May 18, and from 5 to 6:30 p.m. Thursday, May 27. Both classes will be at the JDZ Cafeteria of the James David Zellerback School, 841 NE 22nd Ave., Camas.

Skamania County: from 2 to 3:30 p.m. and from 5:30 to 7 p.m. on Thursday, May 20, at the Rock Creek Recreation Center Auditorium, 710 Rock Creek Drive at the Fairgrounds in Stevenson.

Klickitat County: from 5:30 to 7 p.m. Tuesday, June 1, at the White Salmon Valley Community Library in the Town and Country Square, White Salmon; and from 3 to 4:30 p.m. Wednesday, June 2, at the Lion's Community Center on State Route 14 in Lyle.

Hood River County: from 5:30 to 7 p.m. Monday, June 7, and from 3 to 4:30 p.m. Tuesday, June 8. Each session will be in the Jean Gaulke Meeting Room of the Hood River County Library, 503 State St., Hood River.

Wasco County: from 2 to 3:30 p.m. Tuesday, June 15, and from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, June 16. Each session will be conducted in the Lecture Hall on the third floor of Building 2 at Columbia Gorge Community College in The Dalles.

East Multnomah County: from 5 to 6:30 p.m. Thursday, June 17, and from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Tuesday, June 22. Each session will be at the Troutdale City Conference Building, 223 Buxton.

Attendees will receive a certificate of completion, and great "take away" materials. Refreshments will be served.

For people wishing more help in preparing for Lewis & Clark visitors, the CRGVA is offering the "Lewis & Clark Business and Community Planning Guide" for free download from its web site (www.crgva.org/). A 45-minute interactive "Lewis & Clark in the Columbia Gorge Hospitality Training Course" is also available at the web site.

The trainings are produced in cooperation with the USDA Forest Service, the Columbia River Gorge Visitors Association, and the Skamania County Chamber of Commerce.

Although trainings are free, advance registration is required. To register, call or send an e-mail to Kathy Watson at 541.386.8870 and kwatson@gorge.net, or Stu Watson at 541.386.8860 and swatson@gorge.net.

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 Webmaster

The Ethnography of Lewis and Clark: Native American Objects and the American Quest for Commerce and Science

The Ethnography of Lewis and Clark begins with an introduction by authors Rubie S. Watson and Castle McLaughlin, describing how the Peabody Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology acquired the Native American objects displayed on this site, purportedly linked to the Lewis and Clark Expedition. Tiny images in the left column lead the user to a treasure trove of additional information about the famous Expedition captains, artwork, and Native American artifacts.

Although site features include a Resources page (links and bibliography), a Lewis & Clark Trail map, and a description of Bicentennial projects at the Peabody Museum, the real heart of this online exhibit is the Objects page. A dozen thumbnail images pave the way to interpretive descriptions of the provenance, artistry, and techniques of Indian crafts ranging from a painted buffalo robe from the Upper Missouri, to a Whaling Chief's conical hat from the far Northwest. Most of the objects are presented with an assortment of different views, or with drawings of a similar item in use.

In anticipation of the upcoming Lewis and Clark Bicentennial, the Peabody Museum has undertaken additional research on the history of these objects. The results of this new research will appear in a book titled, "Arts of Diplomacy: Lewis and Clarks' Indian Collection" and an exhibit running through 2005.

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.