The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Aug. 11, 2002
Great Falls, Mont. - Meriwether Lewis, William Clark and their corps of weary discoverers had not even reached the end of their remarkable journey in 1806 when they glimpsed the first impact of their exploration of America's most distant and mysterious regions.
In early fall, as they eagerly paddled the last stretch of the Missouri River back toward St. Louis to make their report, the expedition passed the first canoes of fur traders headed into the west, into the land of the beaver and buffalo, into America's tomorrow.
Following the Lewis and Clark trail.
Today the trail leads into America's yesterday. But soon their impact will be felt again, perhaps as never before, as countless Americans pick up that famous trail, or portions of it, during the Bicentennial Commemoration of the Lewis and Clark Corps of Discovery.
The commemoration, intended to honor an event as significant then (and involving much more mystery) as the first moon landing of our lifetime, begins in January at Monticello, the home of their patron and president, Thomas Jefferson.
Even better, some say, the commemoration is coming at a time when public opinion of America's political leaders, business executives, religious figures and major financial institutions has been shaken, and maybe a rollicking man-against-the-elements feel-good story will be a tonic for everyone.
For more than three years, the commemoration will move west from Monticello and then back east, moving at about the pace of the historic exploration ordered by Jefferson to find an all-water route to the Pacific Ocean. There will be high-profile signature events at important sites along the way - Bismarck, N.D., in October 2004, for example, near where the corps wintered at Fort Mandan, and Great Falls in July 2005, where the corps celebrated July 4, 1805 - and smaller events in countless communities along the trail.
Public imagination
In many ways, it will be an event like no other in American history. Even the nation's own bicentennial in 1976, blowout that it was, lasted but one year. Now Lewis and Clark get three plus?
Then again few adventures in American history have such a hold on the public imagination as the story of Lewis and Clark, which mixes danger and discovery, wildlife and the Wild West, Indians friendly and resistant and so much more. On top of all that, their adventures were meticulously recorded in journals that remain as popular and well known today as when they were published.
The historian Stephen Ambrose, whose bestselling "Undaunted Courage" did so much to re-popularize the Corps of Discovery a few years back, calls their story our own "Odyssey," and their famous journals our nation's poem.
"There's beauty along the trail, there's romance, with the grizzly bears and all, and then it was all documented so well. It was a unique event," said Dick Williams, manager and acting superintendent of the Lewis and Clark Trail, which is administered by the National Park Service.
While the 1976 bicentennial was a big deal in the East, Williams said, many in such states as Montana, Oregon and Washington "are saying, this is our bicentennial out here in the West."
Human success story
"The interesting thing about Lewis and Clark is there's so much in that story that's about America today," said Paul Lloyd-Davies of the Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail Interpretive Center in Great Falls.
"Those guys were out there with themselves, it's sink or swim . . . and then they pull it off. It's all these sort of human elements of success that are in the Lewis and Clark story that people can apply to themselves today. They take all these chances and somehow, even when they mess up, they come through."
That said, planners - who have been working on bicentennial activities for nearly a decade - have several fine lines to walk.
One involves the dozens of American Indian communities along the trail whose take on the Lewis and Clark story is less about "discovery" than it is about the demise of their forebears' - and thus of their own - way of life.
Some tribes along the way - the Mandan and Hidatsu, who shared food, shelter and even their wives with the corps, and the Shoshones, who sold them horses - were helpful, and of course the famous Sacagawea was an integral part of the expedition. Others, including the band of young Blackfeet that suffered two casualties while trying to steal horses and guns, were hostile to the incursion by white explorers, fearing - correctly, of course - that it would lead to ever more intruders.
Sensitive to the fight that disrupted the anniversary of Columbus' "discovery" of America a decade ago, planners now are going out of their way to be sensitive to the tribes' point - or points - of view.
"There's people who say we're going to celebrate this (bicentennial)," said Williams. "Most of the Indian tribes aren't ready to celebrate this, but most of the tribes say they are ready to commemorate this. There's a tourism aspect . . . they're saying people are coming, we want to take advantage of it. But we also want to tell our story.
"They're no different from many communities and organizations along the trail."
Michelle Brussard, executive director of the National Council of the Lewis and Clark Bicentennial, said that more than 30 tribal representatives have been involved in planning at every step, and that all of the signature events would include opportunities for tribes to tell their stories, both of their involvement with Lewis and Clark and of the impact of Indian policies that came later.
"People are very aware of the tribal aspect, very respectful and cognizant about what that means. To varying degrees tribes are coming around and saying we do want to have an involvement. It's almost a business decision in some cases. In other cases it's a heartfelt thing that they need to do.
"I don't see the debacle of Columbus Day happening here. Will the tribes speak out? Undoubtedly, but that's OK."
Protecting the trail
The other sensitive areas for planners include protection of the trail and the integrity of the commemoration. When does merchandise cross the fine line between commercial and tacky? In an event that will last several years, how much is too much? And can the trail itself, much on private land and some quite fragile, take so much love and attention?
"Excellent question," said Brussard, "and I think the answer is it depends on what you mean by the trail. (Some portions) cannot sustain hordes of tourists, (but) you can do vast portions of this trail on the highway, you can drive it, bike it, the Harley group is going to H.O.G. it."
(As they already do. Last week, the Great Falls Symphony Orchestra and Choir performed a musical program on Lewis and Clark for touring Harley riders.)
Visitors will have to be aware of sites that are sacred to American Indians, said Clint Blackwood, of Montana's bicentennial planning council, and the drawn-out nature of the event should help to avoid a one-season crush of visitors.
"Some sites can take an extra 200 people a day with no problem, and some places cannot," he said. "We're telling people, hey, you're welcome to come out, we want you to come out, but just be smart about it."
Williams said many small communities are bracing for the onslaught, should it occur, while others are preparing with tourist-friendly interpretive signs, walking trails, paddling opportunities and other activities related to Lewis and Clark, to be added to the hundreds of such attractions already in place. Such improvements will make the trail better for visitors for years to come.
"This is kind of a unique event," he said. "It's a huge trail (and) Americans do love a birthday party."