Lewis and Clark Trail Bicentennial
The Lewis and Clark Trail was traveled
only once: by the brave men of the Corps of Discovery (1804-1806) - plus a
no less courageous woman and her newborn baby. However, Americans - and
Lewis and Clark buffs worldwide - rediscovered the adventure during the
trail's Bicentennial commemoration from 2004-2006. Many traveled the entire
trail from St. Louis to the Pacific on a memorable journey of discovery
sponsored by Shebby Lee Tours.
The adventure continues today.
You too can connect with that sense of adventure and wonder that propelled
the men westward on
this year's excursion
scheduled for August 6-21, 2010.
The primary goal of the Lewis and
Clark expedition was to find the Northwest Passage to the Pacific. Not only
did they fail to find it, but they may have forged the single most difficult
route over the Rockies!
Subsequent explorers - and certainly
the emigrants of the Westward Expansion Movement - followed more southern
and far easier passages through North America's western mountain ranges.
Wyoming's South Pass provided a gradual and navigable opening through the
Rockies that Lewis and Clark only dreamed of.
The American Spirit
Still
we celebrate their singular accomplishment because is was inaugural, because
it was astonishing and because it represents the best of the American
spirit.
Lewis and Clark have been called the "writingest
explorers" in the history of the world. It's true that they faithfully kept
records of everything they saw and the people that they met, but far more
has been written since! And the Bicentennial produced a whole spate of new
publications.
We have gathered some of the
best of these writings here and on our sister website at:
ExploreTheLewisandClarkTrail.org
Take me where history happened
