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Two hundred years after Sgt. John
Ordway wrote these words, the nation is poised to mark the
anniversary of the day that the Lewis and Clark Expedition
departed from the east bank of the Mississippi River on their
28-month, 8,000-mile journey of discovery that has had no equal
before or since.
The nation will join the Illinois
Lewis and Clark Bicentennial Commission in observing this
anniversary during "The Departure," scheduled for Thursday through
Sunday, May 13-16, in and around Hartford. This is the first
bicentennial "Signature Event" designated for its national
significance.
"This is a once-in-a-lifetime
opportunity to celebrate the Lewis and Clark bicentennial at the
spot where the journey began," said Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich.
The observance begins at 6 p.m.
Thursday, May 13, at Gateway International Raceway in Madison with
"Eve of Discovery," a night of parades, music and fireworks that
will kick off the four-day event.
Events on Friday, Saturday and
Sunday, May 14, 15 and 16, center around the Lewis and Clark State
Historic Site in Hartford. Opening ceremonies take place at 10
a.m. Friday, May 14. The departure ceremony, in which re-enactors
will shove off from the Illinois shore and head up the Missouri
River, will begin at 3:30 p.m. Friday, May 14.
Numerous living history
re-enactments, performances, period musical performances, displays
and other special activities will be available all weekend, most
of which are free and open to the public.
Lewis and Clark State Historic
Site, administered by the
Illinois Historic
Preservation Agency, is located along Illinois Route 3 about
two miles north of Interstate 270. The site features a brand-new
museum with a full-size replica of the expedition's keelboat
inside, as well as a complete reconstruction of the camp where
Lewis and Clark spent the five months before departing on their
journey. The site is open Wednesday through Sunday for free public
tours.
Scheduled events for Illinois Lewis and Clark bicentennial
(For a more detailed schedule of
events, visit
www.lewisandclarkillinois.org.)
Thursday, May 13
6 p.m. -- "Eve of Discovery" program,
Gateway International Raceway, Madison.
Friday,
May 14
All events are at Lewis and Clark
State Historic Site except where noted.
8 a.m. -- Breakfast with President
Thomas Jefferson portrayed by Bill Barker; tickets $16 in advance
or $19 at door; call (618) 465-6676
10 a.m. -- Opening ceremonies,
unveiling of bicentennial stamp, Liberty Stage
10:45 a.m. -- "History of the Fiddle"
by Michael Rennels Thompson, Heritage Stage
11 a.m. -- Traditional flute with
Mark Holland, Stage of the Americas
11:30 a.m. -- Reception for uniformed
re-enactors, Chautauqua Tent
Noon -- Colonial Fife & Drum Corps,
Pageant Square
Noon -- Traveler's Dream band,
Liberty Stage
Noon -- Sacagawea portrayed by Selene
Phillips, Heritage Stage
12:15 p.m. -- "Native American
Perspective" by Dr. Robert Miller, Stage of the Americas
12:30 p.m. -- Lewis and Clark panel
discussion, Chautauqua Tent
1:15 p.m. -- William Clark portrayed
by Ritchie Doyle, Liberty Stage
1:15 p.m. -- "President Jefferson:
Expand the Great USA," Heritage Stage
1:30 p.m. -- "Pierre Cruzatte: A
Musical Journey Along the Lewis and Clark Trail," Stage of the
Americas
2:30 p.m. -- Colonial Fife & Drum
Corps, Pageant Square
2:30 p.m. -- Traveler's Dream band,
Liberty Stage
2:30 p.m. -- "Capt. Meriwether Lewis
Plans the Expedition from Illinois," Heritage Stage
2:45 p.m. -- Traditional flute with
Mark Holland, Stage of the Americas
3:30 p.m. -- Departure ceremony from
the end of Piasa Lane in Hartford; features the launch of a
replica keelboat
3:45 p.m. -- William Clark portrayed
by Ritchie Doyle, Liberty Stage
3:45 p.m. -- "History of the Fiddle"
by Michael Rennels Thompson, Heritage Stage
5 p.m. -- Colonial Fife & Drum
Corps, Pageant Square
5 p.m. -- Traveler's Dream band,
Liberty Stage
5 p.m. -- "President's Vision:
Captain's Challenge with President Jefferson and Captain
Meriwether Lewis," Chautauqua Tent.
5 p.m. -- Sacagawea portrayed by
Selene Phillips, Heritage Stage
5:15 p.m. -- "Pierre Cruzatte: A
Musical Journey Along the Lewis and Clark Trail," Stage of the
Americas
6 p.m. -- Retiring of the colors,
Liberty Stage
Saturday, May 15
All events are at
Lewis and Clark State Historic Site.
8 a.m. -- Breakfast
with Drouillard portrayed by Geoffrey Bahr; tickets $16 in advance
or $19 at door; call (618) 465-6676
9:30 a.m. --
Posting of the colors, Liberty Stage
9:45 a.m. --
William Clark portrayed by Ritchie Doyle
9:45 a.m. --
Authentic Lewis and Clark collection with Roger Wendlick,
Chautauqua Tent
10:30 a.m. --
Native American panel on the Shawnee tribe, Liberty Stage
10:45 a.m. --
"History of the Fiddle" by Michael Rennels Thompson, Heritage
Stage
11 a.m. -- Old
Guard Drill Team, Pageant Square
11 a.m. "Capt.
Meriwether Lewis Plans the Expedition from Illinois," Chautauqua
Tent
11 a.m. -- "Pierre
Cruzatte: A Musical Journey Along the Lewis and Clark Trail,"
Stage of the Americas
Noon -- Colonial
Fife & Drum Corps, Pageant Square
Noon -- Sacagawea
portrayed by Selene Phillips, Heritage Stage
12:15 p.m. --
Authentic Lewis and Clark collection with Roger Wendlick,
Chautauqua Tent
12:15 p.m. --
Creole fiddler Dennis Stroughmatt, Stage of the Americas
12:30 p.m. -- Our
American Cousins band, Liberty Stage
1:15 p.m. --
William Clark portrayed by Ritchie Doyle, Heritage Stage
1:30 p.m. -- "York:
The Tenth Man from Kentucky" portrayed by Hasan Davis, Chautauqua
Tent
1:30 p.m. --
National Lewis and Clark Fiddlers Competition featuring Pierre Cruzatte, Stage of the Americas
2 p.m. -- Dance
Discovery, Liberty Stage
2:30 p.m. --
Colonial Fife & Drum Corps, Pageant Square
2:30 p.m. --
"History of the Fiddle" with Michael Rennels Thompson
2:45 p.m. --
"President's Vision: Captain's Challenge, with President Jefferson
and Capt. Meriwether Lewis," Chautauqua Tent
3:15 p.m. -- Our
American Cousins band, Liberty Stage
3:45 p.m. --
Sacagawea portrayed by Selene Phillips, Heritage Stage
4 p.m. -- "York:
The Tenth Man from Kentucky" portrayed by Hasan Davis, Chautauqua
Tent
4:15 p.m. -- Creole
fiddler Dennis Stroughmatt, Stage of the Americas
4:45 p.m. -- Dance
Discovery, Liberty Stage
5 p.m. -- Colonial
Fife & Drum Corps, Pageant Square
5 p.m. -- William
Clark portrayed by Ritchie Doyle, Heritage Stage
5:15 p.m. --
"President Jefferson Expands the Great USA," Chautauqua Tent
5:15 p.m. --
"Pierre Cruzatte: A Musical Journey Along the Lewis and Clark
Trail," Stage of the Americas.
6 p.m. -- Retiring
of the colors, Liberty Stage
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column in this article] |
Sunday, May 16
All events are at
Lewis and Clark State Historic Site.
7 a.m. -- Sunrise
service, Liberty Stage
8 a.m. -- "Breakfast
with York: The Tenth Man from Kentucky" portrayed by Hasan Davis;
tickets $16 in advance or $19 at door; call (618) 465-6676
8:30 a.m. -- Lewis
and Clark Bicycle Ride hosted by Trailnet Bicycle Fun Club; starts
in Hartford and ends at Lewis and Clark State Historic Site
10 a.m. -- "President
Jefferson Expands the Great USA," Chautauqua Tent
10 a.m. -- "History
of the Fiddle" by Michael Rennels Thompson, Heritage Stage
10 a.m. -- William
Clark portrayed by Ritchie Doyle, Stage of the Americas
10:30 a.m. -- Old
Guard Drill Team, Pageant Square
11 a.m. -- Amtrak
announcement regarding Lewis and Clark discussions aboard select
trains bound for St. Louis, Liberty Stage
11:15 a.m. -- "York:
The Tenth Man from Kentucky" portrayed by Hasan Davis, Chautauqua
Tent
11:15 a.m. -- Creole
fiddler Dennis Stroughmatt, Stage of the Americas
11:15 a.m. --
Sacagawea portrayed by Selene Phillips, Heritage Stage
11:45 a.m. -- Great
Lakes Naval Band, Liberty Stage
Noon -- Native
American panel featuring leaders from the Mandan-Hidatsa, Umatilla,
Nez Perce and Shoshone who will present a Native American
perspective on the Lewis and Clark Expedition, Pageant Square
12:30 p.m. --
"President's Vision: Captain's Challenge with President Jefferson
and Capt. Meriwether Lewis," Chautauqua Tent.
12:30 p.m. --
"History of the Fiddle" by Michaels Rennels Thompson, Heritage Stage
12:30 p.m. -- "Pierre
Cruzatte: A Musical Journey Along the Lewis and Clark Trail," Stage
of the Americas
1 p.m. -- Time
capsule ceremony, Liberty Stage
1 p.m. -- Colonial
Fife & Drum Corps, Pageant Square
1:45 p.m. -- "York:
The Tenth Man from Kentucky" portrayed by Hasan Davis, Chautauqua
Tent
1:45 p.m. -- Creole
fiddler Dennis Stroughmatt, Stage of the Americas
1:45 p.m. -- Equinox
Chamber Orchestra with the Illinois premiere of "Sacagawea: Three
Life Episodes" by David Cleary, Heritage Stage
2 p.m. -- Illinois
National Guard Band, Liberty Stage
2:30 p.m. -- Colonial
Fife & Drum Corps, Pageant Square
3 p.m. -- Sacagawea
portrayed by Selene Phillips, Heritage Stage
3 p.m. -- "Captain
Meriwether Lewis Plans the Expedition from Illinois," Chautauqua
Tent
3 p.m. -- "Pierre
Cruzatte: A Musical Journey Along the Lewis and Clark Trail," Stage
of the Americas
3 p.m. -- Closing
ceremonies, Liberty Stage
3:30 p.m. --
Woodcarving awards, Pageant Square
4 p.m. -- Retiring of
the colors, Liberty Stage
Ongoing events Friday, Saturday and
Sunday, May 14, 15 and 16
At Lewis and Clark
State Historic Site
19th-century medicine
show -- An authentic 1800s medicine show features fast-talking sales
pitches, a dime museum full of strange and natural wonders, and the
Cabinet of Haunted Curiosities.
Amateur radio
broadcast -- The Lewis and Clark Amateur Radio Club will broadcast
live using the call letters K9L to spread the word about the Lewis
and Clark Expedition around the world.
Bison photos --
Festival attendees can have a photo taken next to a full-size,
mounted buffalo.
Capt. Lewis and
company -- The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will be in period
costume inside Camp River Dubois demonstrating equipment, medicine
and tools of the period.
Children's village --
This area for kids features the Lewis and Clark Coloring Adventure
and Helen Markwell's Lewis and Clark Children's Show.
Commercial vendors --
Souvenirs will be sold, including books, posters, CDs, wood carvings
and more.
Corps II -- The
National Park Service traveling exhibition about Lewis and Clark
includes the Tent of Many Voices, which will follow the Lewis and
Clark Trail through 2006.
Fur, fangs, fins and
feathers -- The Illinois Department of Natural Resources exhibit
includes live animals, Smokey Bear, virtual fishing, a giant
aquarium and more.
History of trade
goods, tools and equipment of the times -- Professor Fred Fausz
lectures on trade goods in the early 1800s.
Illinois tomahawk
throwing exhibition -- The Illinois Tomahawk Throwing Association
challenges everyone to throw a tomahawk.
Keelboat -- Butch
Bouvier will present his full-size authentic keelboat that visitors
may climb aboard and experience.
Legacy of William
Bratton -- Esther Duncan portrays Mary Maxwell Bratton, wife of
Lewis and Clark Expedition member Pvt. William Bratton.
Lewis and Clark
woodcarvers competition -- The National Woodcarvers Association will
have a carving competition with $1,000 in prize money to be awarded.
Life and times of
George Drouillard -- Geoffrey Bahr portrays George Drouillard, a
hunter and interpreter who had a significant influence on the
expedition.
Life of a fur trader
-- This exhibit and a re-enactor dressed as a French voyageur depict
fur trading in the Midwest during the 1700s and early 1800s.
National Lewis and
Clark Fiddlers Competition -- Amateur, professional and children can
compete for $1,000 in prize money during this national fiddling
competition.
Native American
heritage site -- Native American dances and games will be
demonstrated by teenagers from the Prairie Nation tribes.
Period food and craft
demonstrations -- Frontier demonstrations will include
blacksmithing, wood carving, jump-rope making, string doll making,
surveying and more.
"Relive the Lewis and
Clark Experience" exhibit -- Darrell Elder brings one of the largest
touring exhibits of Lewis and Clark era memorabilia for a hands-on
experience.
Toussaint Charbonneau
encampment -- Jack Smith interprets the life and times of expedition
interpreter and Sacagawea's husband, Toussaint Charbonneau.
Traditional strings
of the times with Nancy Lipincott -- Lipincott shares period music
on mandolin, hammer dulcimer, guitar and autoharp.
Traveling museum --
The Lewis and Clark Mobile Interpretive Center features a
multicultural perspective of the expedition.
Violin maker Michael Rennels Thompson --
Michael Rennels Thompson will build a fiddle in front of the
audience.
[Illinois
Historic Preservation Agency
news release]
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