Jefferson City News and Events, Part I

I've accumulated several email correspondents over the years who have discovered this weblog and sent me photos and news related to Lewis and Clark events and interpretative facilities or exhibitions. One such individual is Bill Stine of Jefferson City, Missouri, who recently shared with me the information presented here and in the next post.

I wrote about a previous visit to Jefferson City in May of 2005, with a separate post on some of the other Missouri River towns in the central part of the state. At that time, there were plans to further develop what came to be called the Lewis and Clark Trailhead Plaza on the Capitol grounds, which would eventually include a new bronze statue and other features. Well, the day is fast approaching for the dedication of the new plaza: the festivities begin at 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday, June 4, 2008, for those who are in the area and want to attend.


Jefferson City and the Missouri River from the air, looking northwest. The round white building on the left edge of the picture is the hotel where I stayed during my visit. [Photo provided by Bill Stine.]

Here are a couple excerpts from an announcement about the dedication (also provided by Bill):

Cross Jefferson Street on East Capitol Avenue to view up close the new Lewis & Clark Monument Trailhead Plaza. Heroic size bronze figures in a native stone and waterfall setting look out over the plaza to the Jefferson Landing and the Missouri River. Conceived by mid-Missouri sculptor Sabra Tull Meyer and funded by private commissions and contributions that also included Missouri school children’s donations --it remembers the heroes of the Corps of Discovery, and the part Missourians played in the Lewis & Clark bicentennial across America. Public transportation enhancement funds and city matching funds were used for the trailhead plaza setting.

Note in particular Lewis’s dog Seaman and the lesser known members of Lewis & Clark’s team who traveled with them in their Captain’s Mess. Also note the waterfalls and trailhead plaza design of internationally renowned landscape architect Austin Tao Associates of St. Louis. The plaza functions as a cyclists and hikers trailhead to eventually connect to the Katy Trail State Park Trail via a pedestrian bridge across the Missouri River. Check it out at dusk as the plaza and monument are bathed in light after dark. The plaza will be dedicated on June 4, 2008, exactly two hundred and four years after Lewis & Clark first traveled past the future site of Jefferson City.

The new Lewis and Clark Trailhead Plaza is located next to the Capitol, at the corner of Jefferson Street and Capitol Avenue. Surrounded by large limestone rocks, the site includes two waterfalls, accent lighting, and bronze figures of Lewis, Clark, George Drouillard, York and a Newfoundland dog named Seaman. The trailhead will connect the Capitol complex with the Katy Trail and the greenway trail network. The dedication begins in the Capitol rotunda and wraps up with the unveiling of the monument at the Trailhead. Contact the Jefferson City Convention and Visitors Bureau for details.

From the website of the sculptor, here is a picture of a smaller version of the new bronze statuary:



The five figures left to right are York, Lewis, Seaman, Clark, and George Drouillard. As far as anyone can tell, this is the only sculptural representation of Drouillard. Mr. Stine asked me if I knew of any other statues or images of him along the trail, and I do not, so that makes this bronze especially interesting.

In a couple days, I will provide some additional information about this new L&C interpretive site, including a special appearance at the dedication by "Thomas Jefferson."