By Jennifer Young
In 1804, President Thomas Jefferson sent Meriwether Lewis and William Clark on an expedition west where he intended for them to explore the lands just bought with the Louisiana Purchase. The two-year expedition led to a wealth of new geographic information about the continent as well as information about its flora, fauna, and people. We continue to celebrate Lewis and Clark’s momentous achievements today. Recently, the first leg of the pair’s historic journey has been added to the commemorative Lewis and Clark Trail, now including Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Indiana.
Last year, legislators signed the Eastern Legacy Extension Act into law. This extension adds 1,200 miles to the historic Lewis and Clark Trail, bringing the total to 4,900 miles. Travelers who wish to follow the trail will trace it along the Ohio River southeastward to the Mississippi River. Then, the trail turns north to St. Louis and continues northwestward to North Dakota. The journey then steers west toward the mouth of the Columbia River on the Pacific Coast of Oregon.
