Commission’s Legacy Document Under Way:

During the Commission’s October 2004 meeting the idea was presented of capturing the Commission’s Bicentennial planning activities in a “legacy document.” Staff partnered with Dave Walter, research historian at the Montana Historical Society, to develop a vision for what the commission’s Legacy Document would encompass. The desired end result would be a permanent record of the Commission’s Bicentennial planning activities. In January, a NPS CCS grant application was submitted that resulted in a $13,000 grant award announced this April. With the assistance of Dr. Harry Fritz, UM, the Commission contracted with UM graduate student Robert Bauer to begin work in late May 2005 for ten weeks both this summer and next drafting the document. Once completed, the document will be widely distributed to all Montana public and university libraries, in addition to list of key contacts.

Meeting Minutes

Minutes of all Commission meetings are available online.

Upcoming Meetings

Upcoming MT L&C Bicentennial Commission Meetings:
- Oct. 11th, 1:00 ­ 6 p.m. The Grand Hotel, Big Timber
- Febr. 16, 2006, Miles City

National Park Service Challenge Cost Share ­ 2005:

Montana faired well again this spring by receiving funding for 35 of the 102 projects nationwide that will receive 2005 grants from the National Park Service for Lewis and Clark Bicentennial events. This equates to $1.5 million of the $4.4 million of grant funds available from the grant program administered by the L&C Natl. Historic Trail headquartered in Omaha, Nebr. Montana’s two national Signature Events, “Explore! the Big Sky” in 2005 in the Great Falls area, and “Clark on the Yellowstone” in the Billing’s area in 2006 were awarded $100,000 each. Last year “Explore” received $75,000 and “Clark” received $50,000.

Here are the Montana projects and amounts funded for 2005:

• Garden Site Development for Sacajawea Statue - $5,000
• Lewis & Clark Festival in Lima - $1,000
• Encounter the Bitterroot Salish 2005 - $30,000
• Explore! the Big Sky Signature Event Great Falls to Fort Benton- $100,000
• Madison County Interpretive Park - $3,000
• Montana's Bicentennial Legacy Report - $13,000
• Interpretive Center at Pompeys Pillar - $170,000
• Travelers' Rest Visitor & Interpretive Services Missoula area- $100,000
• Travelers' Rest Education - $25,000
• Clark on the Yellowstone Signature Event Billings area- $100,000
• Completing the Journey - Helping Tribes Benefit from the L&C Bicentennial in Montana - $55,000
• Contemporary Native American Art - Reflections After Lewis & Clark - $7,000
• After Lewis & Clark in Columbia River Country - $40,000
• Missouri Headwaters Legacy Trail Project - $30,000
• Camp Fortunate Interpretive Center - $60,000
• Lewis and Clark Historical Signage - $6,000
• Lessons Learned from the Stories of the Expedition - $250,000
• Rounding Out the Story - $40,000
• Special Events at Travelers' Rest - $10,000
• Ross' Hole Interpretive Project - $20,000
• A Rock by any other Name: Understanding Lewis & Clark's Geography, Geology and Navigation in Montana (Phase II) - $7,000
• Indian Voices II & Haynes-Clark Exhibits - $12,000
• Giant Springs State Park Interpretive Program - $15,000
• Lewis & Clark in the Rockies - Festival - $10,000
• Re-living the Bitterroot Expedition - $3,000
• Lewis & Clark Interpretive Center Foundation Expansion - $150,000
• Lewis & Clark Speakers Bureau and Reading and Discussion Programs - $15,000
• Neither Empty Nor Unknown: Montana at the Time of Lewis & Clark - $75,000
• Teaching Resources for Trail Tribes - $40,000
• Ii-chi-wee-iitchee (Good Stories) - $15,000
• Rocky Boy Tourism Visitor Information Center - $25,000
• The Montana Garden - $20,000
• Fort Peck Tribes L&C Projects - $35,000
• Blackfeet and Salish/Kootenai Encampment at St. Mary - $8,000
• Undaunted Anglers - Phase Three - $15,000

Lewis & Clark at the State Tourism & Recreation Conference:

The 2005 state Tourism & Recreation Conference held at the Colonial Inn here in Helena featured two breakout sessions and a unique table-top display. The breakout session featured the key event organizers for the Lewis & Clark at the Confluence event, the Explore! the Big Sky event, a Corps II representative, and the event organizer for the September 9-10 Salish event. The table-top display featured the new “Lewis & Clark in Montana” map as a hanging back-drop with key event material on display.

Lewis & Clark in Montana Map a Big Hit!

A map that had a humble beginning as a reference tool has blossomed into one of the most often requested items available from the Commission’s office. MDT staff in the Road Inventory & Mapping Section designed a colorful map of Montana denoting the 1805 and 1806 Trail routes. The idea of identifying signature event and other key event locations utilizing event logos was readily adapted, and the 2005 and 2006 Corps of Discovery II community locations were identified utilizing the Commission’s 4-person logo; the map key provides event logos, dates and locations. MDT created a printable file format linked to the Commission’s ‘What’s New” web page. In April the Great Falls Tribune staff secured ads from businesses statewide to help defray the cost of printing 60,000 copies bound in tear off pads of 100 pages. Travel Montana’s Carol Crockett distributed all copies in one week to Visitor Information Centers and Chambers of Commerce statewide! Because of the heavy demand, quotes for a possible reprint have been requested.

Legislative Review:

The following is a very brief summary of the actions (or non-actions?) of the just completed 2005 Montana Legislature pertaining directly to the Bicentennial:

HB 301 – A bill to extend the life of the Bicentennial license plate. Those earmarked to receive funds in equal amounts are the Montana Historical Society, and the MT Department of Commerce (to then be distributed to Pompeys Pillar, the L&C Interpretive Center in Great Falls, and Travelers’ Rest Preservation and Heritage Association).

HJR 24- This resolution, which passed overwhelmingly, recognizes the contributions of the American Indian Nations to the success of the Journey, and articulates ways to support efforts to conserve the Missouri River through science-based management of its annual water fluctuations and maintenance of its fisheries and wildlife populations.

There were two bills, HB 417 and HB 771, designed to facilitate the delivery of monies from the general fund to assist in funding the two National Signature Events to be held in Montana in 2005 and 2006. Both bills died in committee. The track record of the state Legislature not earmarking general funds to any of the Bicentennial activities remains consistent.

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Montana Lewis & Clark Bicentennial
P O Box 201203
Helena, MT 59620-1203
406-443-2109 ph.
406-444-2686 fax
www.montanalewisandclark.org

New Member Named to State Commission:

Mark Sansaver from the Fort Peck Community College is the newest state Commissioner. As the Executive Director of the Assiniboine & Sioux Tribal Enterprise Community within the college, Mark has been very articulate on various Tribal issues, and brings that background and expertise to the state Commission. I have personally worked with Mark over the past number of years and can attest to his engaging personality. Mark replaces Darrell Martin on the Commission who is now working full time as an American Indian Liaison with the National Park Services’ Corps II program. Welcome and best wishes to Mark!

PPL Montana Grant Program Update and Review:

PPL Montana had in September 2003 made a pledge to the Lewis & Clark Legacy Fundraising Campaign earmarked for interpretive signage on the Trail. The first payment on that pledge was made in the Fall 2003 to the Upper Missouri Bicentennial Commission to facilitate the creation of key signage in that region. The second payment was received in September of 2004 with the amount being split between Lewis & Clark County and the Missouri River Headwaters State Park near Three Forks. Presently it is undecided if future payments would be earmarked for the Yellowstone Corridor or the Jefferson River drainage.

Lewis & Clark Training Academy – 2005:

In late fall of 2004 plans were laid for four L&C Training Academy sessions sponsored by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the U.S. Forest Service. Ken Wilk, Ast. Natl. Coord., for the COE, worked with local planners to host the following training sessions: Hood River, OR, Feb. 23-24, 2005; Billings, March 23-24, 2005; Missoula, April 26-27; andGreat Falls, May 3-4. Each session included an evening registration on day one, followed by two full days dealing with topics such as interpreting Lewis & Clark, L&C 101, Tribal perspectives, trail stewardship, and various presentations by many locally and nationally known experts and re-enactors. Regional bicentennial reps partnered with local agency and community organizations to develop and sponsor programs tailored to their community and its history.

New E-mail Addresses for State Commission Employees:

Please note that Clint Blackwood’s new e-mail is: cblackwood@mt.gov and Rita Cortright’s e-mail is now rcortright@mt.gov.