>> ♪ ♪
>> Man: THROUGH PARTNERSHIPS,
THE LEWIS & CLARK
NATIONAL HISTORIC TRAIL
CONTINUES TO BE A JOURNEY,
AS WE PRESERVE THE PLACES
STORIES, AND LANDSCAPES
FOR EACH NEW GENERATION
TO DISCOVER.
>> THE LEWIS & CLARK
NATIONAL HISTORIC TRAIL
BELONGS TO ALL OF US.
>> ONE OF THE REALLY NEAT THINGS
ABOUT A TRAIL, IT'S NOT
JUST ONE SPOT IN TIME,
IT'S A VERY LONG STORY,
IT'S A VERY RICH STORY.
>> THIS WAS AN INCREDIBLE
ADVENTURE, BUT THERE WERE
LOTS OF OBSTACLES.
THESE STORIES ARE ABOUT
PEOPLE WHO OVERCAME
WHAT OTHERS THOUGHT
COULDN'T BE DONE.
>> PRESIDENT JEFFERSON
INVITES YOU TO JOIN HIM
IN HIS GREAT REPUBLIC.
>> I THINK THE FUTURE
IS CONTINUING TO WEAVE
RELATIONSHIPS, PARTNERSHIPS,
BECAUSE THAT IS EVERYTHING
THAT IS IMPORTANT TO US.
>> BECAUSE OF THE ATTENTION
BEING PAID TO IT, BECAUSE
THE PARKS ARE ENCOURAGING
AND SUPPORTING, IT'S GONNA
GIVE US A RICH ROAD TO WALK
ALL THE WAY OUT TO THE OCEAN
AND BACK, JUST LIKE
LEWIS AND CLARK.
>> Man:LEWIS & CLARK
NATIONAL HISTORIC TRAIL:
PARTNERSHIPS FOR THE FUTURE.
>> IN 1978,
THE LEWIS & CLARK TRAIL
HERITAGE FOUNDATION
HELPED ESTABLISH
THE LEWIS & CLARK
NATIONAL HISTORIC TRAIL.
TODAY, THE NATIONAL
PARK SERVICE STAFF SERVES
AS A RESOURCE TO HUNDREDS
OF PARTNERS ALONG
THE 3,700-MILE-LONG TRAIL,
INCLUDING NON-PROFIT, TRIBAL,
LOCAL, STATE, FEDERAL,
AND PRIVATE ENTITIES.
>> WE TALK ABOUT THIS
BEING A STRING OF PEARLS
FROM LITERALLY MONTICELLO
TO THE WEST COAST,
BUT WHILE ALL OF US,
OUR SPECIAL PLACES
ALONG THE WAY MAY BE
THE JEWELS ON THAT ROUTE,
IT IS THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
THAT IS THE STRING THAT
BINDS US TOGETHER.
>> WELCOME TO OMAHA.
THE ROLE OF THE PARK SERVICE
IS NOT THAT OF THE OWNER
OF THE TRAIL.
WE'RE THE ADMINISTRATOR
OF THE TRAIL, AND THAT REALLY
MEANS THAT WE HAVE TO WORK WITH
OTHER PEOPLE, WE HAVE TO
COORDINATE WITH OTHER PEOPLE,
AND HONESTLY IT'S BETTER
IF WE DO, BECAUSE YOU GET
DIFFERENT PEOPLE, YOU GET
DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES,
AND IT STRENGTHENS OUR
ABILITY TO GET THINGS DONE.
>> THIS IS OUR MONTHLY
CONFERENCE CALL, TRAIL TALK.
WELCOME.
>> PARTNERING WITH THEM
IS SO EXCITING, BECAUSE
THEY CARE ABOUT THE TRAIL
AND ALL OF US ALONG THE TRAIL
ITSELF CARE ABOUT THE TRAIL,
BUT THEY HAVE EXPERTISE
THAT WE DON'T HAVE.
>> WHAT THE PARK SERVICE HAS
IS KIND OF A PURE INTEREST
IN THE TRAIL.
>> THAT EXPERIENCE
IS VERY VALUABLE IN TERMS
OF WHAT THEY CAN BRING
TO OUR TRAIL.
>> THE TIME IS RIPE TO PROMOTE
AND TO PROTECT AND TO CELEBRATE
WHAT WE HAVE IN OUR COMMUNITY
AND FOR THE NEXT GENERATION.
>> LEWIS & CLARK
IS A LIVING HISTORY,
A HISTORIC JOURNEY THAT
CONTINUES TO BE TOLD AGAIN
EVERY YEAR THROUGH HUNDREDS
OF REENACTMENTS
AND FIRST-PERSON
INTERPRETATIONS
OF DIVERSE PERSPECTIVES
ALONG THE TRAIL.
THESE PERFORMANCES
BRING HISTORY TO LIFE
AND GIVE THE AUDIENCE
A UNIQUE WAY TO CONNECT
TO THE STORY.
>> WHEN I WAS IN COLLEGE,
THEATER WAS A BIG PART
OF MY LIFE.
ONCE I GOT THROUGH LAW SCHOOL,
I DECIDED I WANTED TO GET BACK
INTO PERFORMING.
MY NAME'S HASAN DAVIS.
I'M HERE TO SHARE THE STORY
OF YORK, A FIRST-PERSON
INTERPRETATION OF THE ONLY
AFRICAN-AMERICAN OF THE
LEWIS & CLARK EXPEDITION.
I WANTED TO REALLY DO SOMETHING
THAT COULD ENTERTAIN
AND EDUCATE AT THE SAME TIME,
AND THIS JUST BECAME
A GREAT WAY TO DO THAT.
THE PARKS CALL ME REGULARLY
AND ASK ME TO REPRESENT THEM
AS YORK, AND SO FOR ME,
THAT'S A GREAT HONOR.
WE HAVE BEEN AWAY FROM
THE EYES OF THE WHOLE WORLD
ALMOST THREE YEARS.
AND AS FAR AS COSTUMING,
I'VE GOT A REALLY COOL JACKET.
VISUALLY, IT REALLY CAPTURES,
IT PUTS YOU RIGHT THERE.
YOU KNOW WE'RE ABOUT
TO GO AN ADVENTURE.
IT SEEMED LIKE IT TOOK ME
ABOUT AN HOUR TO GET THAT
NEXT SHOT LOWERED.
THE WHOLE TIME, I THINK
THAT BEAR MUST BE BREATHING
RIGHT DOWN THE BACK OF MY NECK.
AND I CAN'T HEAR NOTHING,
'CAUSE MY HEART'S BEATING
SO FAST AND LOUD, IT SOUNDED
LIKE DRUMS POUNDING IN MY EARS.
>> YORK WAS A VOICE THAT WASN'T
COMMONLY HEARD.
IF YOU GO AND LOOK AT
ALL OF THE ARTWORK
IN THE EXHIBIT HALL,
YOU'LL SEE HIM THERE,
BUT HE'S KINDA QUIET,
HE'S SILENT IN THIS PAINTINGS
AND IN THESE DRAWINGS.
SO THE IDEA WITH BRINGING
HASAN HERE IS, I THINK,
HELPS US ENRICH THAT STORY.
IT HELPS BRING THAT VOICE ALIVE.
>> MY NAME IS YORK.
JUST YORK.
THEY CALL HIM "BIG MEDICINE."
THEY CALL HIM "BLACK INDIAN."
AND WHEN I STARTED LOOKING
THROUGH THE JOURNALS OF
THE EXPEDITION THEMSELVES,
THEY TALK ABOUT HIS
PARTICIPATION, THEY TALK ABOUT
HIS ENGAGEMENT, TALK ABOUT
HIS CONNECTION AND BEING
A PART OF A TEAM.
SO FOR THE AUDIENCE,
THIS IS ABOUT CAMARADERIE
AND FRIENDSHIP AND SACRIFICE,
AND AT THE SAME TIME,
IT'S ABOUT DISAPPOINTMENT
AND DISILLUSIONMENT
AND THE PAIN OF
A DIVIDED SYSTEM
THAT WOULDN'T ALLOW A MAN
TO BE AS GREAT AS HE DREAMED.
>> IT'S ONE THING TO, I GUESS,
READ ABOUT HISTORY, BUT TO SEE
IT REENACTED, IT KINDA,
YOU KNOW, BRINGS IT TO LIFE.
>> I ACTUALLY CRIED.
( laughs )
IT WAS JUST VERY TOUCHING.
>> THE POWER OF HIS PRESENTATION
MAKES YOU AWARE OF WHAT WE WERE
AND WHAT WE ARE.
>> IN THE BROAD SCHEME,
THESE STORIES ARE LEGENDARY,
AND WHAT I LIKE IS TELLING
THOSE STORIES WE DON'T KNOW.
INTO THE BICENTENNIAL,
NATIVE COMMUNITIES ALONG THE
TRAIL GOT TO COME IN AND TELL
THEIR STORIES, AND SO IT
REALLY DID START SOME
CONVERSATIONS, AND THAT WAS
A VERY UNIQUE SET
OF PARTNERSHIPS
THAT MADE IT ALL HAPPEN.
>> ( all chanting )
>> THE TRIBES ARE STILL HERE,
AND THEY STILL HAVE
A STRONG VOICE.
IT'S MUCH MORE MEANINGFUL
TO THE TRIBAL REPRESENTATIVES
OR THE TRIBAL HISTORIANS
THAT ARE THERE
TO SHARE THEIR OWN STORIES
IN THEIR OWN WORDS.
THEY WOULDN'T SAY THE SAME
THINGS IN THE SAME WAYS
THAT A SCHOLAR WOULD SAY.
>> THE CONSEQUENCE OF LEAVING
OUT EVEN JUST A LITTLE BIT
OF THAT STORY UNDERMINES
WHAT WE DID, WHAT IT MEANT
TO US.
>> SO YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT
EMOTIONS THAT ARE THOUSANDS
OF YEARS OLD, AND SO IT MAKES
A DIFFERENCE.
IT REALLY DOES.
>> IT IS CRITICAL THAT WE
INCLUDE AMERICAN INDIANS,
GIVE THEM EVERY OPPORTUNITY
TO PARTICIPATE, AND REALLY TRY
TO CREATE OPPORTUNITIES
FOR THEM TO TELL THE STORY
WITH THEIR VOICE
AND THEIR PERSPECTIVE,
AND IF WE DON'T DO THAT,
WE'RE NOT DOING OUR JOB
AND WE'RE NOT TELLING THE STORY
OF THE LEWIS & CLARK EXPEDITION.
>> THE PRESERVATION
AND INTERPRETATION OF THE TRAIL
IS A RESULT OF PARTNERSHIP,
COLLABORATION, AND A NETWORK
OF OVER 2500 VOLUNTEERS
ACROSS THE COUNTRY.
WHILE THE OPPORTUNITIES
ARE VAST, IT IS THE DETAILED
WORK OF THE THOUSANDS
OF VOLUNTEERS THAT KEEP
THE TRAIL ALIVE.
FROM TAKING TICKETS
AT A VISITOR CENTER,
STUFFING ENVELOPES
FOR A JUNIOR RANGER PACKET,
OR PICKING UP TRASH
ALONG THE MISSOURI RIVER,
THERE ARE MANY WAYS
PEOPLE CAN VOLUNTEER.
>> I'VE ALWAYS BEEN
A WATER KID.
COME ON, DOGGIE.
GREW UP IN LOUISIANA,
AND SO THAT BRINGS
A CERTAIN KIND OF WATER
TO YOUR BACKGROUND.
I THINK EVERYONE
CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE
IN THEIR OWN COMMUNITY.
SO I STARTED LOOKING AT WAYS
TO GET INVOLVED
ON THE MISSOURI,
AND I WENT TO A MEETING
FOR MISSOURI RIVER'S
FIRST CLEAN-UP IN KANSAS CITY.
WE'RE DEALING WITH TRASH
AND EDUCATION, AND YOU DON'T
EVER HAVE TO STAND UP
IN A MEETING AND SAY,
"TRASH IS BAD,"
BECAUSE EVERYONE KNOWS THAT,
AND SO IT'S BEEN
A RALLYING CRY FOR COMMUNITIES.
WELL, HERE'S WHAT
YOU'RE GONNA DO.
I THINK THE FIRST COMMENT
VOLUNTEERS MAKE IS
"OH, MY GOSH, I HAD NO IDEA."
EXPECT TO PICK UP CANS
AND BOTTLES AND FISHING LINE,
AND THEY DON'T REALIZE THAT
THEY'RE GONNA PICK UP PIANOS
AND TIRES AND REFRIGERATORS,
TOO.
THE OTHER THING PEOPLE SAY
THAT ALWAYS TICKLES ME IS
"I HAD NO IDEA
IT WAS GONNA BE FUN,"
BECAUSE IT'S A BLAST.
>> PEOPLE ARE INTERESTED IN
BEING PART OF SOMETHING BIGGER,
AND THE PARK SERVICE BRINGS
A TON OF VOLUNTEERS AND THAT
INSTITUTIONAL KNOWLEDGE
YOU JUST CAN'T GET
ANYWHERE ELSE THAT MAKE
THESE PROJECTS WORK.
>> WE ARE THE HEADQUARTERS
FOR THE TRAIL, AND WE ARE
THE SUPPORT FOR ALL OF THE
PEOPLE OUT DOING THE JOBS
EVERY DAY, AND IF WE
AREN'T ACCESSIBLE TO THEM,
THEN A LOT OF THIS WORK
WOULD NOT GET DONE.
>> FOR AN AGENCY TO SAY
"WE'RE GONNA HELP YOU
LEVEL THAT PLAYING FLD,
WE'RE GONNA PUT THESE
INITIATIVES BEHIND DOING THIS,"
JUST MAKES ALL THE DIFFERENCE
IN THE WORLD.
THE PERSON BEHIND THE DESK
CARED, AND THAT MADE
A HUGE DIFFERENCE.
>> IF WE DID NOT HAVE
OUR VOLUNTEERS, A LOT
OF OUR VISITOR CENTERS
WOULD NOT BE OPEN AS MUCH
AS THEY ARE TO OUR PUBLIC.
>> IT'S A WONDERFUL PLACE
TO BE A VOLUNTEER BECAUSE
EVERYBODY IS VERY HELPFUL
AND YOU GET SOME GOOD TRAINING.
>> I THOUGHT IT WAS TIME
THAT I GAVE SOMETHING BACK
TO THE COUNTRY.
IT KEEPS ME ACTIVE
AND ALIVE.
( chuckles )
>> NOT ONLY CAN VOLUNTEERS
VOLUNTEER IN VISITOR CENTERS,
BUT THEY CAN ALSO GO OUT
WITH RESOURCE MANAGERS TO DO
HABITAT RESTORATION,
INVASIVE SPECIES REMOVAL,
THEY CAN GO OUT AND REALLY BE
INVOLVED IN HELPING
THE ENVIRONMENT AND MAINTAIN
THE NATURAL PART OF
THE LEWIS & CLARK
NATIONAL HISTORIC TRAIL.
>> FROM CAMP DUBOIS
IN HARTFORD, ILLINOIS
TO FORT CLATSTOP IN OREGON,
THERE ARE NUMEROUS VISITOR,
INTERPRETATIVE, TRIBAL,
AND CULTURAL CENTERS
ALONG THE TRAIL THAT
OFFER PEOPLE AN OPPORTUNITY
TO APPRECIATE MORE DETAILED
ACCOUNTS OF THE LEWIS
AND CLARK JOURNEY.
THESE CENTERS ARE A PRIMARY
RESOURCE FOR PUBLIC OUTREACH
ALONG THE TRAIL AND SERVE
AS A GREAT PLACE TO PRESERVE
AND EDUCATE THE NEXT GENERATION
ABOUT THE LEWIS
AND CLARK JOURNEY.
>> THERE ARE MANY, MANY, MANY
VISITOR CENTERS ALONG THE TRAIL,
AND SOME OF THEM, THEIR PRIMARY
FOCUS IS LEWIS AND CLARK,
AND THEY TELL THAT STORY
IN THE BROAD SENSE,
BUT THEY ALSO TELL IT
JUST EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENED
IN THEIR GEOGRAPHICAL AREA.
>> THIS IS WHERE THEY PORTAGED
AROUND THE GREAT FALLS,
AND IT WAS AN ARDUOUS JOURNEY.
AND THAT'S WHAT THIS
DIORAMA DEPICTS.
>> THE LEWIS & CLARK
NATIONAL HISTORIC TRAIL
INTERPRETIVE CENTER
IN GREAT FALLS, MONTANA
OFFERS VISITORS A WIDE VARIETY
OF OPPORTUNITIES TO EXPERIENCE
THE TRAIL AND TO LEARN ABOUT IT,
AND IT IS RUN AND MANAGED
BY THE U.S. FOREST SERVICE,
AND SO THAT'S A GREAT EXAMPLE
OF A PARTNERSHIP, ALSO,
WHERE WE ARE ABLE TO SHARE
IN TELLING THIS STORY.
>> I'VE GOT SOME THOUGHTS
AND IDEAS ON THAT.
THE NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
IS A GREAT PARTNER OF OURS
BECAUSE THEY ARE SORT OF
IN SOME WAYS THE GLUE
THAT HOLDS THIS WHOLE
TRAIL TOGETHER.
>> WELL, I THINK THE GOALS
OF THE CENTER ARE REALLY
TO TELL THE STORY, TO GIVE
PEOPLE A TASTE OF THE STORY,
BUT I'D LIKE TO THINK THAT
AN INTERPRETIVE CENTER
IS A PLACE WHERE YOU CAN
EXPERIENCE IT IN A WAY
YOU HAVEN'T EXPERIENCED IT
BEFORE, MAYBE A MORE
PHYSICAL WAY.
>> GO!
>> ONE, TWO, THREE, FOUR, FIVE.
>> THEY DO A REMARKABLE JOB
IN THEIR EDUCATION PROGRAMMING.
THEY DO HAVE A FULLTIME
EDUCATION COORDINATOR
AT THAT SITE.
SO YOU KNOW THAT THEY PUT
A LOT OF TIME AND EFFORT
INTO THAT.
>> SO WHAT ARE SOME SYMBOLS
THAT WE SEE IN OUR
SOCIETY TODAY?
STUDENTS THAT COME IN HERE
AFTER THEY'VE HAD A UNIT
THAT THEIR TEACHER'S BEEN
WORKING WITH THEM ON,
I MEAN, THEIR HANDS ARE
GOING UP WITH EVERY QUESTION,
AND THEY COULD GIVE
THE TOUR THEMSELVES.
"OH, WOW, THAT'S THE PORTAGE!"
YOU KNOW, THEY'VE READ
ABOUT THESE THINGS.
THEY'VE HEARD ABOUT
THESE THINGS, BUT NOW
THEY'RE REALLY GETTING A CHANCE
TO SEE IT COME TO LIFE HERE
AT THE CENTER.
>> KIDS ARE INTELLIGENT,
AND YOU WILL SEE THEIR WHEELS
TURNING AND THEY WILL ASK SOME
PRETTY SIGNIFICANT QUESTIONS,
AND SOMETIMES I THINK WE DON'T
GIVE THEM ENOUGH CREDIT.
>> WHAT HAVE WE GOT?
>> KIND OF LONG NAILS.
>> HE'S GOT EVEN CRAZIER NAILS
THAN YOU DO.
>> I'M A BIG FISHERMAN.
I FISH A LOT.
>> All: OOH!
>> THAT GOT YOU!
>> I LIKE THE NATIVE-AMERICAN
EXHIBIT.
>> THERE'S SOMETHING THAT
HAPPENS TO YOU WHEN YOU ARE
PLACED INTO IT AND CAN TOUCH
AND FEEL IT AND SEE IT
IN A DIFFERENT KIND OF A WAY.
THAT'S PART OF WHAT A
INTERPRETIVE CENTER CAN DO.
IT CAN KINDA HELP BRING
THE STORY THAT'S FLAT
AND TWO-DIMENSIONAL
INTO A THREE-DIMENSIONAL WORLD
AND BRING INTO YOUR HEART
A LITTLE BIT AND MAKE IT
MORE MEANINGFUL TO YOU.
>> YEAH, EXACTLY, ABSOLUTELY.
THAT'S INTERPRETATION.
>> THE STORY OF THE
LEWIS & CLARK NATIONAL
HISTORIC TRAIL IS A STORY
OF AMERICA, AND THE
RESPONSIBILITY TO PROTECT IT
BELONGS TO US ALL.
>> I SEE THE TRAIL BEING ALIVE
IN MULTIPLE WAYS.
YOU'LL SEE PEOPLE
RECREATING ON IT.
YOU'LL SEE TRANSPORTATION.
YOU'LL SEE A LOT OF DIFFERENT
USES OF THE TRAIL.
EVERYONE CAN EXPERIENCE IT.
>> DECIDING HOW WE PRESERVE
THE TRAIL FOR FUTURE
GENERATIONS CONTINUES TO BE
A COLLABORATIVE EFFORT.
>> THE STORIES WE HAVE TO TELL
ARE TOO IMPORTANT TO BE
RELEGATED JUST TO A
200-YEAR COMMEMORATION.
WE'VE GOT A GREAT FUTURE.
>> EVERYBODY WANTS THIS STORY.
IT'S A STORY THAT EVEN PLACES
THAT HAVEN'T BEEN TOUCHED
BY THE EXPEDITION
THIS STORY IS AN AMERICAN STORY
THAT TOUCHES EVERYBODY.
I ASK YOU TO HEAR OF THE THINGS
THAT I HAVE SEEN.
>> ( growls )
>> I THINK WE ALL
WANNA BE EXPLORERS.
I MEAN, I KNOW I DID
WHEN I WAS A KID.
>> IT'S THAT ADVENTURE STORY
THAT PEOPLE JUST LOVE,
AND I TRULY BELIEVE THAT ONCE
YOU'VE BEEN ON THE MISSOURI,
YOU DON'T DRIVE OVER IT
THE SAME WAY EVER AGAIN.
>> IT'S A CAN-DO,
WANNA-WORK-TOGETHER,
COOPERATIVE KIND OF SOCIETY.
>> WE ARE COMMITTED
TO THIS TRAIL, AND WE ARE
DEDICATED TO SEEING THIS TRAIL
GROW AND PROSPER AND HAVE MORE
PEOPLE INVOLVED IN THE
PROTECTION AND TELLING
THE STORY.
>> IN ORDER TO COME IN,
YOU HAVE TO RING THE DOORBELL.
>> I REALLY THINK THE FUTURE
IS WORKING WITH PEOPLE
ALONG THE TRAIL AND CONTINUING
TO LOOK OUTWARD AND CONTINUING
TO FOCUS ON RELATIONSHIPS
IN HOW WE MOVE FORWARD
AND MANAGE THE TRAIL.
>> WE JUST HAVE GREAT STORIES
TO TELL, AND IF WE IMMERSE
OURSELVES IN THEM, IF WE LEARN
FROM THEM, WHO KNOWS HOW WE
MIGHT BE ABLE TO PUT THAT
INTO PRACTICE TO SOLVE
SOME OF OUR PROBLEMS OF TODAY.
>> THIS VIDEO WAS PRODUCED
TO HIGHLIGHT THE VALUE
OF THE MANY PARTNERS
WHO PRESERVE AND PROTECT
THE PLACES, STORIES,
AND LANDSCAPES OF
THE LEWIS & CLARK
NATIONAL HISTORIC TRAIL.
THANK YOU.
