Oregon Chapter of the
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President's Corner The birth of our new chapter on September 19, at Fort Clatsop
marked a new beginning and opened an array of opportunities to explore. It was well attended
with a wide geographical representation of interested and talented people. For me, it was an
inspiring occasion and I feel privileged and honored to serve as your president. Our new board of directors and officers is aggressively structuring the foundation for a
strong statewide chapter devoted to meeting our member’s varied interests in the Corps of
Discovery throughout the bicentennial years and beyond. These building blocks include
fine-tuning our by-laws; developing a membership program and brochure to attract new
members; designing our chapter meetings to reflect a wide variety of programs and speakers
that will be fascinating as well as fun, and last but certainly not least, is the creation
of this newsletter. Thanks to Dick Hohnbaum, our new and able editor, the newsletter will be
an invaluable tool to keep members informed and involved. I returned last week from Washington D.C. and learned that despite the turmoil and
mid-term elections, substantive Lewis and Clark Bicentennial steps are being taken in the
nations' capital. Ten federal agencies (including Interior, Commerce, Defense,
Agriculture etc.) signed an interagency agreement to cooperate in implementing and
sponsoring Lewis and Clark Bicentennial activities. Dr. Stephen Ambrose attended the
signing ceremonies which included the display of an original map carried by the captains.
A Congressional Lewis and Clark Caucus has been formed by legislators representing states
along the trail. Rep. Elizabeth Furse represents Oregon. The Smithsonian is planning a
special scientific Lewis and Clark exhibit as well as the National Museum of American
Indians. The National Park Service will launch a traveling Lewis and Clark Bicentennial
program (2003-2007) called "Corps of Discovery: 200 Years to the Future". Local programs
will include partnerships with public and private parties. Thank you all for your confidence in our team effort to make this chapter one of the very
best. New Oregon Chapter Formed On Saturday, September 19th, the first general membership
meeting of the Oregon Chapter of the Lewis and Clark Trail Heritage Foundation was called to
order by Keith Hay. The meeting was held in the Netul River Room at the Fort Clatsop Visitor
Center and was attended by 35 people from all over Oregon; as far south as Ashland, as far
east as Irrigon, from the Willamette Valley area and from Portland. At present the Oregon
Chapter has 57 enrolled members. The by-laws for the proposed chapter were presented. A vote of the members present was
taken to adopt the proposed by-laws as written. Some possible future changes and
clarifications were mentioned. The vote passed unanimously and the bylaws were duly
adopted. The Officers and the Board of Directors were introduced.
Oregon Chapter Mission Statement The Oregon Chapter’s mission is to encourage, support and
undertake, either individually or jointly with others, projects that stimulate and advance
public knowledge and awareness of historic, social and cultural significance of the Lewis
and Clark Expedition. The scope of chapter activities to achieve these goals is broad and
diverse including the promotion of membership, the preservation of Expedition related sites
and educational projects, programs and field trips that enhance the enjoyment and
understanding of the Lewis and Clark story.
Moulton Atlas Reprint If you missed your chance at owning the out-of-print Volume
1 Atlas of the Moulton edition of the Lewis & Clark Journals, listen up! Through an
agreement with the Lewis & Clark Trail Heritage Foundation, the University of Nebraska
Press will be issuing a reprint of the Atlas. These books should be available for sale
early in 1999. You can contact the University of Nebraska Press at (800) 755-1105 or at
http:/www. nebraskapress. unl. edu/
Your Help Is Needed Michelle Bussard, the Executive Director of the National
Lewis & Clark Bicentennial Council has requested the help of 10 volunteers from the
ranks of the Oregon and Washington Chapters to act as host/guide/interpreters in conjunction
with the Council's Fourth Annual National Planning Workshop to be held April 21 - 24, 1999
at the Doubletree Inn at the Quay in Vancouver, WA. On Friday April 23, the Workshop
attendees will board a group of five busses to travel to Fort Clatsop National Memorial
along the northern bank of the Columbia River. Michelle would like two host/guide/interpreters
per bus. If you would like to help and welcome these participants to our local area, please
contact your Chapter president and Michelle Bussard at:
Michelle Bussard
Notable Quote
Keith Hay
President
Officers:
President, Keith Hay, Newberg
Board of Directors:
Vice-president, Bob Holcomb, Corvallis
Secretary, Jay Rasmussen, Hillsboro
Treasurer, Linda O'Connor, Hillsboro
Doug Erickson, Portland
Paul Nolte, Ashland
John Montague, Portland
Don Eppenbach, lrrigon
Dick Hohnbaum, Keizer
Executive Director
National Lewis & Clark Bicentennial Council
1101 Officers Row, US Grant House Vancouver, WA 98661
(888) 999-1803
On December 29, 1805 Clark, in trading with Indians for wapato roots, gave a "few red beads, small pieces of brass wire and an old check."
Moulton Vol. 6, Pg. 144 orProposed Bylaw Changes
Note that words in [brackets] are to be deleted
from the existing bylaws and words in {curly braces} are to be added:
Article II, Section 1: "Upon payment of dues to the Oregon Chapter, membership
is open to any person, family, firm, association or corporation [who is also a member
of the National Foundation]."
Article III Section 1: "Officers of the Chapter shall be President, Vice-President,
Secretary and a Treasurer who shall be elected by the membership at the annual meeting.
These elected officers shall take office immediately following the election. The term of
office is one year. There shall be five directors elected in the same manner for [one]
{three} year terms {, except that for the directors elected at the 1999 annual
meeting, one director shall serve one year, and two directors shall serve two years as
designated by the president}. Directors shall take office immediately following the
election. No officer or director may be elected [to no] {for} more than two
consecutive terms. The officers and [members] {directors} shall meet periodically
{to ad on behalf of the chapter, to provide guidance and} to propose matters for the
chapter to discuss and bring to a vote. The Board of Directors shall consist of the four
officers and five directors."
These changes will be discussed and voted on at the January 23, 1999 meeting in Salem.
A Message From Your Chapter Secretary
Welcome to the Oregon Chapter and your first Chapter
Newsletter! We have a good solid start with 57 registered members and a dedicated group
of directors and officers.
As expected, things are already starting to heat up concerning preparations for the
upcoming bicentennial commemoration and there are a number of projects underway that
you and your chapter need to consider how we may best support these efforts. For example
Dr. Gary Moulton, editor of the Lewis & Clark journals, is planning on spending a
number of weeks next summer at Fort Clatsop National Memorial preparing a single volume
edition of the Lewis & Clark journals. He will also deliver three speeches you won't
want to miss. Our chapter has been requested by the National Park Service to help support
this effort. In addition, we have been invited to support and partake in the Moving Marker
commemoration. The Moving Marker is a nationwide program to commemorate the day-by-day
movement of the Lewis & Clark Expedition from conception in Washington DC to the
Pacific Ocean and back to St. Louis. This historical journey, organized by Kampgrounds of
America, will be marked by the movement of 1803 style American flags following in the
footsteps of the Corps of Discovery. There is also an initiative by the Conservation
Fund to protect Lewis & Clark sites in Oregon.
I plan on trying to increase our chapter membership by demonstrating what a solid active
group we have going and inviting other Oregon resident members of the national Lewis &
Clark Trail Heritage Foundation to join us. As we firm up plans for future meetings and
produce our first newsletter the excitement grows.
-- Jay Rasmussen
L&C--Q&A
"L&C-Q&A" will be a feature of this quarterly newsletter. Members are encouraged
to submit questions of general interest concerning Lewis & Clark's expedition. We will
endeavor to furnish succinct answers. If none of us knows the answer, we will call upon
the broad array of "experts" in the national organization, or perhaps, call upon our
readers to help supply the answers.
All questions should be submitted to:
Michael Carrick
671 Lamplighter Circle
Salem, OR 97302
Fax: 888-394-7798 (toll free)
Carrick@aol.com
Q. Just exactly what were the "Peace Medals" that Lewis and Clark gave to certain Indians?
A. Lewis and Clark were following an established tradition of the Spanish, French, and British traders and explorers in giving gifts and silver medallions to the most important chief that they hoped to impress. Inventory lists show that there were medals of five sizes. The larger medals were given to the more important chiefs. The three largest were of President Jefferson.
The three Jefferson medals where struck on thin sheets of silver and formed into hollow-core discs. the diameters were 105 mm (4 1/2 in.), 75 mm (3 in.) and 55 mm (2-3/16 in.). There were three of the first size, thirteen of the second size, and sixteen of the third size.
All other U.S. peace medals and later restrikes of the Jefferson medal were solid silver or bronze.
The fourth size medals were left over from George Washington's administration. They arrived from the mint in England after the end of Washington's term. Lewis and Clark had 55 of this size. There were three variations of these medals. All had information about Washington on one side, and the other side had either a scene of a man sowing grain, domestic animals, or women spinning and weaving. Sometimes the journals mention the specific scene that was being given out.
It is not known for certain about the medals of the fifth size. In the journals it is mentioned the giving of a U.S. silver dollar as a gift. Some historians think that this fifth, and smallest, medal may have been U.S. silver dollars with a ring for a ribbon.
Q. Why was no physician included in the expedition?
A. No one knows for certain, but some educated guesses are:
Q. Did the expedition really cost only $2500.00 as first requested by Jefferson?
A. Modern historians place the cost of the expedition at over $38,000.00. That is $38,000.00 in 1806 dollars.
Q. What was the average age of the men?
A. Most of the men were 25 to 30 years old. George Shannon was the youngest at age 19. John Shields was the oldest at about 35 years of age. When Toussaint Charbonneau was hired as a guide, during the wintering at the Mandan Indian Village, he then became the oldest in the expedition. The Lewis and Clark Trail Heritage Foundation Genealogy Committee, states that Charbonneau was born on March 22, 1767, making him 37 years old in 1804. Dr. Moulton (vol.3, pg. 288, Note 1) states that Charboneau was born around 1758, making him 46.
Oregon Chapter Meeting - January 23, 1999
Stuart Anderson's Black Angus Restaurant
220 Commercial Street SE, Salem, Oregon
Dr. Albert Furtwangler - Guest Speaker
On January 23, 1999, the Oregon Chapter will host an all state chapter meeting in Salem, Oregon, in the conference room on the second floor of the Black Angus Restaurant, in the Ramada Inn.
GUESTS ARE WELCOME
11:00 A.M. No-Host social hour
12:00 noon Lunch & Business Meeting {lunch is $9.00}
1:00 P.M. Presentation: Dr. Furtwangler
"What are We digging For.?: Jefferson and the Expedition in Light of Current Science"
Dr. Albert Furtwangler states that many recent headlines have reported sharp new
findings in science about Jefferson and Lewis and Clark. New DNA reports have forced
Jefferson scholars to reassess his relations with his slaves. Some researchers claim that
the mysterious death of Lewis can be fully explained by means of modern testing. He will
review these current topics and offer a counterbalancing plea: that we should approach
Jefferson and the explorers primarily through their words, not through specimens of their
physical remains.
RESERVATIONS ARE REQUIRED
They can be obtained by informing:
Jay Rasmussen
1190 NE Birchaire Lane,
Hillsboro, OR 97124-2635
(503) 640-9493
info@lcarchive.org
Deadline for receiving reservations is Tuesday, January 19, 1999.
DIRECTIONS TO RESTAURANT
[I-5 COMING FROM ALBANY: Take exit #253]
I-5 COMING FROM PORTLAND: Take exit #253 go right [left] on Mission St., following Mission St. through 5 stoplights. On top of overpass take right hand exit to Willamette University; onto Ferry St. Go through 5 stoplights. Restaurant is on the left just after the 5th stoplight.