Lewis and Clark 

National Historic Trail

2016

ANNUAL 

REPORT

White Cliffs of the Missouri

Photo by Scott Mestrezat
Posting of the colors at the 

naturalization ceremony.

3D Chalk Art during the Bridge 

Beats Concert Series, a partnership 

with the City of Omaha Parks and 

Recreation Department. 

Teddy Roosevelt helps 

staff celebrate the NPS 

Centennial.

Superintendent Mark Weekley accepts a flag during a flag 

ceremony to honor the sailors aboard the USNS Lewis and 

Clark and the USNS Sacajawea. 
As I reflect back on 2016, I find myself 

amazed at all that was accomplished. A 

personal highlight for me was celebrating 

the National Park Service Centennial. The 

Trail staff enthusiastically embraced the 

Centennial with numerous special events, 

webinars, and activities. One of the most 

exciting Centennial events for me was the 

partnership with Union Pacific Railroad 

Museum. Our Visitor Center became a stop 

for the annual Railroad Days. Over 3,000 

visitors stopped in over the two-day event. 

Another key Centennial program was a 

naturalization ceremony for new citizens with 

“Teddy Roosevelt” as the speaker, followed by 

a flag ceremony to honor the sailors aboard 

the USNS Lewis and Clark and the USNS 

Sacajawea. 

After many years with little change in staff, 

2016 was the exception with several new staff 

coming to replace outgoing employees. Tom 

Smith joined us as Education Specialist filling 

the position previously held by Jill HamiltonAnderson. Linda Helm, Environmental 

Protection Specialist, replaced Denise Nelson. 

Kristine Struck, Outdoor Recreation Planner, 

took over Neal Bedlan’s old position. Kristin 

Khan became our new Business Services 

Associate, taking over for Dawnisha Bullion. 

Ashley Danielson became the Volunteer and 

Partnership Coordinator after the departure 

of Nichole McHenry. We welcomed Ryan 

Kephart as our new Park Guide filling in 

behind Byrony Forbes. And lastly, Julie 

Blanchard was selected to fill a new positon 

of Visitor Center Manager. While it is 

bittersweet to see long-time employees move 

on as they advance in their careers, we have 

been very fortunate in being able to bring in 

outstanding new employees with a high level 

of energy and fresh ideas. 

In 2016, vital partnerships and cooperative 

agreements increased the leverage of our 

funding. While available resources for such 

agreements are often limited, they facilitate 

engagement with key partners and achieve 

amazing results. Groups we partner with bring 

in additional funds, skills and experiences. In 

many cases they also bring a host of talented 

and committed volunteers. 

Our agreements in 2016 included partnerships 

with the Omaha Parks Foundation, the 

Discovery Expedition of St. Charles, the Lewis 

Looking Back

and Clark Trail Heritage Foundation, the Fort 

Mandan Foundation, the Lewis and Clark 

Trust, J. Greg Smith, the Missouri River Basin 

Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center, and 

Solimar International. 

The agreement with Solimar International was 

put in place towards the end of the year and is 

set up to build a partner-focused geotourism 

program for the Lewis and Clark Trail over 

the next several years. In addition to this 

project we hope to continue our existing 

partnerships and agreements and work to 

implement our Communications Strategy 

Plan, develop a Long Range Interpretive Plan, 

continue work on our Administrative History, 

continue implementing our Wayshowing 

and Wayfinding plan, and work to further 

disseminate and implement the Honoring 

Tribal Legacies project. 

The key to all of this great work is the support 

provided by all of you and the great staff at 

the Trail. I am hopeful and excited by all the 

opportunities coming our way in 2017. 

Happy New Year!

Mark Weekley, Superintendent
LEWIS AND CLARK 

NATIONAL HISTORIC TRAIL 

9 27 13

23

intersecting 

national historic 

and scenic trails

congressional national districts

forests/grasslands

tribal trust 

lands

national 

wildlife refuges

miles of 

auto route

3,700

miles

8 6,157
8

15

miles of 

water trail

NPS units 

along trail

trail-related

national 

historic 

landmarks

Indian 

reservations

151

states

counties

Washington

Oregon

Idaho

Montana

North Dakota

South Dakota

Nebraska

Iowa

Kansas 

Missouri

Illinois

11

19

1,439
Water

Beginning at the mouth of the Missouri, you will take observations of 

latitude and longitude at all remarkable points on the river, & especially at 

the mouths of rivers, at rapids, at islands... President Thomas Jefferson
Story Maps A New App

Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail released a new 

Story Map highlighting the six officially designated 

water trails along the Lewis and Clark Trail. This 

interactive Story Map allows visitors to explore the 

geography of each water trail and provides photos, 

descriptions, and links to more information. 

In the summer of 2016, the Missouri National 

Recreational River Water Trail released a new 

GPS-enabled mobile app with the assistance of 

the National Park Service that serves as a tour 

guide on the Missouri River from Pickstown, SD to 

Sioux City, IA. The free app helps visitors find out 

information about this historic river and explore 

recreational opportunities along the National 

Water Trail. This interactive tour experience 

is free to download and is available for most 

smartphones, tablets, and mobile devices.

Missouri 

Missouri River Water Trail 

Nebraska and South Dakota

Missouri National Recreational River 

Water Trail

Montana

Upper Missouri Breaks Water Trail 

Montana

Jefferson River Canoe Trail 

Idaho, Washington, and Oregon

Northwest Discovery Water Trail 

Washington and Oregon 

Lower Columbia Water Trail 

View the Story Map: http://arcg.is/1SZgHqn 

To view other Lewis and Clark Story Maps and the Trail Atlas, 

visit www.nps.gov/lecl/planyourvisit/maps.htm

For more information: 

http://i-treks.com/routes/4/

7
Trail
Descent Trail

This year, development of a new recreational 

trail along the Lewis and Clark National Historic 

Trail was begun by the National Smokejumper 

Association in cooperation with the Lewis and 

Clark Trail Heritage Foundation in Montana. 

The new 2.75-mile hiking trail is located on a 

narrow ridge in the Bitterroot National Forest and 

follows a portion of Lewis and Clark’s September 

1805 descent from Lost Trail Pass into the 

Bitterroot Valley in Montana. 

Signs and trail markers for the project were 

provided by the Lewis and Clark National Historic 

Trail. When the trail is completed, visitors will be 

given the experience of following closely in the 

footsteps of the Lewis and Clark Expedition. 

Useful Links:

www.smokejumpers.com 

www.lewisandclark.org 

http://www.fs.usda.gov/bitterroot/

Mark Smith of the Bitterroot National Forest 

installs a Lewis and Clark Trail marker on the 

Descent Trail. Photo by Ted Hall.

National Smokejumper Association volunteers 

on the Descent Trail in Montana. 9
Road
Auto Route Over the Years

1950s

1980s

2016

In 2016, NPS Trail staff continued to actively engage 

Department of Transportation offices in Trail states in 

order to begin the Trail-wide implementation of the 

recommendations from the 2013 plan entitled Effective 

Wayshowing for Enhanced Visitor Experience, Lewis 

and Clark National Historic Trail and Auto Tour Route. 

Trail staff worked in collaboration with the Montana

Department of Transportation to fabricate and install 

66 auto route guide signs and 35 directional signs to 

attractions along four different auto route segments.

The Lewis and Clark Auto Route is a system of 6,100

miles of roads and highways designated by each trail state. 

The Auto Route brackets each side of the trail and is the 

primary way in which visitors travel to trail destinations.

11

View the Wayshowing Plan: https://www.nps.gov/lecl/

learn/management/index.htm.

Protect

Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail 

entered the final phase in the process of 

designating High Potential Historic 

Sites, which according to the National 

Trails System Act are places “related to or in 

close proximity to the Trail, which provide the 

opportunity to interpret the historic significance 

of the Trail during the period of its major use.”

Over the past five years, Trail staff have 

identified and mapped an initial list of 

181 sites in collaboration with 118 local 

experts across all Trail states, including State 

Historic Preservation Offices, Tribal Historic 

Preservation Offices, historians, geographers, 

archeologists, and members of partner groups. 

Staff also consulted with 64 trail-affiliated 

tribes to ensure that sites of traditional, 

religious, and/or cultural significance would 

not be adversely impacted by increased public 

awareness. Trail staff used historic significance, 

interpretive potential, scenic quality, freedom 

from intrusion, sense of place, and presence of 

historic remnants as criteria for inclusion as a 

High Potential Historic Site. 

In 2016, after applying the criteria, staff 

narrowed down the list to 90 proposed 

sites. A project was created in the Planning, 

Environment and Public Comment (PEPC) 

site. A National Historic Preservation Act 

(NHPA) Section 106 Review was completed 

and a determination of No Adverse Effect was 

made based on the outcome of consultations 

and consensus from all State Historic 

Preservation Offices was received. 

After a National Environmental Protection Act 

(NEPA) Review, a Categorical Exclusion was 

received after a determination of no potential 

for environmental impact was made. In 2017, 

the final list of 90 High Potential Historic Sites 

will be published as an addendum to the Trail 

Comprehensive Management Plan (CMP).

High Potential Historic Sites

Left: Sugar Loaf Rock near Jefferson City, Missouri is one of 

the 90 identified High Potential Historic Sites. NPS Photo. 13
Honoring Tribal Legacies curriculum designers, Shana Brown (Yakama), of 

Washington State, and Rose Honey, of Montana, presenting at the National 

Indian Education Association meeting in Reno, Nevada, in October 2016.

Bellingham Indian Education Summit, October 2016, which was attended by HTL 

curriculum designer, Shana Brown (Yakama).

14
Educate Protect

The Honoring Tribal Legacies (HTL) project 

enjoyed a year of exciting dissemination activity 

in 2016. In February alone, NPS tribal liaison 

Richard Basch carried the news about the twovolume handbook and seven demonstration 

Teachings to more than 300 people during 

meetings of the Affiliated Tribes of Northwest 

Indians and the Columbia River Tribes. Also 

in that month, our National Archives partner, 

Carol Buswell, and Washington State teacher, 

Shana Brown (Yakama), presented information 

about our digital resources at the Northwest 

Council for Computer Education, reaching 

another 50 people. 

In March, Richard Basch and Stephanie 

Wood made informal contacts with some 

40 educators and met with the Director 

of Education, Tara McCauley, at the Burke 

Museum on the campus of the University of 

Washington, getting HTL in on the ground 

floor of new directions in education for the 

new and expanding museum there. We are 

excited about establishing close contacts with 

universities in the Northwest, including not 

only UW but also increasing our relationships 

with the administration and faculty at the 

University of Oregon, where we have a solid 

supporter in the Associate Vice President and 

Tribal Liaison, Jason Younker, a representative 

for the nine federally recognized tribes of 

Oregon. Also at UO, Professor Michelle 

Jacob has embraced HTL, as she assigned 

our materials in one of her teacher-education 

courses (Fall 2016) and invited Stephanie 

Wood to present our approach.

Another highlight of 2016 was the 

participation of the HTL curriculum 

designers, including Julie Cajune (Salish), 

Rose Honey, and Shane Doyle (Apsaalooke), 

at a Gilder Lehrman Seminar at the University 

of Montana. These colleagues were able to 

introduce and demonstrate some of their 

Teachings to a number of other educators. 

In the fall, Shana also attended an American 

Indian Education summit in Bellingham, 

Washington, where, she says, 

Honoring Tribal Legacies

15

“Every superintendent, dean, principal, and 

tribal education leader walked away with a 

pamphlet and a look at the [HTL] website!”

In all, at these various meetings and over 

the remaining months of 2016, which saw 

presentations at another nine conferences 

across the United States, the Honoring Tribal 

Legacies teachings and methods were shared 

with some 1,700 people! We will continue 

this outreach all through 2017.

We are also proud to announce the launch 

of a new, open-source, open-access website, 

where the demonstration curriculum and 

two-volume handbook are now housed by the 

University of Oregon: https://blogs.uoregon.

edu/honoringtriballegacies. This site is 

secure and should have a greater assurance of 

longevity than our original site. People visiting 

the older site will be automatically redirected 

to the new site.
Freshly installed new Lewis and Clark wayside at 

Sergeant Floyd Monument in Sioux City, Iowa.
Promote

Recognize this wayside? 

This generic Lewis and Clark informational sign 

can be found all across the Trail. It has served as 

a useful tool for visitors over the years but it is 

definitely showing its age. The fiberglass imbedded 

panels are looking worn and tired and are in need 

of an update. 

We are happy to announce that in 2016, we 

redesigned and fabricated a new wayside panel. 

The updated and fresh look will enhance and 

complement existing signage along the Lewis and 

Clark National Historic Trail in 11 states. 

We have begun to distribute the panels for 

replacement, but we need your help.

Is there an old panel at your site that needs 

to be replaced? We’ll be happy to send you a 

replacement at no cost. It’s easy - just send an 

email to lecl_communications@nps.gov to get 

started. We’ll ask for your contact information and 

for a photo taken with a smartphone so that we can 

have it geolocated. 

A New Lewis and Clark Wayside

17
A major revision to the Trail Interactive Atlas 

was completed in 2016. It was enhanced 

to improve speed and performance and 

expanded to include a multitude of different 

data layers, including historic Lewis and 

Clark Expedition data highlighting the 

people, places, and resources along the Trail. 

A new Points of Interest layer was added 

to display sites along the trail and new 

natural resources data was added allowing 

users to visualize animal and plant species, 

ecological regions, and explore links to 

further information. Existing data layers 

were updated to include the most recent land 

ownership, boundaries, and census data. 

Trail Atlas

The Trail continued to have an active 

presence on social media and the internet. 

Social media platforms are a unique 

asset to amplify accomplishments along 

the Trail. These platforms were used 

to promote events, facilitate dialogue, 

engage the public, provoke discussion on 

historical topics, encourage recreation and 

trail visitation, and promote stewardship.

Social Media

14,065 

 Page Likes

2,189

Followers

In 2016, staff created three new, and updated 

five existing online web maps utilizing 

the Environmental Systems Research 

Institute (ESRI) Story Maps platform. These 

customized, lightweight applications combine 

web maps with multimedia content in order 

to share stories and present geographic 

information to a wide audience. 

These Story Maps are among the most 

popular available on the web today and 

are currently used as flagship examples in 

ESRI Story Map webinars, trainings, and 

presentations. In June, three Lewis and Clark 

Story Maps were chosen to represent the 

National Park Service Centennial Exhibit at 

the ESRI User Conference in San Diego, CA.

StoryMaps

lewisandclarktrailmap.com

www.nps.gov/lecl/planyourvisit/maps.htm

/lewisandclarknht

@LewisClarkTrail

18
Lewis and Clark NHT provided funding 

and technical support to The Wilderness 

Society and partners from the city of Lincoln, 

Montana on a brochure for the Alice 

Creek Historic District in the Helena 

National Forest. 

Trail staff completed the mapping for the 

brochure, wrote narratives on area history 

and unique cultural, natural, and recreational 

resources. Feedback from partners and 

stakeholders was incorporated into the 

design of the brochure. It was completed and 

printed for distribution in advance of the 

2016 tourist season. 

Alice Creek 

Brochure

Updated

Brochure

Staff worked in collaboration with the NPS 

Harpers Ferry Center to update the Trail 

Unigrid Brochure. Over 150 sites on the 

map were reviewed and updated and 34 new 

locations were added. 

More than 50 updates to the text, features, 

labels, and symbology on the map were made 

and significant revisions to the interpretive 

text and visitor information were made to 

correct mistakes, enhance understanding, and 

provide additional information. 

The brochure is scheduled to be printed and 

distributed in early 2017. 

Experiencing Climate 

Site Bulletin

This summer, 20,000 copies of a site 

bulletin entitled Experiencing Climate were 

distributed to over 100 visitor centers across 

the Trail. It’s purpose is to illustrate and 

discuss climate today and that observed by 

Lewis and Clark. 

For those of you who enjoyed the site

bulletin and would like to print more on 

your own, please contact us for the digital 

file at 402-661-1826 or 

lecl_communications@nps.gov

19
FY16 Volunteer Report

Each year, the Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail benefits from the dedication 

of thousands of volunteers. Here are just a few facts and figures from the past year 

illustrating their grand contributions. Thank you for your service!

Columbia Gorge Interpretive Center (WA) 

Fort Atkinson State Historical Park (NE)

Friends of the Columbia River Gorge (OR)

Healthy Rivers Partnership (Missouri River)

Knappton Cover Heritage Center (OR)

Missouri River Basin 

Lewis and Clark Interpretive Center (NE) 

Lewis and Clark State Historic Site (IL) 

Lewis and Clark Trail 

Heritage Foundation (trailwide) 

Lewis and Clark Trust (trailwide) 

Missouri River Relief (Missouri River)

Omaha Visitor Center (NE)

Rock Bridge State Park 

(Katy Trail Section)

Sacajawea Interpretive, Cultural 

and Educational Center (ID)

Sacajawea State Park (WA) 

Lewis and Clark State Park (IA) 

This data is based on the reporting of the following 15 trail partners.

Thank 

you!

20
Whenever I tell others here in Iowa that I volunteer for 

the Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail, they almost 

always ask, “Oh, did you go work on parts of the trail or 

build something?” So when I explain I primarily write 

Facebook posts from my small home office, their faces 

wrinkle in confusion. “Really...?” 

Lacing up my hiking boots, tossing a backpack in the car 

and heading West for a few weeks is something I would 

love to do several times a year. But, even though I’m 

90% retired, it would be a challenge for me to find the 

time for on-site volunteer work. Instead, I was blessed 

to discover about a year ago that the Trail staff in Omaha 

needed someone to help develop content for their daily 

social media posts – a perfect match, it seemed, with 

my career in advertising and my love of 19th century 

American history and our country’s National Parks. 

I’ll be the first to admit I do this partially for myself. I 

enjoy the research, the increased knowledge and the 

time spent writing. But I also do it because I hope our 

14,000 Facebook followers enjoy reading and learning 

more about the many facets of the incredible Lewis 

and Clark story. For sure, this task is small, dwarfed 

in comparison with the work of thousands of other 

volunteers along the Trail’s 3,700 miles – from trail 

restoration to research, interpretation to internal 

operations. The point being – every role is important 

and contributes to the overall mission of the Trail.

Being a National Park VIP (Volunteers-in-Parks) is 

a hugely rewarding experience. There’s a place for 

you to help, a way for you to share your skills and 

talents, and an opportunity for you to make a positive 

impact. Contact Trail headquarters to find out how 

you can connect -- it’ll be a Win-Win-Win experience 

for you, for the staff and for everyone who enjoys and 

appreciates the Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail.

Kent Schlawin, Volunteer 

Johnston, Iowa

Volunteers
Centennial 

Challenge 

Volunteer Coin

This year the National Park Service launched a special 

centennial award just for volunteers. 

Any volunteer who dedicated 201.6 hours of 

service to a national park site during the Centennial 

2016 calendar year was eligible for a Centennial 

Volunteer Coin. 

We are proud to announce that Lewis and Clark 

presented 27 coins to volunteers across the Trail. 

That’s over 5,400 hours of donated time! 

Congratulations and thank you for your service!

(From Left) Jim Mead, Phyllis Friesz Meade, Frank Smith, and 

Ashley Jaeger, volunteers at the Lewis and Clark National 

Historic Trail Interpretive Center in Great Falls, Montana were 

recipients of the Centennial Volunteer Coin and certificate. 

Congratulations and thank you for your service!

22
Volunteers

Volunteer Sharon Stewart and the Friends of 

Sacajawea State Park were recognized for the 

many years of work and personal commitment 

to providing a quality visitor experience to park 

visitors. Stewart first volunteered at Sacajawea 

State park in 2000 as a campground host. Since 

then she has worked tirelessly in a variety of 

roles to support park operations and make the 

site a meaningful experience for the public. 

The Friends of Sacajawea State Park was 

founded as a nonprofit in 2013 to support 

the park and formalize the large community 

already volunteering with the park, and has 

weathered many challenges to continue park 

operations undisturbed. The volunteer-driven 

group has served thousands in the Tri-City 

Area, including many school children who 

received a fun and educational look at the 

history of the area. The Friends of Sacajawea 

State Park volunteers are always ready to give 

interpretive tours of the park. 

Congratulations!

On June 16, 2016, tribal liaison Richard Basch 

of Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail 

presented Sharon Stewart and the 

Friends of Sacajawea State Park with 

a National Park Service Midwest 

Region Partnership Award. 

Partnership Award
Ranger Kenny Points presented the Scout Ranger 

patch to 58 Boy Scouts upon their completion 

of a service trip down the Missouri River.

Two new Junior Ranger 

Activity Books,

designed specifically for 

those visiting the Omaha 

Visitor Center, were 

unveiled in 2016. 

Each activity book has 

age-specific activities that 

will guide kids of all ages 

to learn about the history, 

science, and American 

Indian traditions during the 

time of Lewis and Clark. 

The 2016 

2nd Saturday

Speaker Series 

offered both youth and 

all-ages programs during 

the summer months.

Featured speakers:

Renae Hunt

Brad Tennant

Matthew Jones

Hasan Davis (right)

The Lewis and Clark NHT Visitor 

Center welcomed 3,141 visitors as 

one of the stops for Railroad Days, 

a community event to celebrate 

Omaha’s railroad history. 

This year’s theme was All Set 

for the West: Railroads and 

National Parks.

Ranger Ryan Kephart swears in 

triplets as Junior Rangers during 

this two-day event. 

24
Omaha, Nebraska is home to 

Lewis and Clark National Historic 

Trail’s Headquarters and Visitor 

Center. Rangers offer interpretive 

programming, special events, and 

outreach to the local area.

Omaha 

Visitor Center

25
National 

Parks Stamps

Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail 

Volunteer-In-Parks Ken Schlueter was a guest 

speaker at the United States Postal Service unveiling 

event that took place in Omaha, Nebraska. The 

Midwest Regional Office was one of several locations 

around the country where the National Parks Stamps 

were unveiled to the public. 

Volunteer Ken shared his love for national 

parks and how they have taken on a new 

meaning since his retirement from 

Union Pacific three years ago. 
Looking Back Centennial

The National Park Service celebrated its 

100th birthday on August 25, 2016 with 

special events and programs throughout 

the year. It was no exception at Lewis 

and Clark National Historic Trail.

27

NPS CENTENNIAL GOAL

CONNECT with and CREATE the

NEXT GENERATION of park visitors, 

supporters, and advocates.

National Park Service Centennial Arrowhead Badge. 
The Nebraska Passport Program strives to 

get Nebraskans and visitors out to 80 different 

sites around the state every year. In 2016 they 

wanted to help celebrate the NPS Centennial by 

including the five NPS sites in Nebraska in the 

“Find Your Park Tour.” LCNHT was the most 

visited spot on that tour with 1,043 visits to 

our location.

Nebraska Passport

As part of the National Park Service Centennial, 

we joined in the fun of creating meaningful 

Find Your Park videos to help spread the word 

and encourage people everywhere to define 

“park” in their own way.

Lewis and Clark Videos

The first video focuses on the spectacular 

and awe-inspiring landscapes along the trail 

and features the song “The Hunt” by River 

Whyless. 

The second video highlights the many ways 

visitors can find adventure along the trail. The 

video features the song “Lost” by The Fruit Flies. 

https://youtu.be/Y-_f35nPAr8

https://youtu.be/8hh0zNacF5g

Charlotte Murtishaw

Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail 

Headquarters was selected to host a Student 

Conservation Association Centennial Volunteer 

Ambassador to support volunteer activities and 

community engagement. 

Charlotte Murtishaw, a recent graduate of 

Barnard College spent a year with us helping to 

expand the volunteer base in Omaha and beyond. 

Volunteer Ambassador

The Great Park Pursuit promotes an active 

lifestyle by getting visitors involved in outdoor 

recreation in Nebraska. They also wanted to 

help celebrate the Centennial at NPS sites 

around the state. The Trails marker was in the 

native garden next to the visitor center.

Great Park Pursuit

Centennial Plan

In preparation for the NPS Centennial, Lewis 

and Clark National Historic Trail developed 

a Centennial Plan that outlined activities and 

projects that would be carried out throughout the 

year. It was our guiding document for the year. 

View the Centennial Plan: https://www.nps.gov/lecl/

learn/management/index.htm.
StoryCorps

In celebration of the National Park Service 

Centennial, StoryCorps visited Lewis and Clark 

National Historic Trail Headquarters as part of an 

effort to conduct oral history recordings throughout 

the Midwest parks. This was an opportunity for Trail 

staff and stakeholders to share their stories to be 

preserved for future generations.

StoryCorps’ mission is to preserve 

and share humanity’s stories in 

order to build connections between 

people and create a more just and 

compassionate world.

Tribal Liaison, Richard Basch (left), tells Chief of Interpretation, Neal Bedlan, about the impact his 

daughter had on the Lewis and Clark Bicentennial Commemoration in 2006.

All StoryCorps interviews are archived in 

perpetuity at the American Folklife Center at 

the Library of Congress in Washington, D.C.

Click to Listen to Richard Basch and Neal Bedlan

Steve Russell, interviewed by 

Rachel Daniels

Butch Bouvier, interviewed by 

best friend Russell Fields.

Mother and daugther. Karla 

Sigala and Sofia Acosta.

29

Looking Back Centennial

http://ow.ly/1SJY3075Fqg

Looking Ahead

GEOTOURISM

Working in partnership with Solimar 

International, we will strive to enhance 

tourism along the Lewis and Clark National 

Historic Trail. Capitalizing on local expertise, 

unique and authentic experiences will be 

gathered and disseminated to promote the 

Trail. The focus will be the environment, 

culture, heritage, and well-being of its 

residents. 

LONG-RANGE INTERPRETIVE PLAN

We will enter into an interpretive planning 

process to develop a unified approach for 

interpretation for the benefit of partners and 

stakeholders.

COMMUNICATIONS STRATEGY

A Strategic Communication Plan was developed 

in 2016. In 2017, a working group of partners 

will be established to start the implementation 

of the plan. The overall goal is to coordinate 

an effort with partners and stakeholders to 

increase awareness of the Trail. 

AN ADMINISTRATIVE HISTORY

Lewis and Clark will be working with a 

contractor to create a documented history 

of Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail’s 

administrative progress. 

HONORING TRIBAL LEGACIES 

We will continue further dissemination of 

Honoring Tribal Legacies. Its purpose is to 

encourage educators at all levels and in every 

environment to benefit from the collective 

wisdom that can be gained from a shared 

history that simultaneously embraces the past, 

present, and future and honors tribes.

DEVELOPMENT OF HIGH POTENTIAL 

ROUTE SEGMENTS

The National Trails System Act calls for Lewis 

and Clark National Historic Trail to designate 

High Potential Route Segments. These are 

segments of the trail that would “afford high 

quality recreation experience” and “greaterthan-average scenic value” or an “opportunity 

to vicariously share the experience.” Segments 

are focused on visitor experience.

31

As we look ahead in the new year, Lewis and Clark National 

Historic Trail will be focusing on a few key projects that will help 

further the Trail’s mission.
Mark Weekley

Superintendent

mark_weekley@nps.gov

402-661-1806

Richard Basch

American Indian Liaison

richard_basch@nps.gov

503-861-4404

Miki Thomas

Chief of Business Services 

miki_griffen@nps.gov

402-661-1814

Kristin Khan

Business Services Associate

kristin_khan@nps.gov

402-661-1828

Julie Blanchard

Visitor Center Manager 

julie_blanchard@nps.gov

402-661-1808

Dan Wiley

Chief of Resources Stewardship 

dan_wiley@nps.gov

402-661-1830 

Ryan M. Cooper

Geographer 

ryan_m_cooper@nps.gov

402-661-1868

Linda S. Helm

Environmental Protection Specialist

linda_helm@nps.gov

402-661-1812

Dan Jackson

Cultural Resources Program Manager

dan_jackson@nps.gov

402-661-1942

Kristine Struck

Outdoor Recreation Planner

krsitine_struck@nps.gov

402-661-1818
Abraham Mora

Park Guide Student Trainee

abrahama_morabecerra@nps.gov

402-661-1962 

Tom Litton

Park Guide Student Trainee

tom_litton@nps.gov

402-661-1960

Kristie Horn

Western National Parks Association

kristie.horn@wnpa.org

402-661-1968 

Neal Bedlan

Chief of Interpretation Staff Directory Looking Back

neal_bedlan@nps.gov

402-661-1816

Karla Sigala

Interpretive Specialist

karla_sigala@nps.gov

402-661-1826

Tom Smith

Education Specialist

tom_smith@nps.gov

402-661-1824

Ashley Danielson

Volunteer and Partnership Specialist

ashley_danielson@nps.gov

402-661-1834

Ryan Kephart

Park Guide

ryan_kephart@nps.gov

402-661-1874

Ken

Schlueter

Volunteer

Kent

Schlawin

Volunteer
Chief of Interpretation Neal Bedlan is 

welcomed to work by Teddy Roosevelt.

Junior Ranger Aida Frey makes a 

stop the Omaha Lewis and Clark 

National Historic Trail Visitor Center.

Rangers Ryan and 

Abraham meet Seaman.

Hasan Davis takes a moment to chat with some young 

visitors during the summer Speaker Series.
Outdoor Recreation Planner Kristine 

Struck is greeted by Teddy Roosevelt 

on August 25, 2016. 

Trail staff give a presentation at the Annual Lewis 

and Clark Trail Heritage Foundation Meeting in 

Harpers Ferry, WV.

A young visitor during Earth Day 

Omaha learns about the tools Lewis 

and Clark used on their journey.

Junior Ranger Reilly 

explores the exhibits. 
Happy New Year!

Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail

601 Riverfront Drive

Omaha, NE 68102 

402-661-1804

www.nps.gov/lecl