SR0748 94TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SR0748 LRB094 20461 HSS 58745 r

SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The Lewis and Clark Expedition is about President Thomas Jefferson's dream, the planning and preparation required for an early 19th-century military expedition, and then finally about the expedition itself; and

WHEREAS, Both geographically and historically, the territory now known as Illinois played a significant role in the Lewis and Clark story; and

WHEREAS, Beginning with their arrival near present-day Cairo in November of 1803, and ending with their official departure from Wood River on May 14, 1804, the Corps of Discovery spent more than six months in what is now the State of Illinois; and

WHEREAS, On November 11, 1803, the Captains of the Corps arrived with about 20 men at Fort Massac, near present day Metropolis, Illinois; and

WHEREAS, This western outpost of the United States Army provided logistical support and a central location for recruiting military and civilian volunteers; and

WHEREAS, The Corps arrived at Fort Kaskaskia, near present-day Ellis Grove, Illinois, on November 27th, where they socialized with local citizens and recruited additional volunteers; and

WHEREAS, On December 12, 1803, the Corps, now over 40 men, landed at Wood River and established Camp River Dubois; and

WHEREAS, Camp River Dubois would be the Corps' temporary home until their departure on May 14, 1804; and

WHEREAS, The Corps used their time at Camp River Dubois to drill, practice marksmanship, and acquire and stow the supplies needed for the long expedition; and

WHEREAS, Expanding the Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail to include additional sites associated with the preparation and return phase of the expedition would provide additional tourism to southern Illinois; and

WHEREAS, Legislation has been filed in the United States Congress to create the Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail Extension Act of 2006; and

WHEREAS, This legislation amends the National Trails System Act to extend the Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail to include additional sites associated with the preparation and return phase of the expedition; and

WHEREAS, The extended route would include designated Lewis and Clark sites in Virginia, the District of Columbia, Maryland, Delaware, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Ohio, Kentucky, Tennessee, Indiana, and Illinois; and

WHEREAS, The legislation requires a suitability and feasibility study be completed to include the extended route within one year from the date funds are first made available for that purpose; and

WHEREAS, The Lewis and Clark Trail Heritage Foundation supports recognition of a continuous trail across the country on the National Park Service's official trail map and the right to post the official trail signs; and

WHEREAS, The extension of the Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail from coast to coast would complete the story and expose a broader base of Americans to the educational and cultural aspects of the expedition; and

WHEREAS, The Lewis and Clark Trail Heritage Foundation believes that the status quo does not adequately recognize Monticello, the home of Thomas Jefferson, where he dreamed his vision for America, Washington, D.C., where he shared his dream with Meriwether Lewis, or a variety of other significant places throughout the Eastern Legacy states; and

WHEREAS, The Lewis and Clark Trail Heritage Foundation partners with the National Parks Service, the Bureau of Land Management, and the Forest Service in caring for the Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail and also supports scholarship, educational efforts, and research on the expedition; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-FOURTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we support and urge the United States Congress to pass legislation calling for federal approval of extension of the Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to each member of the Illinois Congressional delegation, the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, and the Majority Leader of the United States Senate.