Lewis & Clark Bicentennial Commission
August 2003 - November 2006

Kentucky's Lewis & Clark Bicentennial Commission has focused its work on the period from August 2003 (the 200th anniversary of Lewis's departure from Pittsburgh down the Ohio River to meet with Clark at Louisville) to November 2006 (the 200th anniversary of the return of Lewis and Clark to Louisville and Kentucky).

The Commission's primary goal has been to educate the public about the role Kentucky played in the expedition, including:

that Captain William Clark was from Louisville, Kentucky

that one half of the expedition members were from or had ties to Kentucky

that York, William Clark's slave, became the first African American to cross what is today the United States from coast to coast

that in 1806 the expedition members celebrated their success with the Clark family at Locust Grove, a site which today is the only surviving Lewis and Clark expedition-related structure west of the Appalachians

that both Lewis and Clark traveled through the central part of the commonwealth, from Louisville to the Cumberland Gap, on their return trip to Washington, D.C.

that the Lewis and Clark Expedition was one of the most significant events in the history of the United States and still ranks as one of our most heroic feats

Mission

The mission of the Kentucky Lewis and Clark Bicentennial Commission has been to educate Kentuckians and the nation about Kentucky's important role in the Lewis and Clark Expedition; assist governments and organizations with their Kentucky-related Lewis and Clark bicentennial events and projects; and perform other duties that will highlight and commemorate Kentucky's significant contributions to this historic achievement.

2005-2006 Lewis and Clark Grant (PDF, 280 KB)

Lewis and Clark Trail Map (PDF - 153 KB)