THE OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE LEWIS & CLARK TRAIL HERITAGE FOUNDATION, INC. VOL. 10, NO. 4 NOVEMBER 1984 Giant Mural Portrays Lewis and Clark Portage of the Great Falls of the Missouri Unveiling Ceremony Exciting Event at Foundation's 16th Annual Meeting Immediately preceding the Foundation's 16th Annual Banquet, there was a pertinent activity gra­ ciously planned to coincide with the Foundation's Annual Meeting by the city of Great Falls Centennial Committee. This was the unveiling ceremony in the upper level of the Great Falls International Airport. Nearly one thousand individuals attended the event. The work of Montana artist Robert Orduiio, the mural pictures the struggle of the members of the Lewis and Clark Expedition as they effected the strenuous ordeal of accomplishing the portage around the natural barrier - the series of falls that restricted their passage on the Missouri River. The mural was made possible by a substantial grant from the Burlington Northern Foundation. A representative of that Foundation, Montana Governor Ted Schwinden, state and civic officials, and art connoissuers, who spoke briefly, were joined by both the president and the president-elect of our Foundation, and their remarks are transcribed here: (See also, the related story on page 7) 1983-1984 Foundation President Arlen J. Large's re· 1984-1985 Foundation President William P. Sherman's marks made at the August 8, 1984 unveiling ceremony remarks made at the August 8, 1984 unveiling cere­ of the mural: mony for the mural: Thanks to our Foundation members in Great Falls, we Last November a competition was held to pick the outsiders have seen the actual geography of the 1805 artist for this great mural. Twenty-nine artists submit­ Lewis and Clark portage with the kind of detailed ted thirty-four proposals. Robert Orduno's submittal thoroughness in these past three days that would not be was selected as best for its depiction of the Lewis and possible for the casual visitor. Our friends in the Por· Clark Expedition's portage of the Great Falls of the tage Route Chapter of the Foundation have done a Missouri, and for its artistic merit. superb job of showing us what we wanted to see, because they know exactly why we wanted to see it. In 1917, Paris Gibson, a founder of the city of Great Now we can better appreciate, as we did not before, the Falls, lighted a Lewis and Clark "torch". It was to be a sheer physical labor required of the Expedition mem­ major bronze depicting Lewis and Clark, produced bers to lift its canoes and baggage onto the plains from from a sketch prepared by America's beloved western the deep gor,ge of the exploring party's "Portage artist, Charles Marion Russell. Creek." Now we have seen, as we could only imagine it before, the long 18 miles that the Expedition had to · International events in 1917 and 1918 extinguished traverse again and again. that "flame" - perhaps it barely "flickered". (continued on page 3) (continued on page 3) President Sherman's THE LEWIS AND CLARK TRAIL Message HERITAGE FOUNDATION, INC. The Portage Route Chapter invited Incorporated 1969 under Missouri General Not-For-Profit Corporation Act IRS Exemption Foundation members to the 16th Certificate No. 501 (C)(3) - Identification No. 51-0187715 Annual Meeting at Great Falls, Mon­ OFFICERS - EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE tana, with the enticement: "A once in a lifetime opportunity to walk on President 1st Vice President 2nd Vice President the ground of the Lewis and Clark 0 William P. Sherman L. Edwin Wang John E. Foote Portage Trail."Bob Doerk, Portage 8885 S.W. Canyon Road 6013 St. Johns Ave. 1205 Rimhaven Way Route Chapter President said fur­ Portland, OR 97225 Minneapolis, MN 65424 Billings, MT 69102 ther, in his printed message pub­ Edrie Lee Vinson, Secretary John E. Walker. Treasurer lished in the program, " ...you will P.O. Box 1651 200 Market St.. Suite 1177 be among the first historically ap­ Red Lodge, MT 59068 Portland, OR 97201 preciative observers to view pre­ viously inaccessible segments of the Ruth E. Lange, Membership Secretary, 6054 S.W. 26th Place, Portland, OR 97201 exploring party's portage route. Join DIRECTORS us as we see and touch some remark­ able history over the next several Todd Berens Roy D. Craft Margaret Norris days." Santa Ana, CA Stevenson, WA Fayetteville, NY Harold Billian Viola Forrest Charles C. Patton With many early registrants on Villanova. PA Walla Walla. WA Springfield, IL hand, Sunday was a busy day! Lewis Robert Bivens H. John Montague James P. Ronda and Clark people were all over Great Great Falls, MT Marietta, GA Youngstown, OH Falls. Some tested the dugout canoes Robert C. Carriker Gary E. Moulton Robert L. Taylor in Broadwater Bay on the Missouri Spokane. WA Lincoln. NE Washington. DC a nd some ranged as far afield as Lewis and Clark Pass via Highway Arlen J. Large, Washington, DC, immediate Past President is a Foundation Director 200 and Lincoln, Montana. It was a PAST PRESIDENTS - DIRECTORS EX OFFICIO good beginning. Edwynne P. Murphy, 1970 Gary Leppart, 1974-75 Bob Saindon, 1979-80 The entire meeting period was char­ St. Louis, Missouri Butte. Montana Helena. Montana acterized by early starts and full E.G. Chuinard. M.D .. 1971 Wilbur P. Werner. 1975-76 Irving W. Anderson, 1980-81 days. The first day out, our five Tigard, Oregon Cut Bank, Montana Portland. Oregon buses wound their way down steep John Greenslit, 1972 Clarence H. Decker. 1976-77 V. Strode Hinds. 1981-82 r avines into the "Portage Creek" La nsing, Michigan East Alton. Illinois Sioux City, Iowa area as far as they could go. "Four­ Lynn Burris, 1972-1973 Gail M. Stensland, 1977-78 Hazel Bain. 1982-83 Topeka, Kansas Fort Benton, Montana Longview, Washington wheelers" took over from there and Robert E. Lange, 1973-74 Mitchell Doumit, 1978-79 Arlen J . Large, 1983-84 wound on down to the "Lower Por­ Portland, Oregon Cathlamet. Washington Washington, D.C. tage Camp" site. That ride, alone, was worth the trip. ABOUT THE FOUNDATION I don't think that rugged area is one iota different from what it was in The purpose of the Lewis and Clark Trail Heritage Foundation, Inc .. is to st;mulate nationally: public interest in matters relating to the Lewis and Clark Expedition; the contributions to American history m ade by the 1805. I could distinctly feel that the expedition members; and events of time and place concerning and following the expedition which are of spirits of the Expedition members historical import to our nation. The Foundation recognizes the value of tourist-oriented programs. and suooorts activities which enhance the enjoyment and understandina of the Lewis and Clark storv. The scooe were about me, and the thought of of the activities of the Foundation are broad and diverse, and include involvement in pursuits which. in the judgment of the Directors are. of historical worth or contemporary social values. and commensurate with tons of canoes, baggage, etc. to be the heritage ot Lewis and Clark . The actiyities of the National Foundation are intended to compliment and dragged up out of the river bottom supplement those of state and local Lewis and Clark interest groups. The Foundation may appropriately recognize and honor individuals or groups for: art works of distinction; achievement in the broad field of and almost eighteen miles upstream Lewis and Clark historical research; writing; or deeds which promote the general purpose and scope of activities of the Foundation. Membership in the organization comprises a broad spectrum of Lewis end and above the falls, gave me a sink­ C lark enthusiasts including Federal, State. and local government officials. historians, scholars, and others ing feeling. The task was seemingly of wide ranging Lewis and Clark interests. Officers of the Foundation are elected from the membership. The Annual Meeting of the Foundation is traditionally held during August. the birth m onth of both Meriwether impossible, but they just "Proceed­ Lewis and William Clark. The meeting place is rotated among the States, and tours generally are arranged to visit sites in the area of the Annual M eeting which have historic association with the Lewis end Clark ed On". (See illustrations on pages Expedition. 16-17.) WE PROCEEDED ON ISSN 0275-6706 E. G. CHU/NARD. M .D .. FOUNDER On the next day we floated the Mis­ souri in areas that are today exactly We Proceeded On is the official publication of the Lewis and Clark Trail Heritage Foundation, Inc. The publication's name is derived from the phrase which appears repeatedly in the as in the Expedition's time. Deer collective journals of the famous Expedition. along the shore were abundant and the current serene. It was a great PUBLICATIONS COMMITTEE setting for contemplation and re­ Robert E. Lange, Editor and Committee Chairman, 5054 S.W. 26th Place, Portland. OR flection. 97201 Later in the day, we finished up at "Canoe Camp", upstream from t he 0 Irving W. Anderson () Donald J ackson Box LC-196 Lewis & Clark College 3920 Old Stage Road White Bear Islands. It was a thrill Portland, OR 97219 Colorado Springs, CO 80906 to see those massive cottonwood 0 E.G. Chuinard Gary E. Moulton trees that were also standing there 15537 S.W. Summerfield Lane Love Library - Univ. Nebraska when the explorers selected and cut Tigard, OR 97223 Lincoln. NE 68588 trees for new canoes. That evening, 0 Paul R. Cutright Wilbur P. Warner 312 Summit Avenue P.O. Box 438 our Buffalo Barbeque dinner was Jenkintown. PA 19046 Cut Bank, MT 59427 held in an ultimate setting. Ulm (con't on facing page) -2- We Proceeded On, November 1984 (President's Message con't) ing a nd conducting the meeting.