As part of the Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail, Historic Fort Steuben will celebrate National Park Week and Junior Ranger Day on Saturday, April 29, and invites the public to join the celebration of our nation’s natural resources, culture, and heritage.
The Lewis and Clark National Historic Trial is 4,900 miles long and connects 16 states from Pittsburgh to the mouth of the Columbia River in Oregon. It is made up of a variety of partners and there are many National Park Service sites along the trail to explore, including Historic Fort Steuben. Holders of the National Park Service Passport book can obtain stamps when visiting the exhibit on display in the Visitor Center.
On Saturday, April 29, Historic Fort Steuben will offer an opportunity for youngsters to become a Junior Ranger and for visitors to watch a video on the Lewis & Clark Expedition. Local historian Paul Zuros also will be on hand to sign copies of his new book Historic Tales of the Ohio Valley.
“For the past 20 years, Historic Fort Steuben has provided information and programs on the extraordinary travels of the Meriwether Lewis and William Clark and their Corps of Discovery,” explained Fort Director Judy Bratten. “We became formal members of the National Historic Trail in 2019 when the National Park Service included the Eastern legacy sites – places where the planning and preparations occurred. Meriwether Lewis obtained supplies in Pittsburgh and was traveling down the Ohio River to meet Clark near St. Louis when their boats got stuck on ‘riffles’ in the water on Sept. 6, 1803. They went into the young town of Steubenville to get help and that’s how our community became part of his journal and of the National Historic Trail.”
Throughout the week, sites across the nation will be hosting events, both in-person and virtually in order to connect the public to the resources, culture, and history beneath their feet. You can find a park based on activity, location, or topic of interest to explore, or utilize the free NPS app to explore the parks from the comfort of your own home. You can also check out Park Service and partner site social media to keep up with events as the happen throughout the week.
National Park Week first began in 1991 and is hosted in partnership with the National Park Foundation, a non-profit partner that supports the Park Service mission. For additional information about the Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail, please call 402-661-1806 or visit www.nps.gov/lecl and join the conversation by following @LewisandClarkNHT.