The Philadelphia Chapter Lewis and Clark Trail Heritage Foundation
PO Box 39534
Philadelphia, PA 19136-9534
For immediate release:
www.lewisandclarkphila.org
Contact: Norma M. Milner 856-829-3142
“Eastern Legacy” Chapters Pound on Gate to Lewis and Clark Trail

As a “legacy project of the four year Lewis and Clark Bicentennial” now underway, the national Lewis and Clark Trail Heritage Foundation (LCTHF,) urged on by the Philadelphia Chapter and other eastern chapters, is calling upon members of Congress to extend the Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail to include the District of Columbia and nine states east of the Mississippi. There are more than 40 chapters of LTCHF in the nation. The present 11 Trail states are Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska, Iowa, South Dakota, North Dakota, Montana, Idaho, Washington, and Oregon.

Bill # HB 2327 was introduced on June 3, 2003 by Virgil Goode, R-VA.5th District which includes Charlottesville, VA where the Bicentennial Commemoration was kicked off in January, 2003. On June 11, Pennsylvania Congresswoman Melissa Hart of District 4 signed on as a co-sponsor. In addition, a second member of Congress, Baron P. Hill (ID-District 9) has subsequently signed on as a co-sponsor. The Philadelphia Chapter is urging Joe Hoeffel who is a member of the Lewis and Clark Bicentennial Caucus in Washington to become a co-sponsor as well. The Chapter has also asked Senator Arlen Specter to join the Caucus and take action. Legislators may contact Caucus Director Tom Fulton, Room 5136, Dept. of the Interior, 1849 C St. NW, Washington, DC 20240: Tel. 202-208-5397. Email: tom_fulton@ios.doi.gov. The Caucus has 81 members as of July 10.

For details, contact facilitators Frank Muhly of Philadelphia at fmuhly@juno.com or Thom Jones, working in western Pennsylvania at tjones@on-target.net or James Mallory, president of the Ohio River Chapter, at JMJlmallory@cs.com.

The trail was established in 1978 as part of the National Trail System of the National Park Service. When approved, the bill would increase the number of states with a relationship to the epic trek to 20 and add the District plus Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Kentucky, Tennessee, and Indiana.

Jane Henley, immediate past president of LCTHF, MLewisNut@aol.com has noted “The current board of directors, at the urging of Frank Muhly (of Philadelphia) voted in April 2003 to make extension of the Trail a major priority as a legacy project for the Bicentennial.” Muhly (above) has stated, “Benefits would be limitless.”

Interested citizens in all 50 states are urged to contact their legislators and encourage them to support HB 2327 which proposes to add the routes that Lewis and Clark followed, “either independently or together,” in the “preparation” and “return phases of the expedition” including designated Lewis and Clark sites in the states listed above.