River Travel: Past vs Present

Embark on your river adventure where the Corps of Discovery first set sail—Camp River Dubois! This historic hotspot is where Clark readied the crew for their epic 2.5-year westward escapade. Meet a savvy staffer at the Lewis and Clark State Historic Site, dive into expedition tales, and check out how they crammed the keelboat with all their gear. Then, cruise over to the Melvin Price Lock and Dam to see how modern boats navigate the river’s twists and turns today! Field Experience Host: Ramona Pollard 1st Stop: Our group will meet at the Lewis and Clark State Historic Site (Camp Dubois). We will learn about the Corps of Discovery and how they traveled the river. We will chat with Benjamin Pollard, Site Interpretive Specialist about the keel boat and how the crew packed the boat for success. We don’t have long to explore so we will probably skip the introductory film and quickly explore the interpretive center. Note: if you want to spend more time exploring the museum and have a chance to watch the introductory film, the museum will open at 9 am on Thursday, March 26. You can show up as early as works in your schedule. 2nd Stop: We will then head upriver to the National Great Rivers Museum at the Melvin Price Lock and Dam. Here we will meet up with a ranger for a tour of the dam and some time to explore the museum. This museum covers the history of the area and touches on subjects ranging from Cahokia Mounds to common river fish. IMPORTANT NOTE: Due to current world events, the lock and dam is under tighter security. No bags will be allowed inside the museum or dam and everyone will have to show photo ID to participate in the dam tour. You can find a map showing all conference locations here.  What to Bring: Photo ID (for dam tour), camera, questions about the Lewis and Clark Expedition and river travel today.