26 May Summer Home: Lewis and Clark National Historical Park

The site I am interning is known for being a part of the Lewis and Clark Expedition; a military group ordered by President Jefferson to explore the Missouri River to the Pacific Ocean. They spent 106 days of a winter season in Fort Clatsop, named after the Indigenous people of this space. The site is located 30 feet above the Netul River in a forest like setting with large Sitka Spruce, Western Hemlock, and Western Red Cedar towering over the visitors. A Replica of Fort Clatsop sist in front of the Visitor Center for people to explore and get a glimpse of how 33 individuals lived during their stay.

This week I was able to observe my supervisor, Ranger Cathy Peterson, and other NPS staff as they run their school programs. some schools signed up to do self-guided tours, which include worksheets about the fort and exhibition hall. My favorite was the more interactive program, which was a 2-hour, guided program called “Life at the Fort.” The 4th grade students who participated in the program were split into three groups that rotated through the exhibition hall, learned about what Fort life was like for expedition soldiers and civilians from a third person perspective, and a plant walk. I look forward to seeing more education programs this summer.

#EnvironmentfortheAmericas #NationalParkService #LewisandClarkNPS

Instagram: @npsyouth @eftrainterns @lewisandclarknps