A little over a year after the Lewis and Clark Bicentennial celebration came to a close, a groundbreaking ceremony has been held on the State Capitol grounds for the Lewis and Clark Bicentennial Monument.
Musicians warmed the crowd for the ceremonial groundbreaking, though much ground has already been moved. Jefferson City Lewis and Clark Task Force Chairman Sally Sprague points out that her group has worked for seven years to make the monument a reality and jokes that it, "Certainly has taken us a little longer to come to this day than it took the Lewis (and) Clark expedition to explore the Louisiana Purchase."
The bronze monument will depict four members of the Lewis and Clark party, larger than life-size, standing on the Capitol campus between the Capitol and the Governor’s Mansion.
State Historical Society Executive Director Gary Kremer says Missourians should understand the significance of their journey after the three-year celebration of it. Kremer hopes the monument will spark more interest in reading and studying about the Lewis and Clark exploration of the West.
Download/listen Brent Martin reports (:60 MP3)
