In the footsteps of Lewis and Clark : early commemorations and the origins of the national historic trail /

Although public awareness of the 1805-06 Lewis and Clark expedition was heightened during the recent bicentennial of the event, commemorations of the Corps of Discovery have been going on since the late 19th century. Lewis (Western State College of Colorado) explores the history of these commemorations, arguing that with the rise of automobile tourism, public interest shifted from a focus on the personnel of the expedition (Lewis, Clark, Sacagawea) to a focus on the route taken by the corps. As evidence, he explores the various efforts, beginning in the 1920s and culminating in 1978 with the creation of the Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail, to use roadways as commemorative venues of the expedition. As a secondary theme, the author considers issues of authenticity and preservation within the context of commemoration. The book is written so as to be accessible to undergraduates, although the specificity of the topic may make it of limited relevance to this population. For graduate students and faculty, it offers an addition to collections on public memory and historical tourism. Summing Up: Recommended. Upper-division undergraduates and above. S. Ferentinos Organization of American Historians