With the major part of the Lewis and Clark Expedition starting near St. Charles, Missouri is a prime location for events related to the bicentennial. The following are some story ideas.

1. Lewis & Clark: The National Bicentennial Exhibition is being developed by the Missouri Historical Society in St. Louis. It will open in January 2004 in the Missouri History Museum and later that year will begin a tour of the nation. It is said to be the most extensive collection of Lewis and Clark artifacts and memorabilia ever assembled. Contact Everett Dietle at (314) 454-3178 or ead@mohistory.org.
   
2. The Discovery Expedition of St. Charles is a group of re-enactors that built replicas of the keelboat and red and white pirogues used by Lewis and Clark. The group will be re-enacting the journey following the journal as closely as possible. They have gained national recognition for their effort. Contact information can be obtained from their Web site, www.lewisandclark.net/
   
3. Corps of Discovery II is a traveling exhibit developed by the National Park Service to tour throughout the country, roughly following the journal entries. The Corps II will be at all National Signature Events and at numerous communities throughout the state. Interpretation will be provided as well. For more information, contact Carol McBryant at NPS in Omaha at (402) 514-9311 or Carol_McBryant@nps.gov.
   
4. Fort Osage is a reconstruction of the fort that William Clark built in 1808. He first noticed the location for the fort on his journey in 1804 and noted it in his journal. Today, visitors can tour the fort to experience what life may have been like in the early 1800s. For more information, contact Gordon Julich with the Jackson County Parks and Recreation Department at (816) 795-8200 Ext. 1-261 or juligor@gw.co.jackson.mo.us.
   
5. Virtual Tour of the Missouri River was developed to show people today what the Missouri River looked like around the time of the Lewis and Clark Expedition. Using modern mapping technology, geographers created historic maps that bring history to life. The project has a traveling exhibit and Web site, www.sos.mo.gov/archives/projects/lewisandclark_4.asp. For more information, contact Greg Olson with the Missouri State Archives at (573) 522-2705 or olsong@sosmail.state.mo.us.
   
6. Interpretive markers are being developed for placement at 90 publicly accessible locations along the Missouri and Mississippi rivers. Many are placed at locations where the expedition camped or at features mentioned in the journal. These should be in place by late 2003 or early 2004. For more information, contact Sue Holst with the Missouri Department of Natural Resources at (573) 751-6510 or sue.holst@dnr.mo.gov.
   
7. New Lewis and Clark State Park and Historic Site are being developed in conjunction with the Lewis and Clark bicentennial. Edward "Ted" and Pat Jones-Confluence Point State Park is being developed at the confluence of the Missouri and Mississippi rivers in St. Charles County. Along with day-use activities and wetland restoration, the park will include interpretation of Lewis and Clark. In Cole County, the Clark's Hill/Norton State Historic Site preserves the hill that Clark climbed in 1804 to observe the confluence of the Missouri and Osage rivers. Both facilities are under development and are scheduled to be open in May 2004. For more information, contact Sue Holst with the Missouri Department of Natural Resources at (573) 751-6510 or sue.holst@dnr.mo.gov.
   
8. National Signature Events are those designated by the National Lewis and Clark Bicentennial Council. Missouri has four National Signature Events, including a Three Flags Ceremony in St. Louis in March 2004 to observe the 200^th anniversary of the transfer of the Louisiana Territory to the United States; an event in St. Charles in May 2004 to mark the start of the journey westward; a Journey Fourth event in the Kansas City area to observe the Fourth of July; and an event in September 2006 in St. Louis o mark the return of Lewis and Clark. Information about these events and contact information can be found at www.lewisandclark.mo.gov/calendar/natsig.asp.