HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 116

(By Mr. Speaker, Mr. Kiss, and Delegates Doyle, Tabb,

Wysong and Michael)


Urging the West Virginia Congressional Delegation to support legislation calling for federal approval of extension of the Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail.

Whereas, The Lewis and Clark Journey began in the mind of President Thomas Jefferson; and
Whereas, The Lewis and Clark Expedition is about President Jefferson's dream, the planning and preparation required for an early 19th-century military expedition, and then finally about the journey itself; and
Whereas, The journey was led by Meriwether Lewis and William Clark, who were assisted by a variety of Americans, including the country's native peoples; and
Whereas, The Lewis and Clark Trail Heritage Foundation supports recognition of a continuous trail across the country on the National Park Service's official trail map and the right to post the official trail signs - Two Captains Pointing the Way - which are posted throughout the West; and
Whereas, Lewis undertook his first act as commander of the "Corps of Discovery" by requsitioning rifles manufactured at Harpers Ferry, West Virginia, from the federal armory in that town; andWhereas, The extension of the Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail from coast to coast would complete the story and expose a broader base of Americans to the educational and cultural aspects of the expedition; and
Whereas, Patrick Gass, of Moundsville, West Virginia, as First Sergeant of the Corps of Discovery, was particularly responsible for many of the scientific achievements of the expedition; and
Whereas, The Lewis and Clark Trail Heritage Foundation partners with the National Park Service, the Bureau of Land Management and the Forest Service in caring for the Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail and also supports scholarships, educational efforts, and research on the expedition; therefore, be it
Resolved by the Legislature of West Virginia:
That the West Virginia Legislature hereby urges the West Virginia Congressional Delegation to support legislation calling for federal approval of extension of the Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail to the East to include additional sites, including Harpers Ferry, West Virginia, associated with the preparation or return phase of the expedition; and, be it
Further Resolved, That the Clerk of the House of Delegates prepare a certified copy of this resolution for each member of the West Virginia Congressional Delegation.