Ripley’s new ‘Lewis and Clark Trail’ signs

Driving into Ripley from the north on US 62/68 at the US Highway 52 intersection, you may notice a new sign which says, “Lewis and Clark Trail Auto Tour Route.” Investigating this new sign brought lots of interesting information.

The Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail Experience, as it is formally known, covers 4,900 miles, through 16 states and 15 Indian Reservations. There are 6,157 auto routes and 1,439 miles of water trails. It seeks to promote history as well as what it calls “Geoturism”, which is defined as “tourism that sustains or enhances the geographic character of a place, its environment, culture, aesthetics, heritage, and the well-being of its residents. Geotourism encompasses a range of travel including culture and heritage, history, food, nature, adventure, the outdoors, water, music, and arts”.

Ripley Village Administrator Wayne Gates commented that The Lewis and Clark Trail provided the signs to the village to help people who are interested in following it. “It’s part of our effort to increase tourism. It’s part of the National Park Service. There are five signs total – both ends of town on 52, two on 52 in town, and one facing southbound traffic on 68 coming into town.”

As many students of history know, the Lewis and Clark Expedition, which was also called the Corps of Discovery, was the United States expedition to cross the newly acquired western portion of the country after the Louisiana Purchase by President Jefferson. The Corps of Discovery was a select group of U.S. Army and civilian volunteers under the command of Captain Meriwether Lewis and his friend Second Lieutenant William Clark. President Jefferson had known Lewis most of his life and Lewis had served as Jefferson’s personal secretary during Jefferson’s first two years in office. William Clark was one of the younger brothers of General George Rogers Clark who was in command of American forces in Kentucky during the American Revolution. The Lewis and Clark Expedition lasted from May of 1804 until their return in September of 1806, when the expedition started Ohio had only been a state for a little over a year. The expedition made maps along their journey and brought back animals and artifacts from their journey.

For more information, The National Park Service has a detailed website for the Lewis and Clark Trail at https://lewisandclark.travel . This website highlights many aspects of the trail, and includes resources such as an interactive map, places to see along the way, places to spend the night, and places to dine throughout the trail, history, and more.