Skip to main content
#
Lewis and Clark Kansas City

About the Southern Region

The region was created in late 2021 when the Lewis and Clark Trail Heritage Foundation reorganized its structure into regions. The Southern Prairie Region covers six states: Missouri, Kansas, Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, and southwestern Illinois.

At the time of restructuring, some smaller chapters decided to dissolve while other chapters remained in existence within their region and sometimes hold events primarily for members in their chapter areas.

The new Southern Prairie Region includes two already existing chapters: the Greater St. Louis Chapter and the Missouri-Kansas Riverbend Chapter in northwest Missouri and eastern Kansas.

The Trail Heritage Foundation’s membership structure was revised, too. Now, every paid member is automatically a member of the national organization and chooses which home region she or he wants to be assigned to. For a small extra fee, a member can become assigned to other regions in addition to the person’s home region. Click here to learn about membership.

 

With the Southern Prairie Region as the region of your choice, you will receive quarterly newsletters about activities in the region, as well as invitations to in-person events and Zoom talks, and other information specific to the region as well as the entire Lewis and Clark Trail Heritage organization. You will learn about the most important expedition in our nation’s history and the many educational and tourist opportunities along the 4,900-mile Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail. 

 

Most importantly, you will meet great people whose dedication and commitments to telling the story of the 1803-06 expedition are boundless!

 

Enjoy learning about Lewis and Clark and experiencing the trail. For more information or to offer suggestions, please send an email to SouthernPrairie@LewisandClark.org.

 

Click here to become a member

           Notes on the Missouri Kansas Riverbend/ Chapter/Southern prairie Region annual meeting February 8, 2025    by Dan Sturdevant and Rich Lawson

Presenter Rich Lawson gave a fine powerpoint talk on What Lewis and Clark Saw at The Arrow Rock. Rich made the important distinction between Arrow Rock and THE Arrow Rock.  On June 9, 1804 when Lewis and Clark passed The Arrow Rock, they saw on the south side of the Missouri River, a tall column like stone called Pierre a Fleche (first mapped in 1732) and the limestone bluff where Native Americans quarried flint for their arrow heads.   Lewis and Clark reported this the narrowest crossing of the Missouri river and had been for hundreds of years.  Rich’s slide showed the river backing up in the south and north ravines of the site, these were the two streams mentioned by Lewis and Clark.  A ferry operation began around 1815 and continued with two ferries continuing until closing in 1926.

The 37 attendees at the February 8, 2025 luncheon program had a good time. Among the 37 interesting self-introductions: Timothy and Tammy Thompson --- Tammys fifth generation descended from  John Colter; “Colter’s West Wind” is a book by attendee Chris Hodges; attending also Steven Blake,  author of a November 2020 national journal “We Proceeded On” article “William Clarks Two Wives”; Roger Gascoigne on his fine keelboat/barge kit; and Richard Hunt Executive Director of the Lewis and Clark Trail Alliance. 

The leadership of the group was elected and appointed with the name persons shown in the distributed meeting notice.

 The group was directed to the lewisandclark.org website for information about and joining the and registering for the September 14,15,16 and 17 2025 national meeting in Kansas City Missouri at 45th and Main Marriott Hotel.  Also the local Missouri Kansas Riverbend Chapter’s website:  www.lewisandclarkkc.org

Rich Lawson—the most knowledgeable person about the Lewis and Clark Expedition’s time on the Missouri River near what is now the National Historic Landmark village of Arrow Rock, Mo.—will give a February 8 presentation at the annual combined meeting of the Southern Prairie Region and Missouri-Kansas Riverbend Chapter of the Lewis & Clark Trail Alliance. Registration is required. Click here for more info and how to register...

New Lewis and Clark leadership
New Lewis and Clark leadership

Richard Hunt has been named the executive director of the Lewis and Clark Trail Heritage Foundation. Learn more about Richard by clicking here.

Video: Watercraft of Lewis and Clark
Video: Watercraft of Lewis and Clark

Watch this video to learn about the Lewis and Clark Expedition and the watercraft of western exploration and exploitation from the 1790s to 1840s. The talk was given by Lewis and Clark expert John Fisher. John’s talk aired on Zoom on March 21, 2021, and was hosted by the Missouri-Kansas Riverbend Chapter of the Lewis and Clark Trial Heritage Foundation. To learn more about the nonprofit organization: lewisandclark.org. Introductions in the video were given by Dan Sturdevant and Yvonne Kean of the Riverbend Chapter. To find out about future monthly Zoom talks, please send an email to garykimsey55@gmail.com. Click this link to watch the video: https://youtu.be/AqR0b6nrYZM

 

Muddy Water and Whiskey
Muddy Water and Whiskey

Read this article to find out about Lewis and Clark's time in the Kansas City area. Interviewed: Dan Sturdevant, chairperson of the Missouri-Kansas Riverbend Chapter of the Lewis and Clark Trail Heritage Foundation. Click here to read...


Lewis and Clark Trail Heritage Foundation
Missouri-Kansas Riverbend Chapter

208 N.W. 44th Street
Kansas City, MO  64116


816-679-5925  |  dan@LewisAndClarkKC.org