Departure Event Promises Reenactors, Artisan Demos, Fun at Lewis and Clark State Historic Site

Our Daily Show! Interview: Lewis and Clark State Historic Site

HARTFORD - The Lewis and Clark State Historic Site invites community members to join them for their annual Departure Event to celebrate the day Meriwether Lewis and William Clark embarked on their expedition from Camp Dubois.

From 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, May 9, and Sunday, May 10, 2026, the Hartford site will have military reenactors, artisan demonstrations, artifacts and more hands-on experiences for visitors to enjoy. Ben Pollard with the historic site encourages people to come out and learn more about Illinois history and the Lewis and Clark story.

“Early American history is right in your own backyard,” Pollard said. “This is where Lewis and Clark camped from December of 1803 into May of 1804 as they’re brainstorming what the trip looks like when they don’t know where they’re going, how long it’s going to take to get there, who they’re going to meet along the way. We really like to make people turn their minds back 200 years. How would you plan for a road trip with all of these unknowns?”

Families are encouraged to stop by the Departure Event and engage with the artisans, who will be demonstrating blacksmithing, woodworking, leatherworking, tanning, fiber arts and more.

There will also be a few military reenactors and gunpowder demonstrations with real muskets and cannons, a “visceral” experience that, Pollard promises, is exciting for all ages.

The Lewis and Clark State Historic Site always has a 55-foot replica of a keelboat on display in their center. During the Departure Event, they’re bringing out a 35-foot replica of the White Pirogue, the boat that took the Lewis and Clark crew up and down the Missouri river. Pollard is especially eager to show off this boat.

“We’re going to have some of our dedicated, long-term interpreting volunteers telling us about how Lewis and Clark packed their supplies and how hard it was to move this boat against the current of the river,” he said. “The White Pirogue goes all the way up the length of the Missouri River. They cache it. They go to the Rockies. They do their thing all the way to the Pacific Ocean. They make their way back, and it comes all the way back down. It’s the only boat that goes all the way up and all the way back with them on this trip. We’ve got a copy as best as we can figure from Captain Clark’s notes.”

Pollard is also excited to welcome historian Jeffrey Edison to talk about York, an enslaved man owned by Clark who was part of the journey. Pollard acknowledged that the story of enslavement often goes untold, and he hopes these conversations shed a light on York’s experience.

Rain or shine, the Departure Event promises an educational, fun weekend for guests of all ages. Pollard noted that they often welcome parents who remember coming as children and are now bringing their own kids. Many of these people are amazed that this major historical event — Lewis and Clark’s camp at Camp Dubois and their departure site — is right here in Hartford.

Pollard hopes to see a lot of people come out to enjoy the experience. He believes these hands-on activities and conversations are engaging ways to learn about early American and Illinois history.

“We’re talking about the history of early Illinois and, of course, marking the Lewis and Clark expedition departing from the St. Louis area on a two-and-a-half year journey that kind of changes American history,” he added. “It really just helps you feel your place in history, your place within your community, where you are in time, generationally. It still gives me goosebumps.”

For more information about the Departure Event, click here. The Lewis and Clark State Historic Site will offer several additional programs in the coming months to commemorate America’s 250th anniversary. To learn more about the Lewis and Clark State Historic Site, including these upcoming events, visit their official website.

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