HARTFORD - The Lewis and Clark State Historic Site will host their annual Point of Departure Commemoration event this weekend, complete with artisans, cannons, a Thomas Jefferson impersonator, and plenty of free family fun.
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From 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, May 10, and Sunday, May 11, 2025, community members can come to the Lewis and Clark State Historic Site at 1 Lewis and Clark Trail in Hartford to learn about the Lewis and Clark expedition and life on the American frontier. Artisans will be available with hands-on demonstrations and activities for families to enjoy.
“We’re going to be here to commemorate one of the greatest historical events in the history of America,” said Mike Bortko with the Lewis and Clark State Historic Site. “This is your history. This is how people lived on the frontier 225 years ago.”
Bortko collaborated with Ben Pollard to help organize the Point of Departure Commemoration, which is completely free to attend. They plan to welcome over 2,000 people to the Lewis and Clark State Historic Site this weekend.
On Friday, May 9, 2025, over 500 fourth graders from nine schools across the Metro East were onsite for Education Day. The kids could speak with the artisans and experience all of the fun to come this weekend.
“It is one thing to learn in the classroom, and the teachers do a great job of teaching it, but it’s another to have that in-person experience where they get to handle things in person, get to see demonstrations of the musket fire, of the tools of the trade,” Pollard said. “I think it just leaves a much longer-lasting memory than just the classroom experience. I think they really come away with appreciation for the past. If you know your past, you can probably help improve your future as well.”
Pollard and Bortko are especially excited to welcome back Kurt Smith, a renowned Thomas Jefferson reenactor who is the official Thomas Jefferson of Colonial Williamsburg. Smith will present and answer questions in character.
Smith joked that he is probably “a spectacle” to the kids with his “long words and funny clothes,” but he hopes they understand the importance of learning from history. He encourages people to “continue to question your history, to challenge your history.”
“For Jefferson, one of the drums he beat his entire life was education, education, education,” Smith explained. “Getting to do this work today in 2025 not only pays homage to Jefferson and what he wanted for this country, but it’s also reliant upon the success of this country. If we demean and deny education for our next generation, we will elect uneducated, ignorant people to lead us, and then we will shorten the lifespan of our country. For Jefferson, those two things were correlated. A strong education means a longer-lasting Republic.”
Bortko expressed his appreciation for the artisans and presenters who come out for the Point of Departure Commemoration. He added that he hopes the visitors this weekend, especially the young people, take a lot away from the event and its importance in American history.
“Everybody recognizes and understands the value of this place and to participate and educate people on what was going on 220 years ago in conjunction with one of the greatest historical events in American history,” Bortko said. “You read about it in the books. Okay, that’s interesting. But when you get out here and see this, then it really digs into your brain. It’s a good impact. You never know. We might have three or four future history professors out here.”
For more information about the Point of Departure Commemoration, read this article on RiverBender.com. To learn more about the Lewis and Clark State Historic Site, visit their official website at CampDubois.com.
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