New signs to go up highlighting Lewis and Clark Trail (2024)

The meeting came about after Mallory initiated contact with the city through the director at Fort Steuben in Steubenville. Through conversation back and forth, Jones began to think it was a great deal especially with the administration trying to emphasize the positives of East Liverpool.

Mallory said the Lewis and Clark story was an American story, not just a western story of exploration.

“East Liverpool holds a unique position in that the Point of Beginning was noted in Lewis and Clark Journals by Merriweather Lewis as he passed here in 1803,” Mallory said. “It holds a very important story here. The Point of Beginning is the beginning of the national federal survey system in this country and includes Alaska and Hawaii today. It solved a lot of problems Jefferson had already experienced in the southern states. So that Point of Beginning is very very important to the nation as well as part of the Lewis and Clark Story.”

Mallory also noted that building the Lewis and Clark story around tourism helps bring people to the community.

Lewis and Clark Highway signs presented to East Liverpool to identify the city as part of the Historic Lewis and Clark Trail will soon be hung on roadways that are identified as the auto tour route of the trail. (Photo by Kristi R. Garabrandt)

Mallory discussed with the group how The Lewis and Clark Trail and the Point of Beginning being in the city could increase tourism by focusing on creating an authentic visitor experience at small and medium size businesses and historical sites.

Mallory presented the city with four highway marker signs and 10 trail marker signs to designate the route of the Lewis and Clark Trail in East Liverpool. He also provided the city with maps of the entire trail to hand out and presented the mayor with a Lewis and Clark Trail plaque signed by Mark Weekley, Lewis and Clark Trail, National Park Service superintendent.

The highway signs and trail markers were provided at no cost and identifies East Liverpool as a part of the Lewis and Clark Trail. The designation could open the city up to more opportunities for grants and funding.

The signs will be placed near the Point of Beginning facing east and west and coming into the city on state Route 7. Trail markers will be placed on the bike trail along the river since they have to be placed as close to the river as possible since the trail is the river itself. The highway markers are placed on highways nearest to the river for those following the trail by road.

Jones told Mallory that he wanted to get local history such as the Museum of Ceramics involved with the Lewis and Clark Trail so they could help share the information. He also said he hopes to tie the Lewis and Clark Trail in with the America 250th celebration in 2026, with East Liverpool having been chosen as one of Ohio’s America’s 250 cities.

Jim Mallory, vice chairman of the Lewis and Clark Trust Inc., presents East Liverpool Mayor Bobby Smith with a Lewis and Clark Trail plaque for his office. (Photo by Kristi R. Garabrandt)

Jones also told Mallory that the city would like to establish a visitors’ center at the Point of Beginning and tie the Lewis and Clark Trail into it and asked if that would be possible. Mallory said he didn’t see any reason why not.

Mallory suggested they look into the Rivers, Trails and Conservation Assistance Program (RTCA) which is a free program through the National Park Service where they could make an application for a project. The RTCA dedicates about two years to the area if the application is accepted and helps the area focus on the project.

Smith also noted that a lot of people view the city in a negative light, and he is hoping to use things such as this to increase positivity in and about the city since the city has a lot of positives.

Mallory responded that through the Lewis and Clark Trail the if the Museum of Ceramics would like to have a visitor station or a passport station talking about Lewis and Clark, the trail office would provide the museum a rubber stamp (passport stamp from the National Park Service) at no cost to stamp the Passport Books. Or visitors could use the stamp and have their map stamped on the location they were at.

The museum or the schools could be involved through by being part of the Junior Ranger Program.

East Liverpool Safety Service Director Bill Jones listens to discussions about the Lewis and Clark Highway signs that sit in the foreground to be hung in the city to mark the auto tour route of the Lewis and Clark Trail. (Photo by Kristi R. Garabrandt)

The city could also use Lewis and Clark Trust Inc. and the Lewis and Clark National Historic Trail through the National Park Service website to promote East Liverpool and the city’s history.

Mallory said that the panoramic mapping of the trail in East Liverpool is on the Lewis and Clark Trust’s and the Lewis and Clark Historic Trail’s schedule.

The websites and the panoramic filming can be used to showcase how the city is involved in the Lewis and Clark Story and promote the city.

Using Terrain360, nearly 3,000 miles (about the width of the United States) of the trail has been filmed including the historic waterfront sites from rivers. The Lewis and Clark Trust is planning to work on filming the trail from Pittsburgh Pennsylvania to Ashland Kentucky from the Ohio River.

Mallory encouraged Smith and Jones to think big when they think about tourism for the city.

“Don’t just think about your community or your county, you’ve got people on either side of you. Involve them in what you are doing,” Mallory said.

Smith told Mallory that he opened their eyes to new thoughts and new opportunities, and they were going to take the two together and run with it.

Mallory provided Jones and Smith with contact information for individuals at the National Park System who can provide information, resources such as additional maps and assistance to the city regarding the Lewis and Clark Trail.