What Is lewisandclark.org? A Guide to the Lewis & Clark Trail Alliance

lewisandclark.org is the home of the Lewis & Clark Trail Alliance (LCTA), an organization built around the history and landscapes of the Lewis and Clark Expedition. The site works as a hub: it gathers the Alliance's journal, a digital library, event listings, travel resources, and educational material into one place, with quick links to each. It is most useful if you want to read expedition-related writing, plan a trip along the Trail, or find teaching material—and some features, such as the digital library, are noted as being for members.

What the site offers

The homepage points to several distinct resources rather than hosting everything itself. The main areas are:

• William P. Sherman Digital Library — labeled "New for members!"
• Our Journal — We Proceeded On, a quarterly publication
• Events Along the Trail — a listing of Trail-related events
• New on Substack — a stream of short stories and news posts
• Our Travel Website — a separate site for trip planning
• Our Educational Website — a separate site for learning and teaching

The journal: We Proceeded On

We Proceeded On is the Alliance's quarterly journal. Its name comes from a phrase that appears repeatedly in the collective journals of the expedition. According to the site, all issues one year or older are available online, along with bonus content. That makes the journal archive a practical starting point if you want to read back issues rather than current ones.

Reading and news on Substack

The Alliance publishes shorter pieces on Substack under the theme "Real Stories of the Lewis and Clark Trail." Examples listed on the homepage include:

These are short-form stories and updates, useful if you want lighter reading or current news rather than full journal articles.

Planning a trip along the Trail

The Alliance runs a separate travel site, Lewis and Clark Trail Experience, at lewisandclark.travel. The site describes the Trail as linking contemporary communities and cultures—including tribes whose connections span thousands of years—to historic and living landscapes. It notes that whether you travel the entire length of the Trail or take a short day trip, the tools on the travel site are meant to enhance the experience. There is also a travel magazine (LCTE Travel Magazine) and a Lewis and Clark Travel App for exploring the Trail.

Learning and teaching resources

For education, the Alliance points to Discovering Lewis & Clark at lewis-clark.org, which it describes as covering 2,300+ pages. The site frames the Lewis and Clark story as tying together many histories: women's history, American and Native American history, natural history, military history, and more. There is also a curriculum guide intended to take students on a journey with the Corps of Discovery.

A note on the Alliance's framing

The homepage includes a land acknowledgement, gratefully acknowledging Native Peoples who have lived on the land for millennia and stating that their dedication to the land and their communities runs deep. It says this acknowledgement encourages the Alliance to keep developing understanding and appreciation of Native Peoples' commitment to the nation and the significance of the expedition. Related links include "Native Peoples," "Beyond the Bicentennial," and "Tent of Many Voices."

How to decide if it's for you

• If you want to read expedition history and commentary — start with We Proceeded On back issues (one year or older, online) and the Substack stories.
• If you're planning a road trip — go to lewisandclark.travel for the travel site, magazine, and app.
• If you teach — the educational site at lewis-clark.org and the curriculum guide are the relevant entry points.
• If you want the digital library — note the site marks it as a member feature, so check membership details before assuming open access.

The site itself is best understood as a directory to these resources rather than a single archive; the actual content lives on the journal pages, Substack, and the two companion websites.