The much anticipated Lewis & Clark Exploratory Center is set to open to the public this May.
Located in Darden Towe Park along the Rivanna River, the park will serve as an interactive center focused around the historic expedition made by Lewis and Clark in 1803.
Lewis and Clark had a strong tie to Thomas Jefferson as well as Charlottesville itself, History Professor Alan Taylor said.
“Jefferson was a very close friend with Meriwether Lewis, who was his [Jefferson’s] secretary, and William Clark was a close friend of Lewis. Both of them were from Albemarle county,” Taylor said.
The plans for this center were first made by local officials in 2000 — a few years before the expedition’s bicentennial. However, after multiple delays caused by construction complications, contractor negotiations and unanticipated financial obligations, the building wasn’t finished until last month.
The $1.75 million project began construction in 2011 and has since been partially opened offering a variety of activities and nature camps for interested organizations, community groups and students.
University students can also potentially benefit from the center, Taylor said.
“If students were interested in understanding the world of Thomas Jefferson and how it reaches out to the wider world of the North American continent and indeed of the trans-Pacific world, then some sort of institute on Lewis and Clark would be very helpful,” Taylor said.
However, fourth-year College student Stephanie Coffua said the center’s location may deter her from visiting.
“I have over the years gravitated more towards online resources so I am less inclined to go somewhere,” Coffua said. “I know it’s near Darden, so that is kind of a drive.”
In the new technological era, it seems as though more and more learning tends to take place through online resources. Nonetheless, the center will still be a great resource for students who want to partake, Taylor said.
“Anything that promotes historical thinking and provides some sort of outlet for students to engage in history is a good thing,” Taylor said.
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