On May 5, my students and I had the pleasure of being educated by Willow Bill. He offered to come to our class to talk about his experiences traveling along the Lewis and Clark Trail.
Little did I realize when I took him up on his offer the wealth of information and experiences he had to share with us.
Not only did he follow the trail, he did it as a member of the crew that re-created the expedition, accurately portraying it using the journal information to re-create when and where the group needed to go.
This was done over several years and was very inspiring for my class. He shared stories and anecdotes of the trip, as well as his many acquaintances he met along the way.
We saw live footage of his experiences crossing a dangerous thoroughfare, and saw the vessels used. He brought in the paddle he used that has signatures from all those who made this historic event unfold.
Willow Bill made history come alive for my students that day. He reviewed events that led to the expedition from our history and put it in historical perspective.
He told the story from the viewpoint of several key figures, including the tribes who assisted them in their quest.
I would highly recommend him as a guest speaker for any event. He is both knowledgeable and entertaining.
Cathy Barbie
Eagle Valley Middle School
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