NBC29 WVIR Charlottesville, VA News, Sports and WeatherGrant Helps Build New Facility for Explorers

Grant Helps Build New Facility for Explorers

The Commonwealth Transportation Board awarded $3.5 million in grants to promote Civil War and wine tourism in Virginia. Among the recipients is the Lewis and Clark Exploratory Center in Albemarle County. Right now, the organization is operating in a facility without electricity, so the funding comes at a crucial time.

"The barn has no electricity, no water, no nothing and after so many years we realized in order for our programs to expand and to service the community better especially the schools, we need a permanent building," says Anne Hemenway, president of the Board of the Lewis and Clarke Exploratory Center.

With the help of a $200,000 grant, the center will build a roughly $1.2 million facility at the edge of the Rivanna River in Darden-Towe Park.

"In that building there will be some displays but the emphasis is always going to be on programs," says incoming Vice-President Sally Thomas.

The Lewis and Clark Exploratory Center teaches kids about the two famous pioneers and about nature, carpentry, and even Native American culture.

"It builds upon a piece of our history that's not very much appreciated here whereas in the west, everyone knows this is where Lewis and Clark got started," Thomas adds.

To encourage exploration, the center built an exact replica of a keel boat the explorers used out west.

"So the cabin is intact, the kids can explore the boat, explore the different hatches and then two other historic boats that were used during the expedition," Hemenway says.

When completed, the new location will connect Darden-Towe Park with Pen Park using a pull ferry for pedestrians to cross the Rivanna River.

The ground breaking on the new Lewis and Clark Exploratory Center should happen this fall and be complete by the spring.

Reported by Jennifer Von Reuter
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