Free speaker series, In Their Footsteps, offered

Lewis and Clark National Historical Park, Fort Clatsop has announced the free autumn 2016 speaker series, In Their Footsteps. The first program in this monthly series is The Kanaka Connection: Hawaii and the Western Fur Trade presented by Junius Rochester on Sunday, September 18, at 1:00 p.m.

Junius Rochester is the author of 10 books and numerous articles. He gives talks about regional history aboard riverboats, cruise ships and elsewhere. For seven years he was the Regional Historian at KUOW-FM, National Public Radio. In 1995, he was awarded a joint Project Award by the Association of King County (Seattle) Historical Organizations and the King County Landmarks and Heritage Commission. In 2006, he received an Award of Merit from the American Association for State and Local History (AASLH), and in 2014 he was chosen Historian of the Year by the Pacific Northwest Historians Guild.

The Western Fur Trade, a 30-year epic of exploration, upheaval of Indian nations, violence, and the near-extinguishment of fur-bearing animals on land and in the water, is one of Rochester’s favorite topics. He enjoys learning and sharing about the role of Hawaiians in this history. His illustrated presentation will include stories and narration.

This third-Sunday forum is sponsored by the Lewis and Clark National Park Association and the park. These programs are held in the Netul River Room of Fort Clatsop’s visitor center and are free of charge.

For more information, call the park at (503) 861-2471.