NATIONAL COAST TRAIL ASSOCIATION

5124 NE 34th Ave. - Portland, OR 97211-7452 - http://www.coasttrails.org - (503) 335-3876

NEWS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Monday, July 7th, 2003
Media Contacts: Al LePage, Executive Director, National Coast Trail Association, (503) 335-3876
                             Portia Harris, Director, Umpqua Discovery Center, (541) 271-4816

     Al LePage, executive director of the National Coast Trail Association (NCTA), and Tom Laidlaw, living history interpreter, will offer a special evening presentation at the Umpqua Discovery Center in Reedsport, Oregon on Wednesday, July 16th at 7 PM about the very first overland expedition to explore the central Oregon coast in 1826.  LePage will portray Chief Trader Alexander McLeod in the full authentic costume of a Hudson's Bay Company officer, tell the story of the expedition, and share his slides of the entire route.  Tom Laidlaw will portray the expedition's hunter, William Cannon, tell about his role not only on this expedition but in early Oregon history.  The slide-show is called the "Alexander McLeod Trail: Encounter, Exchange & Exploration along the Pacific!"  In addition to the story of McLeod's first expedition, "McLeod" will also talk about his second coastal expedition which reached the coast at the mouth of the Umpqua River in the Reedsport area.  A specially created traveling exhibit of replica gear and trade items will also be available for viewing during the presentation.  This very special presentation event is being sponsored in cooperation with the Umpqua Discovery Center in Reedsport, Oregon.  The event is open to the public for the cost of regular admission to the center, which is $5.00 for adults and $3.00 for children 6 through 15.

     "It's 1826 and a Chief Trader of the Hudson's Bay Company -- Alexander Roderick McLeod -- is leading the first expedition to ever explore the central Oregon coast," notes LePage. "There's mountains to climb, long beaches to travel, deep rivers to cross, rocky headlands to surmount, lush forests to push through, trapping to be done, and encounters with tribal members to trade for furs, food, and canoes. Join me as Hudson's Bay Company officer "Alexander McLeod" as I take you back in time from the gates of Fort Vancouver to the tribal village site on the Siuslaw River at Florence. Colorful slides of this historic route and stories of the expedition promise to be both entertaining and informative.  Tom Laidlaw, interpreter par excellance, will be joining me as expedition member "William Cannon" to create what promises to be one of the greatest evenings of living history this side of the Rocky Mountains!"

     These presentations go beyond being merely educational and entertaining they're meant to bring history alive so people can make a personal connection with McLeod, see the route he traveled and the places he saw, and even experience the things he could have had on the expedition. Take advantage of this unusual opportunity to learn about this historically significant and essentially unknown expedition. Make some history yourself and meet Alexander McLeod and William Cannon!

     LePage has invested a lot of personal time, energy, and resources to become an authentic "Alexander McLeod." He developed his first-person characterization of this Chief Trader based on McLeod's journals, the writings of those who knew him, and general information about fur brigades and those who led them. His costume -- easily valued at $1,000 or more -- was carefully researched and required bringing together the diverse and unique skills of many generous people. He even learned how to speak with a Scottish accent specifically for this very role. His background includes certification as an interpretive guide through the National Association for Interpretation, experience portraying other historic figures in the National Park Service's living history programs at Fort Vancouver, creating and implementing living history events at various historic sites, and coursework in voice and improvisational theater.

     Tom Laidlaw earned his B.S. in Theater Arts from Portland State University. Combining his love of history and his many treks on the westward emigrant trails, he has spent the last five years doing historical interpretation at Fort Vancouver, Washington as Peter Skeene Ogden.  Laidlaw developed the character of William Cannon, first blacksmith, millwright, and American at this British outpost and headquarters of the Hudson's Bay Company in the west. Cannon's life was so intimately involved with the history of the west that he can adapt his basic script to almost any area of the westward expansion route from Cowpens to Champoeg. In researching his characters, he not only spends time in libraries but also retraces where their footsteps and paddlestrokes would have taken them -- from King's Mountain in South Carolina to Fort Mackinac across the mountains to the Pacific Ocean. His lively presentations have entertained and informed audiences throughout the Northwest.

The National Coast Trail Association (NCTA) is a non-profit organization working to "Keep The Coast For Everyone" through recreational trails, public access, and the preservation of historic and natural environments. Visit www.coasttrails.org for event details.

The Umpqua Discovery Center is an educational and cultural resource for all ages making active, innovative contributions to preserving the Oregon "Tidewater Community" experience.  Interactive exhibits and programs illustrate how land, water and people have shaped each other over time.  Visit www.harborside.com/~discover/ for further information.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 The following photos may be used by the newspaper print media. It is a high resolution photo image suitable for print quality. Please credit the National Coast Trail Association.

---------

"Alexander McLeod" portrayed by Al LePage
 

-----------
"William Cannon" portrayed by Tom Laidlaw