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Sunday, July 13, 2003

A new century was just developing when Lewis and Clark began their great expedition in a city that was a gateway to the frontier they were about to open up. Over the next seven Sundays, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette will look at life in this region in 1803, the same span of time that Meriwether Lewis spent here waiting for his boat to be built. What was Lewis" Pittsburgh like? Join us to find out. Here's what's coming up:

JULY 20

Who lived in old Pittsburgh? How big was it, which ethnic groups were here, and what would you have seen, heard and smelled in this city in 1803?

JULY 27

What was a day in the life of a typical Pittsburgh family like 200 years ago? How did they earn a living, what did they eat and wear, and what medical treatments were available?

AUGUST 3

What did Pittsburghers do for relaxation two centuries ago? What entertainment was available and how did they socialize?

AUGUST 10

Who were the leading families of 1803 Pittsburgh, how did they wield their influence and what special amenities did they enjoy?

AUGUST 17

Pittsburgh was no longer on the edge of the frontier by 1803, but what lay beyond it in the region? Were there still Indian tribes to contend with, and how did wildlife and the countryside differ from what exists today?

AUGUST 24

The expedition included men from Western Pennsylvania. Who were they, and what happened to them during the expedition and afterward?

AUGUST 31

This day marked the official sendoff of the boats that would form the spine of the expedition. We re-create the events of the day.

MORE LEWIS AND CLARK

JULY 22, MAGAZINE

Who built the expedition's keelboat and smaller craft? We evaluate the evidence that points to both Elizabeth and Pittsburgh.