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(May 24, 2006) – Seaman the Newfoundland Dog will be the main attraction at the Sioux City Lewis & Clark Interpretive Center’s Memorial Day event from noon to 5 p.m. Admission and activities will be free. Monday, May 29th is the anniversary of one of Seaman’s most heroic deeds. Capt. Meriwether Lewis documented the night of May 29, 1805, when Seaman’s barking saved the sleeping Corps of Discovery soldiers from a charging buffalo bull. The Memorial Day event will include: · An appearance by the “real” Seaman the Newfoundland from 1 to 3 p.m. · The unveiling of the official Junior Explorer T-Shirt inspired by designs created by Siouxland students. Winners of the contest will be announced and prizes will be awarded at 1:15 p.m. · A live performance of “Seaman the Newfoundland’s One-Dog Show” featuring Brian Gameros at 1:30 p.m. in the Keelboat Theatre. Seaman the Newfoundland joined the Center’s staff in December 2003 when he was three months old. He is a member of the Todd and Kathy Ellison family of Sioux City. Seaman’s Corps of Discovery predecessor was purchased in Pittsburgh, Pa., in 1803 for $20 by Meriwether Lewis. Until 1985 when historian Donald Jackson corrected the mistake, Seaman was misidentified as “Scannon.” Famous for its large size, pleasing disposition and strong swimming ability, the Newfoundland breed was well suited to the rigors of the Lewis & Clark Expedition. Seaman helped feed the explorers by catching beavers, squirrels and even an antelope. Lewis last mentions the dog on July 15, 1806, when Seaman is battling mosquito bites. Others who had pet Newfoundlands include, Benjamin Franklin, Samuel Adams, George Washington, Robert F. Kennedy, Bing Crosby, King Edward VII, and Queen Victoria. The Sioux City Lewis & Clark Interpretive Center, exit 149 off I-29, is a private, non-profit institution built and sustained by Missouri River Historical Development, Inc. (MRHD). Admission, all programs, exhibits and activities are free and open to all people.
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