Tom Wilson, a 1973 graduate of Stevenson High School, will portray Capt. William Clark on Sunday, Sept. 21, at 2 p.m. at the Columbia Gorge Interpretive Center Museum, Stevenson.
Wilson recently retired as an elementary school teacher in Astoria, Ore., where he taught fourth and fifth grade for 30 years. He began working with Ft. Clatsop as a member of its curriculum advisory board 20 years ago. He first began by writing and editing the National Park's traveling trunk programs to be used by schools throughout the United States.
He has volunteered at Ft. Clatsop as a park ranger for several years doing talks and demonstrations, and now works as a seasonal park ranger. He has also worked with the Maritime Museum in Astoria assisting with the development of the river transportation and exploration curriculum.
In addition, Wilson has conducted living history training workshops for Ft. Clatsop, Cape Disappointment and Ft. Vancouver National Parks.
Currently, he is serving as president of the Pacific Northwest Living Historians which is a group dedicated to presenting authentic history of the Pacific Northwest.
He has been doing living history programs in the first and third person for over eight years and will be talking to his audience on Sept. 21 as Capt. Clark, only coming out of character to answer questions.
Passengers aboard various cruises on the "Columbia Queen" and the "Columbia Gorge Sternwheeler" may remember hearing him present programs on the Lewis and Clark Expedition when the ships docked in Astoria.
Wilson lives in Astoria with his wife Debbie, the executive director of the Lewis and Clark National Park Association.
The program is part of the Sunday Afternoon with Gorge History series organized by Les Hastings, volunteer and board member of the Columbia Gorge Interpretive Center Museum.
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