Into the skin of historical figures
NPR commentator takes on persona of 1-armed explorer
By ANDREW WINEKE THE GAZETTE
In the West, water is everything. It’s no different now than it was 130 years ago, so it makes sense that Colorado College invited Major John Wesley Powell to close the college’s State of the Rockies conference at 5 p.m. today in Armstrong Hall. OK, it’s not really Powell. He’s been dead for 100 years. Powell’s spirit will be embodied by Clay Jenkinson — author, National Public Radio commentator and historical scholar. Jenkinson hopes to do justice to the one-armed explorer (he lost the arm in the Civil War). “He’s an extraordinary man,” Jenkinson said from his home in Bismarck, N.D. “He’s Jefferson in the American West.” Jenkinson would know: He regularly steps inside the skin of Thomas Jefferson to answer questions as the nation’s third president for public radio’s “The Thomas Jefferson Hour,” which is heard locally at 2 p.m. Sundays on KRCC (91.5 FM). In many ways, Jenkinson said, Powell has more to say about current problems and politics than Jefferson. “Powell is as relevant in 2006 as he was in 1878,” he said. Managing development to match water resources and embracing a basin-wide plan for rivers were two agendas Powell pushed in the 19th century that are still hot topics today. “Most of his life’s work was devoted to devising a scheme for this,” Jenkinson said. “That’s what I find most fascinating about him, that and the grand adventure of the Colorado River.” That adventure, an exploration of the Green, Grand and Colorado rivers that began in 1869 and included a harrowing descent through the Grand Canyon in wooden boats, made Powell a national hero. After a return to the canyon in 1871, Powell took over the U.S. Geological Survey in 1881 and served as director until 1894. He died in 1902. Jenkinson has put himself in Jefferson’s shoes for more than two decades. His Powell persona came along a decade ago, when the organizers of a conference at the University of Colorado at Boulder asked him to put together a group of historical characters for a presentation. “I try to make people understand that here was this prophet amongst us who really understood the scarcity of water,” Jenkinson said. Impersonating Jefferson requires a wig and a set of period clothes. Taking on Powell, Jenkinson said, involves a little more sacrifice. “The problem is the arm,” he said. “I have to cut off my arm, and every time I do it it’s excruciating.” CONTACT THE WRITER: 636-0270 or awineke@gazette.com DETAILS Clay Jenkinson as John Wesley Powell at the 2006 State of the Rockies conference Where: 5 p.m. today Where: Armstrong Hall, 14 E. Cache La Poudre St., Colorado College Tickets: Free, open to the public
COURTESY DAKOTA SKY EDUCATION - Is that Major John Wesley Powell? No, he’s been dead 100 years. It must be historical scholar Clay Jenkinson, stepping into the water expert’s shoes.
