The Robert LUCAS Foundation

Established Iowa City, iowa - 2014 

the Digital Powell trail

The "Digital Powell Trail" is the first step in the Foundation's efforts to establish an interpretive trail across the Untied States  to mark and commemorate the expeditions of John Wesley Powell to the American West between 1867 and 1875.  The "Trail" will begin with tracking his 1867 and 1868 expeditions to Colorado. It will then track their journey across Colorado as they made their way to Green River, Wyoming to being their 1869 Journey down the Green and Colorado rivers.  It will then track Powell's 1870 trip to Utah in preparation for his 1871-72 second river expedition.  It will conclude with tracking the remaining expeditions to Utah and Arizona in1873-75 in in which Powell and his men completed their topographical work in the Great Basin.

Lucas Archives project

Robert Lucas spent his entire life on the frontier of the Untied States - first in western Virginia, then southeastern Ohio, and finally in eastern Iowa as he and his family did their part to expand and explore the United States of America.  In this process their are numerous records, writings, and newspapers filled with information on the Governor and the issues of his day.  The Lucas Archives Project will create a Lucas Papers Digital Library will to bring all these disparate records together to aid researchers on the Lucas family.

the "captain Jack" Project

The Captain Jack Project is the Foundations first major project and is designed to commemorate the 1867 * 1868 Powell Expeditions to Colorado, the 1868-69 Winter Quarters and the 1869 Expeditions down the Green and Grand / Colorado Rivers through the Grand Canyon. 

The Lucas Gravesite project

In the 160 years since the death of Governor Lucas, on 7 February 1853, the monument at his gravesite has suffered significant damage from the elements.  The elements have deteriorated the engravings to the point they are nearly unreadable.  The Lucas Gravesite Project will seek to restore and refurbish the Lucas Family gravesite in Oakland Cemtery, Iowa City, Iowa.