Mapping the Colorado

by Maj. John Wesley Powell

Overview

A journal of the perilous 1869 expedition to map the Colorado River and the Grand Canyon.

Product Details

BN ID:	2940184404820
Publisher:	Barnes & Noble Press
Publication date:	12/31/2024
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
File size:	2 MB

About the Author

John Wesley Powell was an American geologist, Union soldier, explorer of the American West, college professor, and director of major scientific and cultural institutions.

Ever the explorer, Powell embarked on a series of adventures through the Mississippi River valley. In 1855, he spent four months walking across Wisconsin. In 1856, he rowed the Mississippi from St. Anthony, Minnesota, to the sea. In 1857, he rowed down the Ohio River from Pittsburgh to the Mississippi River, traveling north to St. Louis. In 1858, he rowed down the Illinois River, then up the Mississippi and the Des Moines River to central Iowa.

On May 24, 1869, Powell, ten men, four boats, and food for 10 months, slid their boats into the Green River at Green River, Wyoming. They were on a mission to map and explore the Colorado River and the Grand Canyon. Passing through dangerous rapids and seeing some of the most beautiful scenery, the group completed the journey on August 30, 1869. This book, the journal Powell wrote, tells the story of that adventure.