John Wesley Powell Quotes

John Wesley "Wes" Powell was born in Mount Morris, New York, USA. He was an American geologist, soldier and explorer of the American West. He is famous for the 1869 Powell Geographic Expedition, a three-month river trip down the Green and Colorado rivers, including the first known passage by persons of European descent through the Grand Canyon. He studied at Illinois College, Wheaton College, and Oberlin College. He served as second director of the U.S. Geological Survey from 1881-1894. He enlisted in the Union Army as a cartographer, topographer and military engineer. During the Civil War, he served first with the 20th Illinois Volunteers. After leaving the Army, he took the post of professor of geology at Illinois Wesleyan University. He also lectured at Illinois State Normal University for most of his career. He wrote several books include: The Exploration of the Colorado River and Its Canyons, Seeing Things Whole, The arid lands, and Sketch of the Mythology of the North American Indians.