Who was John Wesley Powell?
John Wesley Powell (1834-1902) was historic and heroic for being first to lead an expedition down the Colorado River in 1869. A major who lost an arm in the Civil War Battle of Shiloh, he was an explorer, geologist, geographer and ethnologist.
What happened to Major Powell?
In 1861, Powell enlisted in the Union Army and was commissioned as captain. He lost his right arm at the elbow in the Battle of Shiloh but returned to active duty and was promoted to the rank of major. In the spring of 1869, the one-armed Civil War veteran led an expedition down the Colorado River into a great, unknown, uncharted territory.
What did Sir Thomas Powell believe?
Powell was not an adventurer, nor did he consider himself just an explorer. He was a scientist, motivated by a thirst for knowledge and a firm belief that science was meant to further the progress of mankind. He endeavored at all times to put his beliefs into practice.
Why did William Powell decide to study military science and engineering?
In 1861 when Powell was on a lecture tour he decided that a civil war was inevitable; he decided to study military science and engineering to prepare himself for the imminent conflict. Powell’s loyalties remained with the Union and the cause of abolishing slavery.
Where did geologist John Wesley Powell go on his expedition?
Charles Doolittle Walcott, John Wesley Powell, and Sir Archibald Geikie on a geological field excursion to Harpers Ferry, West Virginia, May 1897. The expedition’s route traveled through the Utah canyons of the Colorado River, which Powell described in his published diary as having
What is the powell150 project?
In 2019, the USGS Youth & Education in Science (YES) team marked the 150th anniversary of the first John Wesley Powell expedition down ~1000 miles of the Green & Colorado rivers with a national-scale educational project known as „Powell150.“
What building is named after John Wesley Powell?
In Powell’s honor, the USGS National Center in Reston, Virginia, was dedicated as the John Wesley Powell Federal Building in 1974. In addition, the highest award presented by the USGS to persons outside the federal government is named the John Wesley Powell Award.