The Mullan Road ─ Carving a Passage Through the Frontier Northwest, 1859-62

Kim Briggeman Alexander C. McGregor Keith C. Petersen Don Popejoy Ken Robison Richard D. Scheuerman Maj. Ryan Shaw William “Montana Bill” Weikel J. William T. Youngs Twelve top western historians have collaborated to produce this wide-ranging examination of the famed Mullan Road——the 624-mile military wagon road built between Fort Walla Walla, Washington Territory, and Fort Benton, in the future state of Montana. The essays in Part 1 discuss John Mullan the man, his education, and his preparation for the massive undertaking he would lead between 1859 and 1862. In Part 2 the contributors trace the challenging experiences of Lt. Mullan and his crew during the road's construction, section by section and season by season. Finally, the writings in Part 3 examine specific aspects of the expedition, including survey methods used, maps and illustrations made, Mullan's experiences with the Native Americans along the route, the economic impact of the road when completed, and even the precise yet lyrical language Mullan used in his official report. Both an excellent resource for western history scholars and an absorbing chronicle for lay readers, The Mullan Road: Carving a Passage through the Frontier Northwest, 1859–62 will inform, fascinate, and inspire in equal measure.