The Washburn Expedition of 1870 explored the region of northwestern

Wyoming Wyoming () is a U.S. state, state in the Mountain states, Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. It is bordered by Montana to the north and northwest, South Dakota and Nebraska to the east, Idaho to the west, Utah to the south ...

that two years later became

Yellowstone National Park Yellowstone National Park is an American national park located in the western United States, largely in the northwest corner of Wyoming and extending into Montana and Idaho. It was established by the 42nd U.S. Congress with the Yellowston ...

. Led by

Henry D. Washburn Henry Dana Washburn (March 28, 1832 – January 26, 1871) was a U.S. Representative from Indiana and a colonel and was breveted twice as brigadier general and major general in the Union Army during the American Civil War. Biography Born in Wood ...

and Nathaniel P. Langford, and with a

U.S. Army The United States Army (USA) is the land service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army of the United States in the U.S. Constitution.Article II, section 2, cl ...

escort headed by Lt. Gustavus C. Doane, the expedition followed the general course of the

Cook–Folsom–Peterson Expedition The Cook–Folsom–Peterson Expedition of 1869 was the first organized expedition to explore the region that became Yellowstone National Park. The privately financed expedition was carried out by David E. Folsom, Charles W. Cook and William Pete ...

made the previous year. During their explorations, members of the party made detailed maps and observations of the Yellowstone region, exploring numerous lakes, climbing several mountains, and observing wildlife. The expedition visited both the Upper and

Lower Geyser Basin The geothermal areas of Yellowstone include several geyser basins in Yellowstone National Park as well as other geothermal features such as hot springs, mud pots, and fumaroles. The number of thermal features in Yellowstone is estimated at 10, ...

s, and after observing the regularity of eruptions of one

geyser A geyser (, ) is a spring characterized by an intermittent discharge of water ejected turbulently and accompanied by steam. As a fairly rare phenomenon, the formation of geysers is due to particular hydrogeological conditions that exist only in ...

, decided to name it

Old Faithful Old Faithful is a cone geyser in Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming, United States. It was named in 1870 during the Washburn–Langford–Doane Expedition and was the first geyser in the park to be named. It is a highly predictable geotherma ...

, since it erupted about once every 74 minutes. One member of the expedition,

Montana Montana () is a state in the Mountain West division of the Western United States. It is bordered by Idaho to the west, North Dakota and South Dakota to the east, Wyoming to the south, and the Canadian provinces of Alberta, British Columbi ...

writer and lawyer Cornelius Hedges, later wrote a number of articles for a

Helena, Montana Helena (; ) is the capital city of Montana, United States, and the county seat of Lewis and Clark County. Helena was founded as a gold camp during the Montana gold rush, and established on October 30, 1864. Due to the gold rush, Helena would ...

-based newspaper, describing the things the expedition had witnessed. In discussions with other members of the party and in his writing for the newspaper, Hedges was a vocal supporter of setting aside the Yellowstone region as a

National Park A national park is a nature park, natural park in use for conservation (ethic), conservation purposes, created and protected by national governments. Often it is a reserve of natural, semi-natural, or developed land that a sovereign state dec ...

, an idea originally proposed by former acting Montana Territorial Governor

Thomas Francis Meagher Thomas Francis Meagher (; 3 August 18231 July 1867) was an Irish nationalist and leader of the Young Irelanders in the Rebellion of 1848. After being convicted of sedition, he was first sentenced to death, but received transportation for life ...

Encouragement

The Washburn party was clearly inspired by the journals kept by Charles W. Cook and David E. Folsom, as well as their personal accounts. Immediately after the Cook–Folsom–Peterson Expedition, Folsom went to work as a surveyor for Washburn. Additionally, Langford had personal connections with

Jay Cooke Jay Cooke (August 10, 1821 – February 16, 1905) was an American financier who helped finance the Union war effort during the American Civil War and the postwar development of railroads in the northwestern United States. He is generally acknowle ...

of the

Northern Pacific Railroad The Northern Pacific Railway was a transcontinental railroad that operated across the northern tier of the western United States, from Minnesota to the Pacific Northwest. It was approved by 38th United States Congress, Congress in 1864 and given ...

well before their expedition. Cooke was interested in the potential of the Yellowstone region to attract railroad business. After the expedition, Cooke financed Langford's early 1871 speeches in Virginia City, Helena, New York, Philadelphia, and Washington, D.C. about the 1870 expedition on behalf of the Northern Pacific Railroad. On January 19, 1871 one of those speeches in Washington, D.C. was attended by geologist

Ferdinand Vandeveer Hayden Ferdinand Vandeveer Hayden (September 7, 1829 – December 22, 1887) was an American geologist noted for his pioneering surveying expeditions of the Rocky Mountains in the late 19th century. He was also a physician who served with the Union Ar ...

, who became inspired to conduct his next geological survey in the Yellowstone region. The result was the

Hayden Geological Survey of 1871 The Hayden Geological Survey of 1871 explored the region of northwestern Wyoming that later became Yellowstone National Park in 1872. It was led by geologist Ferdinand Vandeveer Hayden. The 1871 survey was not Hayden's first, but it was the first ...

Members of the expedition

* Civilian Members **

– Elected leader, Surveyor-General of Montana ** Nathaniel P. Langford – former U.S. Collector of Internal Revenue,

Montana Territory The Territory of Montana was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from May 26, 1864, until November 8, 1889, when it was admitted as the 41st state in the Union as the state of Montana. Original boundaries T ...

** Truman C. Everts – former U.S. Assessor for the Montana Territory ** Judge Cornelius Hedges – U.S. Attorney, Montana Territory ** Samuel T. Hauser – President of the First National Bank, Helena, Montana; later a Governor of the Montana Territory ** Warren C. Gillette – King and Gillette, Helena merchants. ** Benjamin C. Stickney Jr. – Plant, Stickney & Ellis (Freight Merchants) of Helena **

Walter Trumbull Walter Trumbull was a prominent American explorer and writer. He was a member of the Washburn–Langford–Doane Expedition in 1870 that explored the area of Wyoming that would eventually become Yellowstone National Park. He was the son of Unite ...

– son of U.S. Senator

Lyman Trumbull Lyman Trumbull (October 12, 1813 – June 25, 1896) was a lawyer, judge, and United States Senator from Illinois and the co-author of the Thirteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution. Born in Colchester, Connecticut, Trumbull esta ...

(Illinois) ** Jacob Smith – Montana Hide and Fur Co. ** Mr. Reynolds and Elywn Bean – Packers ** Two African-American cooks: Nute and Johnny * Military escort ** Lt. Gustavus C. Doane - Escort leader, U.S. Army 2nd Cavalry,

Fort Ellis Fort Ellis was a United States Army fort established August 27, 1867, east of present-day Bozeman, Montana. Troops from the fort participated in many major campaigns of the Indian Wars. The fort was closed on August 2, 1886. History The fort w ...

, Montana Territory ** Sergeant William Baker – U.S. Army 2nd Cavalry

, Montana Territory ** Privates Charles Moore, John Williamson, William Leipler, and George W. McConnell – U.S. Army 2nd Cavalry, Fort Ellis, Montana Territory

Route and chronology of the expedition

Summarized from Langford (1871), Doane (1871) and Chittenden (1895) * August 16, 1870 – Nine civilians, headed by Henry Washburn depart

en route to

just east of

Bozeman, Montana Bozeman is a city and the county seat of Gallatin County, Montana, United States. Located in southwest Montana, the 2020 census put Bozeman's population at 53,293, making it the fourth-largest city in Montana. It is the principal city of th ...

* August 22, 1870 – The Washburn party departs Fort Ellis with a cavalry escorts commanded by Lt Gustavus C. Doane en route to the Yellowstone River via Bozeman Pass and Trail Creek. Camped just west of the river near Trail Creek. * August 26, 1870 – After four days travel up the western shore and foothills of the Yellowstone River and past the Devil's Slide, the party arrived and camped near the mouth of the

Gardner River The Gardner River (also known as the Gardiner River) is a tributary of the Yellowstone River, approximately long, in northwestern Wyoming and south central Montana in the United States. The entire river is located within Yellowstone National P ...

. The party traveled up the west side of the Yellowstone along the ridges above the river for several days to Tower Creek near

Tower Fall Tower Fall is a waterfall on Tower Creek in the northeastern region of Yellowstone National Park, in the U.S. state of Wyoming. Approximately upstream from the creek's confluence with the Yellowstone River, the fall plunges 132 feet (40&nbs ...

. * August 29, 1870 – After several days of local exploration, the party leaves Tower Creek and ascends what they later name

Mount Washburn Mount Washburn, elevation , is a prominent mountain peak in the Washburn Range in Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming. The peak was named in 1870 to honor Henry D. Washburn, leader of the Washburn–Langford–Doane Expedition. The Washburn Range ...

. From Mount Washburn the party can see south into the

Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone The Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone is the first large canyon on the Yellowstone River downstream from Yellowstone Falls in Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming. The canyon is approximately long, between deep and from wide. History Althoug ...

, the

Hayden Valley Hayden Valley is a large, sub-alpine valley in Yellowstone National Park straddling the Yellowstone River between Yellowstone Falls and Yellowstone Lake. The valley floor along the river is an ancient lake bed from a time when Yellowstone Lake wa ...

and

Yellowstone Lake Yellowstone Lake is the largest body of water in Yellowstone National Park. The lake is above sea level and covers with of shoreline. While the average depth of the lake is , its greatest depth is at least . Yellowstone Lake is the largest fre ...

. * August 30, 1870 – The party reached the

Yellowstone Falls Yellowstone Falls consist of two major waterfalls on the Yellowstone River, within Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming, United States. As the Yellowstone river flows north from Yellowstone Lake, it leaves the Hayden Valley and plunges first ov ...

and spent several days exploring the canyon and thermal features near the river. * September 3, 1870 – After crossing the Yellowstone river, the party proceeded up the valley to Yellowstone Lake, camping just east of the lake's outlet. * September 7, 1870 – By this date, the party had traveled south along the eastern shore of Yellowstone Lakes to its headwaters. During this time, Langford and Doane ascended peaks in the

Absaroka Range The Absaroka Range ( or ) is a sub-range of the Rocky Mountains in the United States. The range stretches about across the Montana–Wyoming border, and at its widest, forming the eastern boundary of Yellowstone National Park along Paradise Va ...

that were ultimately named for them: Mount Langford and Mount Doane. * September 9, 1870 – The party reached Two Ocean Pass, near the headwaters of both the

Snake River The Snake River is a major river of the greater Pacific Northwest region in the United States. At long, it is the largest tributary of the Columbia River, in turn, the largest North American river that empties into the Pacific Ocean. The Snake ...

and Yellowstone River. It was in camp the evening of September 9 that the party discovered that T.C. Everts was missing. * September 16, 1870 – After extensive unsuccessful searches for Mr. Everts, the party eventually traveled along the southern reaches of the lake to the West Thumb area. * September 18, 1870 – Most of the party departed the lake, traveling west over what is now called

Craig Pass Craig Pass (el.), is a mountain pass located on the Continental Divide in Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming. The Grand Loop Road crosses the pass approximately east of Old Faithful Geyser Old Faithful is a cone geyser in Yellowstone Nati ...

into the Firehole basin. Mr. Gillette, Privates Moore and Williamson remained behind to continue the search for Mr. Everts. About noon on the 18th, the party after having traveled down the upper

Firehole River The Firehole River is located in northwestern Wyoming, and is one of the two major tributaries of the Madison River. It flows north approximately from its source in Madison Lake on the Continental Divide to join the Gibbon River at Madison Junc ...

emerged upon

and the upper geyser basin. * September 19, 1870 – The party, having explored the upper geyser basin and named seven geysers, traveled down the Firehole to the

Madison River The Madison River is a headwater tributary of the Missouri River, approximately 183 miles (295 km) long, in Wyoming and Montana. Its confluence with the Jefferson and Gallatin rivers near Three Forks, Montana forms the Missouri River. The ...

camping at what is now known as Madison Junction
National Park Mountain Video
* September 23, 1870 – After the party travels several days down the Madison, Lt Doane and his soldiers left the party on the Madison River near the trail to Virginia City and traveled back to Fort Ellis, arriving on the afternoon of the 24th. Washburn, Langford and the other civilians traveled back to Helena. * October 2, 1870 – Gillette, Private Moore and Williamson arrive at Fort Ellis having been un-successful in their search for Mr. Everts. * October 10, 1870 – Mr. Everts is found alive on the benches above the Gardner river by a three-man search party organized in Helena.

Period accounts by members of the expedition

* * * ''The report of Lieutenant Gustavus C. Doane upon the so-called Yellowstone Expedition of 1870'', presented to the Secretary of War, February 1871 * ''The Washburn Yellowstone Expedition'', accounts of Trumbull published in the Overland Monthly, Vol 6, No 5–6, May–June 1871 * * Second edition: St. Paul, MN: F. E. Haynes, 1923.

Park features named by the expedition

As documented by Aubrey L. Haines in ''Yellowstone Place Names'' (1996). * Geysers **

Beehive Geyser Beehive Geyser is a geyser in the Upper Geyser Basin of Yellowstone National Park in the United States. The tall cone resembles a straw beehive. Beehive's Indicator is a small, jagged cone-type geyser located about from Beehive. History On Sep ...

Castle Geyser Castle Geyser is a cone geyser in the Upper Geyser Basin of Yellowstone National Park. It is noted for the particularly large geyserite sinter deposits, which form its cone. These deposits have been likened in appearance to a castle. When the ...

** Fan Geyser – Originally Fantail Geyser **

Giant Geyser Giant Geyser is a cone-type geyser in the Upper Geyser Basin of Yellowstone National Park in the United States. Giant Geyser is the namesake for the Giant Group of geysers, which, on its platform, includes Bijou Geyser, Catfish Geyser, Mastiff Ge ...

** Giantess Geyser ** Grotto Geyser **

* Peaks **

* Waterfalls **

Park features named to honor members of the expedition

Hedges Peak Hedges Peak, elevation , is a mountain peak in the Washburn Range in Yellowstone National Park, in the U.S. state of Wyoming. The peak was named in 1895 by geologist Arnold Hague to honor Cornelius Hedges (1837–1907), a member of the Washburn� ...

* Langford Cairn *

Mount Doane First Peoples Mountain (formerly Mount Doane) el. is a mountain peak in the Absaroka Range in Yellowstone National Park. The peak was formerly named for Lieutenant Gustavus Cheyney Doane, a U.S. Army cavalry officer who escorted the Washburn-La ...

Mount Everts Mount Everts, elevation , is a prominent mountain peak in Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming, near Mammoth Hot Springs. The peak was named for Truman C. Everts, a member of the Washburn–Langford–Doane Expedition of 1870. Mount Everts is loca ...

Mount Langford Mount Langford el. is a mountain peak in the Absaroka Range in Yellowstone National Park. The peak is named for Nathaniel P. Langford, the first superintendent of Yellowstone and a leader of the Washburn–Langford–Doane Expedition to Yellow ...

Encouragement

Members of the expedition

Route and chronology of the expedition

Period accounts by members of the expedition

Park features named by the expedition

Park features named to honor members of the expedition

See also

Notes

Further reading