Near Bessemer Bend in Natrona County, Wyoming — The American West (Mountains)
Science Visits the West
Following the Civil War, Dr. Hayden persuaded Congress to fund natural history surveys into the territories of Nebraska, South Dakota, Wyoming and Colorado. Assembling the brightest observers of nature for his field teams, Hayden fed the public's hunger for knowledge about the resources of the upper Rocky Mountain West from 1866 to 1878.
During the 1871 field season Dr. Hayden described the geothermal features of the Yellowstone River region and the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone River. With his party were landscape painter Thomas Moran and photographer William Henry Jackson, whose works are among the best visual interpretations of the grand vistas of the West.
Modern students of geology and the natural sciences are indebted to the work of Dr. Hayden and his men, as well as that of John Wesley Powell, Clarence King, and George M. Wheeler, each of whom led diverse surveys of the great American wilderness.
As historian Richard A. Bartlett concluded in Great Surveys of the American West, these scientific studies "confirmed an impression that the rest of the world has cherished for a long time: the American West is a wonderland."
Erected by Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Exploration • Science & Medicine. A significant historical year for this entry is 1828.
Location. 42° 46.452′ N, 106° 31.79′ W. Marker is near Bessemer Bend, Wyoming, in Natrona County. Marker is on Bessemer Bend Road (County Route 308) near Speas Road (County Route 311), on the right when traveling east. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 14456 Bessemer Bend Road, Casper WY 82604, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Reluctant Farewells (a few steps from this marker); Marking Their Progress (within shouting distance of this marker); Ranching Takes Its Place (within shouting distance of this marker); Witnessing the Past (within shouting distance of this marker); Shape of the Future (within shouting distance of this marker); "History Is Not Obvious" (within shouting distance of this marker); Queen City of the West (within shouting distance of this marker); First Among Many (within shouting distance of this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Bessemer Bend.
More about this marker. This marker is located at the Bureau of Land Management's Bessemer Bend Historic Site.
Also see . . . Hayden Geological Survey of 1871. In the spring of 1871, Hayden selected the members of the survey team, 32 in all, from among friends and colleagues, seven previous survey participants, and a few political patrons. Included in the party was William Henry Jackson, his photographer from his 1870 survey and Thomas Moran, a guest artist arranged by Jay Cooke. (Submitted on January 2, 2016, by Barry Swackhamer of Brentwood, California.)
Credits. This page was last revised on June 16, 2016. It was originally submitted on January 2, 2016, by Barry Swackhamer of Brentwood, California. This page has been viewed 284 times since then and 9 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on January 2, 2016, by Barry Swackhamer of Brentwood, California.