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Sitgreaves Explores the Zuni and Colorado Rivers in 1851
In September of 1851 Captain Lorenzo Sitgreaves, along with a small crew of topographers, naturalists, artists, and support personnel, plus an escort of 50 infantrymen left the Zuni Pueblo in western New Mexico by pack train with instructions to explore and map the Zuni and Colorado Rivers and evaluate their navigability in light of a possible impending war with the Mormons in Utah. They traveled along the Zuni River southwest to its mouth and then headed northwest along the Little Colorado, intending to follow it to the Colorado. When they reached Grand Falls (northwest of present-day Winslow, Arizona) their guide, Antoine Leroux, advised them that it was impossible to follow the river any further because it flowed in a deep canyon for the rest of its course. They headed due west around the north side of the San Francisco Mountains, discovering the Wupatki Indian Ruins on the way, and looped southwestward around the south side of Bill Williams Mountain. The rest of their westward march followed near the future alignment of Route 66 to the Colorado River near the modern town of Bullhead City, Arizona. After a difficult march south along the Colorado River they reached Fort Yuma on November 30. Of course, Sitgreaves discovered that the Zuni and Little Colorado Rivers were not at all navigable and would be useless to transport troops and supplies. The Colorado River, however, was found to be navigable along the entire distance that he explored. Sitgreaves' official report, Report of an Expedition Down the Zuni and Colorado Rivers in 1851, was published in 1853. Sitgreaves Locations: Expeditions & Information: |
