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Wheeler's Explorations West of the 100th Meridian After the Civil War the exploration and mapping of the western United States was resumed. Four different survey groups were sent to map and study overlapping areas of the west over a period of about ten years. First Lieutenant George Montague Wheeler, of the Army Corps of Engineers, was responsible for parts of Arizona, California, New Mexico, Nevada, Utah, and Colorado. Wheeler’s work began in 1869 and most of his Arizona exploration was done in 1871 through 1873. To better document the terrain and people of the survey area, Wheeler employed photographers on his crew. Timothy O’Sullivan worked on the crew in the 1871 and 1873 seasons, and William Bell worked in 1873. Their photographs are amazing, especially considering the difficulty of hauling huge cameras, glass plates, chemicals, and a darkroom by wagon or muleback. Wheeler Places: Expeditions & Information: |
