Report on the lands of the arid region of the United States, with a more detailed account of the lands of Utah

Willis Drummond

1808–1879

Best known for writing about western land policy, this 19th-century public official contributed a chapter to John Wesley Powell’s landmark report on the arid American West. His work centered on how public lands were surveyed, managed, and granted during a period of rapid expansion.

Clarence E. (Clarence Edward) Dutton

1841–1912

A Civil War veteran turned pioneering geologist, he helped transform the way Americans understood the landscapes of the West. His writing on places like the Grand Canyon is still remembered for combining sharp science with vivid, graceful description.

Grove Karl Gilbert

1843–1918

A pioneering American geologist, he helped shape modern ideas about how landscapes evolve through erosion, rivers, and tectonic forces. His work in the American West made him one of the key scientific voices of his era.

A. H. (Almon Harris) Thompson

1839–1906

A surveyor and explorer of the American West, he helped map the Colorado Plateau during the great age of U.S. geological expeditions. His journals and fieldwork offer a close-up view of science, travel, and hardship on the frontier.