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- Report on the lands of the arid region of the United States, with a more detailed account of the lands of Utah
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Report on the lands of the arid region of the United States, with a more detailed account of the lands of Utah
by Willis Drummond, Clarence E. (Clarence Edward) Dutton, Grove Karl Gilbert, John Wesley Powell, A. H. (Almon Harris) Thompson
Chapters
Description
This mid‑nineteenth‑century government document offers a systematic survey of the United States’ arid lands, with a particular focus on the region that would become Utah. Compiled by a leading geologist of the Rocky Mountain Survey, it blends meticulous field observations with a series of detailed maps that trace the vast, dry plateau west of the 100th meridian. The opening sections lay out the climate, topography, and natural resources that define this harsh landscape.
Beyond description, the report ventures into policy, presenting rainfall statistics and early ideas for irrigation and grazing that could transform the desert into productive farmland. Draft legislation for organized pasturage and irrigation districts is included, reflecting a concerted effort to shape settlement patterns and land use. Listeners will hear a vivid portrait of a frontier region at a pivotal moment, when scientific insight and political ambition converged to envision a more livable West.
Details
Language
en
Duration
~7 hours (436K characters)
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Original publisher
United States: Government Printing Office, 1879.
Credits
The Online Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from images generously made available by The Internet Archive)
Release date
2023-02-09
Rights
Public domain in the USA.
About the authors
Willis Drummond
1808–1879
Best known as an Iowa lawyer, newspaper editor, and public official of the Reconstruction era, he moved from frontier politics into national office as commissioner of the U.S. General Land Office. Surviving records also show that his public career drew enough notice to leave behind a formal Smithsonian portrait.
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Clarence E. (Clarence Edward) Dutton
1841–1912
A soldier, geologist, and pioneering seismologist, he helped shape how scientists understand the American West and the balance of the Earth’s crust. His vivid writing on the Grand Canyon and the 1886 Charleston earthquake made complex science memorable for general readers.
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Grove Karl Gilbert
1843–1918
A pioneering American geologist, he helped turn the landscapes of the American West into clues about how rivers, mountains, craters, and whole landforms evolve. His careful fieldwork and big-picture thinking made him one of the founders of modern geomorphology.
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John Wesley Powell
1834–1902
A one-armed Civil War veteran who became one of the great explorers of the American West, he is best known for leading the first government-sponsored expedition through the Grand Canyon. His writing blends adventure, science, and big questions about how people can live in the arid landscapes of the West.
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A. H. (Almon Harris) Thompson
1839–1906
A surveyor, explorer, and geographer of the American West, he helped map the Colorado River region and later became a key figure in the early U.S. Geological Survey. His journals and reports capture a vivid moment in the history of western exploration.
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