Powell, John Wesley (1834-1902), was an American explorer, geologist, and biologist. He is known as an explorer of the Colorado River, an expert on the arid lands of the West, and an early environmentalist.
Powell was born on March 24, 1834, in Mount Morris, New York. He attended several colleges but never earned a degree and was largely self-taught. Powell served in the Union Army during the American Civil War (1861-1865). He lost his lower right arm in the Battle of Shiloh in 1862. From 1865 to 1867, he was a professor of natural science at Illinois Wesleyan University.
In 1868, Powell explored the Green and Colorado Rivers in what are now Colorado and Utah. A year later, he led the first expedition of white men to travel in boats down the Colorado through the Grand Canyon in what is now Arizona. During his journeys, Powell recorded his observations of the terrain and the plant and animal life. He also studied the cultures of the Indian tribes he encountered along the way.
In 1879, Powell became director of the Bureau of Ethnology, devoted to studying American Indians. He held the office until his death on Sept. 23, 1902. From 1881 to 1894, he had also served as director of the United States Geological Survey.
See also Colorado River ; Grand Canyon .
