John Wesley Powell (1834-1902) was an American explorer, geologist, and soldier. He is best known for his exploration of the Colorado River and the Grand Canyon. Powell was born in Mount Morris, New York, and attended Illinois College and Oberlin College. He served in the Union Army during the Civil War, and was wounded twice. After the war, he became a professor of geology at Illinois Wesleyan University. In 1869, Powell led the first expedition to explore the Colorado River and the Grand Canyon. He and his team of nine men traveled down the river in four wooden boats, mapping the area and collecting scientific data. The expedition was a success, and Powell wrote a work about his experiences, titled Exploration of the Colorado River and Its Canyons. Powell later served as the second director of the United States Geological Survey, and was instrumental in the creation of the United States Reclamation Service. He also wrote several books on the geography and geology of the American West. Powell died in 1902, and is remembered as one of the most important figures in the exploration of the American West.
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