Wheeler Survey
Encyclopedia
The Wheeler Survey was a survey of a portion of the United States
lying west of the 100th meridian
. It comprised multiple expeditions, and was supervised by First Lieutenant (later Captain) George Montague Wheeler
.
Wheeler led early expeditions from 1869 to 1871 in the west, and in 1872 the US Congress authorized an ambitious plan to map the portion of the United States west of the 100th meridian
at a scale of 8 miles to the inch. This plan necessitated what became known as the Wheeler Survey. The survey's main goal was to make topographic maps of the southwestern United States.
The Wheeler Survey lasted until 1879, when the survey, along with the King
and Powell
Surveys, were terminated and their work was reorganized as the United States Geological Survey
.
Wheeler Peak
in Nevada (part of the Great Basin National Park
), Wheeler Peak
in New Mexico (the state high point), and the scenic Wheeler Geologic Area
in southern Colorado
are named for George Wheeler.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
lying west of the 100th meridian
100th meridian west
The meridian 100° west of Greenwich is a line of longitude that extends from the North Pole across the Arctic Ocean, North America, the Pacific Ocean, the Southern Ocean, and Antarctica to the South Pole....
. It comprised multiple expeditions, and was supervised by First Lieutenant (later Captain) George Montague Wheeler
George Wheeler
Captain George Montague Wheeler was a pioneering explorer and cartographer, leader of the Wheeler Survey, one of the major surveys of the western United States in the late nineteenth century...
.
Wheeler led early expeditions from 1869 to 1871 in the west, and in 1872 the US Congress authorized an ambitious plan to map the portion of the United States west of the 100th meridian
100th meridian west
The meridian 100° west of Greenwich is a line of longitude that extends from the North Pole across the Arctic Ocean, North America, the Pacific Ocean, the Southern Ocean, and Antarctica to the South Pole....
at a scale of 8 miles to the inch. This plan necessitated what became known as the Wheeler Survey. The survey's main goal was to make topographic maps of the southwestern United States.
In addition he was to ascertain everything related to the physical features of the region; discover the numbers, habits, and disposition of Indians in the section; select sites for future military installations; determine facilities available for making rail or common roads; and note mineral resources, climate, geology, vegetation, water sources, and agricultural potential.
The Wheeler Survey lasted until 1879, when the survey, along with the King
Clarence King
Clarence R. King was an American geologist, mountaineer, and art critic. First director of the United States Geological Survey, from 1879 to 1881, King was noted for his exploration of the Sierra Nevada. He was born in Newport, Rhode Island.-Career:...
and Powell
John Wesley Powell
John Wesley Powell was a U.S. soldier, geologist, explorer of the American West, and director of major scientific and cultural institutions...
Surveys, were terminated and their work was reorganized as the United States Geological Survey
United States Geological Survey
The United States Geological Survey is a scientific agency of the United States government. The scientists of the USGS study the landscape of the United States, its natural resources, and the natural hazards that threaten it. The organization has four major science disciplines, concerning biology,...
.
Wheeler Peak
Wheeler Peak (Nevada)
Wheeler Peak, elevation , a mountain in the Great Basin Desert, is the highest point in Great Basin National Park. The summit is located west of the Utah border...
in Nevada (part of the Great Basin National Park
Great Basin National Park
Great Basin National Park is a United States National Park established in 1986, located in east-central Nevada near the Utah border. The park derives its name from the Great Basin, the dry and mountainous region between the Sierra Nevada and the Wasatch Mountains. Topographically, this area is...
), Wheeler Peak
Wheeler Peak (New Mexico)
Wheeler Peak is, at 13,161 ft, the highest peak in the U.S. state of New Mexico. It is located northeast of Taos in the northern part of the state, and just 2 miles southeast of the ski slopes of Taos Ski Valley...
in New Mexico (the state high point), and the scenic Wheeler Geologic Area
Wheeler Geologic Area
The Wheeler Geologic Area is a highly eroded outcropping of layers of volcanic ash, located in the La Garita Mountains of Mineral County, in southern Colorado in the western United States; about 10 miles east north-east of Creede...
in southern Colorado
Colorado
Colorado is a U.S. state that encompasses much of the Rocky Mountains as well as the northeastern portion of the Colorado Plateau and the western edge of the Great Plains...
are named for George Wheeler.