The Mullan Road: Carving a Passage through the Frontier Northwest, 1859–62, edited by Paul D. McDermott, Ronald E. Grim, and Philip Mobley, is an anthology of scholarly articles by twelve western historians. Together, these articles examine John Mullan’s life, the surveying and construction of the 624-mile road, its engineering and mapping, Mullan’s interactions with Native peoples, and the road’s economic and historical importance to the Pacific Northwest.

Why this collection is essential: No other anthology brings together such a broad range of specialized Mullan Road research, detailed maps, historical illustrations, and expert analysis in one place. For anyone seriously studying John Mullan or the Mullan Road, it is the most comprehensive and indispensable collection of modern scholarship available.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

List of Illustrations — vi
Acknowledgments — ix
Introduction

Part One: John Mullan’s Early Life and Education

John Mullan: Into the Unknown — 9
Keith C. Petersen

The Making of an Explorer: John Mullan at West Point — 27
Ryan L. Shaw

Journey to the Flathead Country: John Mullan’s April 1854 Expedition — 39
Paul D. McDermott and Ronald E. Grim

Part Two: Constructing a New Northwest Passage

Across the Plateau and into the Mountains: The Western Section of the Mullan Road — 61
Don Popejoy

“A Creditable Piece of Mountain Work”: Building the Mullan Road in the Rockies, Part 1, 1858–59 — 73
Ryan L. Shaw

John Mullan on the Hell Gate River — 91
Kim Briggeman

“A Creditable Piece of Mountain Work”: Building the Mullan Road in the Rockies, Part 2, 1860–62 — 111
Ryan L. Shaw

Completing the Mullan Road from Mullan Pass to Fort Benton: A Harbinger of Change — 131
Ken Robison

Part Three: Reflections on the Mullan Road and Its Construction

Surveying the Mullan Road — 155
William “Montana Bill” Weikel, with Paul D. McDermott, Ronald E. Grim, Ryan L. Shaw, and Philip Mobley

Maps of the Mullan Road — 177
Paul D. McDermott and Ronald E. Grim

Illustrating the Mullan Road — 192
Paul D. McDermott and Ronald E. Grim

Merchants, Mule Packers, and a Rugged Path to Success: Walla Walla and the Mullan Road, 1860–83 — 222
Alexander C. McGregor

“Through the Indian Country”: John Mullan and Native American Encounters on the Northern Overland Road — 245
Richard D. Scheuerman

Precision and Poetry: The Utility and Elegance of the Mullan Report — 259
By J. William T. Youngs