Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center
Following the initial discussion by Congress in early 1871 to designate the upper Yellowstone as a National Park, the U.S. Geological Survey immediately developed plans to send an expedition to this region. This expedition, headed by Dr. F.V. Hayden, was fully staffed with naturalists, geologists, a landscape artist, and two photographers. Their route in 1871 followed very closely the route taken by the Washburn-Doane Expedition. Although the expedition did not explore much new country, it did expand greatly upon the information gathered by the Washburn-Doane Expedition. Unfortunately, journals kept by Captain Barlow and 200 photographs taken by Mr. Hine were subsequently lost in the Chicago fire. However, over 400 photographs by William Henry Jackson and paintings by Thomas Moran provide vivid documentation of the expedition and complement the expedition's report prepared under the supervision of Hayden. Hayden split his 1972 expedition into separate parties. Half of the expedition entered Yellowstone Park from the south starting from Fort Hall going through Pierre's Hole and then along the east side of the Tetons. The other half of Hayden's party (led by Hayden) proceeded out of Salt Lake City to Fort Ellis and hence on to Yellowstone following the previous year's route. Included in this party was the naturalist C. Hart Merriam who was only 16 years old at the time. Hayden also conducted a geologic expedition to the Park in 1878.
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Hayden, F.V. 1878. Twelfth annual report of progress. U.S. Geological
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the headwaters of the Yellowstone River in 1871. Hayden Surv.
1871:477-498. Washington.