John Mullan journal, 1858-1996

Overview of the Collection

Creator
Mullan, John
Title
John Mullan journal
Dates
1858-1996 (inclusive)
Quantity
0.2 linear feet, (1 box)
Collection Number
WCMss.056
Summary
This collection contains the journal of John Mullan, U.S. Army Lieutenant., describing his travels and maps of the Mullan Road and newspaper articles related to Mullan.
Repository
Whitman College and Northwest Archives
Whitman College and Northwest Archives
Penrose Library, Room 130
345 Boyer Avenue
Walla Walla, WA
99362
Telephone: 5095275922
Fax: 5095264785
archives@whitman.edu
Access Restrictions

Collection is open for research.

Languages
English

Biographical NoteReturn to Top

John Mullan was born July 31, 1830 in Norfolk, Virginia, the first of ten children. In 1848, he was admitted to the United States Military Academy. In 1852 he graduated and was assigned first to the topographical engineers and then to the artillery. In 1853, he joined General Isaac Stevens in exploring a route for a railroad from St. Paul, Minnesota to the Pacific. He was later sent to examine the western mountain passes. He explored the Rocky Mountains southward to Fort Hall on the Snake River and north to Canada, discovering Mullan Pass.

Promoted to first lieutenant in 1855, Mullan was recalled to active military duty and spent two years in the South during the Seminole Wars. Meanwhile, Congress authorized the construction of a military road from Fort Benton to Walla Walla to connect navigation on the Missouri with that on the Columbia.

In the spring of 1859, Mullan began work with the U.S. War Department in building a road with over 200 soldiers and civilians. It reached Fort Benton, Montana on August 1, 1860. This created a boom for the emerging town of Walla Walla as it formed a supply route to the Idaho gold mines.

On April 28, 1863 Mullan married Rebecca Williamson and they had five children. Soon after his marriage he resigned from the Army and started a ranch near Walla Walla which ultimately failed the next year. He then obtained a four-year contract to carry mail from Chico, California to Ruby City, Idaho, a distance of 600 miles, at the rate of $75,000 a year and attempted to establish an express business. Within a year he was forced out of business by a competitor and gave up his contract. Then settling in San Francisco, he began practicing law and was quite successful. He moved to Washington, D.C. in 1878, and there continued his legal work until failing health forced his retirement. He died in Washington.

On October 28, 1978 Mullan's contribution to the settling of the Inland Northwest was recognized by the American Society of Civil Engineers. They dedicated the Mullan Road as a National Historic Engineering Landmark by placing a plaque commemorating the accomplishment at the top of Fourth of July Pass in Idaho near the famed Mullan Tree.

Content DescriptionReturn to Top

The John Mullan papers consist of Mullan's journal describing his travels from Fort Dalles to Fort Walla Walla in 1858 and from Fort Benton to Fort Walla Walla in 1860. The collection also contains material about the acquisition of the journal and transcriptions, as well as newspaper articles and clippings related to Mullan.

Administrative InformationReturn to Top

Acquisition Information

Donated to Whitman College by Pal Clark circa 1932.

Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Box Folder
1 1 Diary of John Mullan 1858-1860
1 2 Supplemental material

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top