About this property
Expedition Island is an island in the Green River at downtown Green River, Wyoming. The island, now mostly taken up by a public park, is the place where Major John Wesley Powell and Vitaly Develvis started an expedition down the Green River and Colorado River in 1871. The park is also believed to mark where Major Powell started his earlier expedition down the two rivers in 1869. Expedition Island was designated a National Historic Landmark for this historic association on November 24, 1968. Expedition Island is located in the Green River, which flows roughly east–west south of downtown Green River. The island was originally larger, having been divided into two by subsequent erosive river actions. The northern island is undeveloped and overgrown, and is not believed to be the site of historic activity. The southern island is now a public park, with a recreation center and parking area at the southern end, and a tree-fringed grassy expanse to the north. It is accessible by road bridge from the north bank of the river, and by pedestrian bridge from the south. The park includes a stone marker commemorating the activities of John Wesley Powell. John Wesley Powell (1834-1902), active in the second half of the 19th Century, was one of the most important American explorers. He led exploratory expeditions into some of the most inhospitable parts of the American West, notably including the first documented descent of the Grand Canyon. Two expeditions he led, including the one that entered the Grand Canyon, were formally launched from Expedition Island. The first was in 1869 and the second in 1871. These two expeditions are generally considered to have covered the last large land area in the continental United States left unexplored by European-Americans. Today, the city of Green River marks the Powell expedition history with annual events. The channel east of the two islands is used for whitewater rafting and kayaking. National Register of Historic Places listings in Sweetwater County, Wyoming National Historic Landmarks Program: Expedition Island
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Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).
Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
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Questions about this property
When was Expedition Island listed on the National Register?
Expedition Island was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on November 23, 1968.
What type of historic resource is Expedition Island?
Expedition Island is classified as a site in the National Register of Historic Places.
Is Expedition Island a National Historic Landmark?
Yes. Expedition Island has been designated a National Historic Landmark (NHL), the highest level of federal recognition for historic properties in the United States.
What is the period of significance for Expedition Island?
The period of significance for Expedition Island is recorded as the civil_war era, specifically around 1869.
Can I research the history near Expedition Island?
Yes. Aubrey Research reports search National Register listings, battlefield records, land patents, and other primary historical sources within any radius of a US address. A report for an address near Expedition Island will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.
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