Over a century ago John Wesley Powell - teacher, scientist, and veteran of the Civil War - set out to explore the unknown reaches of the Colorado River. He emerged from the forbidding canyons with a compelling interest in the nature of the western lands and how they could be developed for the greatest benefit to the Nation. A man gifted with imagination, yet always tempered by the scientist's appreciation for facts, Powell became one of the country's most vigorous proponents for the orderly development of the public domain and the wise use of its natural resources.

Throughout his lifetime, Powell stood firm in his belief that science, as a sound basis for human progress, should serve all the people, and he played an important role in organizing and directing scientific activities of the U.S. Government. His zeal led to the establishment of the Geological Survey in the U.S. Department of the Interior and the Bureau of Ethnology in the Smithsonian Institution. He also helped to found the National Geographic Society.