Mullan road conference scheduled

The first wagon road constructed by engineering principles west of the Mississippi was built by the crew of Lt John Mullan 1859-1860 through what is now western Montana. Beginning in Fort Walla Walla, Washington the head of navigation on the Columbia River the road was built in  a little over a year to reach Fort Benton, in Nebraska Territory, the head of navigation on the Missouri River.

The 25th annual Mullan Conference celebrating this accomplishment will be held in Missoula on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, May 2,3,4, 2014.

Are you interested in learning more about the event please go to: http://tworivershistory.net/ for schedule and registration. Click under the picture of Mullan to download the materials.

There will be speakers on the road building itself, the impact on local native populations, military uses, persons involved and other topics relating to the construction of the road.

There will be a “meet and greet” at Fort Missoula museums on Friday night, May 2. The Saturday, May 3rd all day sessions at Ruby’s Inn where the dinner speaker will be Keith Peterson of the Idaho Historical Society. On Sunday, May 4 there will be a bus taking conference members to east of Missoula to walk on a portion of the original road where Mullan trod himself.

For more information contact Kay Strombo, Superior, 822-4626.