John Wesley Powell was more than the explorer who first navigated the Grand Canyon. Biographer John Ross says he was also a visionary who asked questions that are still relevant in the American West.
When you hear the name John Wesley Powell, you probably think of the gritty, one-armed explorer who first navigated the wild Colorado River through the Grand Canyon in 1869. But biographer John Ross says Powell was more than that. He was a visionary who started asking questions about the West that are still relevant today: Just how much can the land support and how should it be developed? John Ross joins us Tuesday to talk about Powell’s perilous journey and his vision for the American West.
John Ross is a historian and writer. His latest book is called The Promise of the Grand Canyon: John Wesley Powell's Perilous Jorney and His Vision for the American West. [Indie bookstores|Amazon|Audible]
