CAPTURING WHEELER SURVEY

The photo features photographer Timothy O’Sullivan, fourth from the left. O’Sullivan took photographs of each land he and the Wheeler Survey have discovered, and this picture depicts the Colorado River back in 1891. Together with him are his fellow members of the Wheeler Survey and some Native Americans.

The Wheeler Survey is a group credited to Captain George Montague Wheeler, whose goal was to make maps of the Southwestern United States. The group went on expeditions to discover more about the geology and ethnology of the land. Based on the records, they have published a total of 164 maps.