HISTORY
8 • MARCH 2014
The Current
Trailblazer Mullan’s mission led him through Valley By Jayne Singleton and Bill Zimmer |
SPOKANE VALLEY HERITAGE MUSEUM
to use Plante’s Ferry to cross the Spokane River. I was satisfied that Antoine Plante was a dependable and responsible individual with regard to upkeep and operation of the ferry, and fees for use of the ferry were established by the territorial legislature. Interviewer: What do you plan to do now that your job is done? Mullan: I plan to resign my commission and try my hand at ranching near Walla Walla.
This is Howard Stegner again. In our efforts to continue reporting on the early history of the Spokane Valley, Seth Woodard and I decided to present the results of an interview with Captain John Mullan done sometime after the completion of the Mullan Road. Interviewer: Tell us about your early years and your qualifications for surveying and building this road. Mullan: I was born in Norfolk, Va., in 1830. I was the oldest of 10 children. My father came to this country from Ireland as a boy. Soon after I was born, my family moved to Annapolis, Md. Though we didn’t have a lot of money, my parents sent me to St. John’s College. I graduated when I was 16 and soon after applied for an appointment to West Point. I was able to get recommendations from some of our influential friends and personally took them to President Polk who, after talking with me, said, “I will see what I can do for you, young man.” I soon got word that I had been accepted. I graduated from West Point in July 1852 as a topographical engineer.
Above: This circa 1930s photo is taken from the Mullan Road near present day Plante’s Ferry Park.
PHOTOS COURTESY OF THE SPOKANE VALLEY HERITAGE MUSEUM
This June 1941 photo shows the dedication of a monument in Spangle marking where the Mullan Road passed through that community. Interviewer: How did you wind up working for Gov. Stevens? Mullan: When Isaac Stevens was appointed governor of Washington Territory, he was also appointed head of the Coast Survey Office and was instructed to survey a route through Northwest Territories to serve as a military road and also serve as a route for a northern railroad. Governor Stevens recruited a number of Army engineers to survey differ-
FOOTPRINTS IN THE VALLEY In this 2014 history series from the Spokane Valley Heritage Museum, “History Heroes” Seth Woodard and Howard Stegner will take readers on a tour of “Footprints in the Valley,” month by month, through photos, documents, articles and treasure hunts. This month: Meet Captain John Mullan, whose Civil War-era Mullan Road passed through Spokane Valley
ent sections of a possible route. I volunteered to be a member of the exploration party and was appointed to identify and survey a route from Fort Benton, Mont., on the Missouri River to Fort Walla Walla on the Columbia River. Interviewer: During what period of time did you work on this assignment? Mullan: We started searching for a route in 1858 and finished the road in 1862. Initially, I was assigned to locate and survey a route and later was assigned to build the road. Interviewer: What were some of the challenges you faced? Mullan: After initial exploration, we actually identified three possible routes, and depending on where we were, we had to deal with various Indian tribes who were threatened by the possible loss of their lands. Governor Stevens had charged us with the responsibility of building and maintaining good relationships with whatever Indians we encountered. We settled on
At left: The Mullan Road went from Fort Benton, Mont., in the east — marked here by a monument — to Fort Walla Walla. a route along the Spokane River, through Coeur d’Alene and on into Montana through the St. Regis area. Much of the area through Coeur d’Alene was marshy and called for long stretches of corduroy road (small logs placed side by side across the road). In August 1858, I was ordered off the job to join Col. George Wright in his campaign against the Indians. I was put in charge of 30 Nez Perce Indians and three chiefs who were to serve as scouts and guides for the Army. They were dressed in U.S. Cavalry uniforms and served very well. When my services were no longer required, I returned to my military road assignment. Interviewer: How difficult was it to build the road through the Spokane Valley? Mullan: Compared to the marshy areas near Coeur d’Alene and the mountains to the east, it was relatively easy. We were able to follow well-established Indian trails through most of the Valley area and were fortunate to be able
Capt. Mullan was shorter than the average soldier of the time and sported the fashionable mutton-chop sideburns of the day. His wife’s name was Rebecca. He was, by all accounts, kind to the Indians. He saved the life of a young Indian boy whom Col. Wright had ordered hung. The young man was about 14 and took the name of “John” in honor of his rescuer. He served Capt. Mullan faithfully on the ranch in Walla Walla for many years. Monuments marking the route of the Mullan Road through this area can be found at the following locations: • Palouse Highway south of 57th Avenue • East 29th Avenue west of Glenrose Road • East 8th Avenue and Coleman Road • East Sprague Avenue and Vista Road • Plante’s Ferry Park on Upriver Drive This installment of the Footprints in the Valley Series was written by Spokane Valley Heritage Museum Executive Director Jayne Singleton and Bill Zimmer, a retired educator and longtime West Valley school board member. For more about this article or other aspects of the history of the Spokane Valley region, visit the museum at 12114 E. Sprague Ave. or call 922-4570.