Cook–Folsom–Peterson Expedition
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The Cook–Folsom–Peterson Expedition of 1869 was the first organized expedition to explore the region that became
Yellowstone National Park Yellowstone National Park is an American national park located in the western United States, largely in the northwest corner of Wyoming and extending into Montana and Idaho. It was established by the 42nd U.S. Congress with the Yellowston ...
. The privately financed expedition was carried out by David E. Folsom, Charles W. Cook and William Peterson of Diamond City, Montana, a gold camp in the Confederate Gulch area of the
Big Belt Mountains The Big Belt Mountains are a section of the Rocky Mountains in the U.S. state of Montana. Situated mainly in the Helena National Forest, the mountains are used for logging and recreation for the surrounding residents. Nearby are the cities of He ...
east of
Helena, Montana Helena (; ) is the capital city of Montana, United States, and the county seat of Lewis and Clark County. Helena was founded as a gold camp during the Montana gold rush, and established on October 30, 1864. Due to the gold rush, Helena would ...
. The journals kept by Cook and Folsom, as well as their personal accounts to friends were of significant inspirational value to spur the organization of the Washburn-Langford-Doane Expedition which visited Yellowstone in 1870.


Expedition route

The party of three explorers departed Diamond City, Montana on September 6, 1869 and traveled up the Missouri River to
Three Forks, Montana Three Forks is a city in Gallatin County, Montana, United States and is located within the watershed valley system of both the Missouri and Mississippi rivers drainage basins — and is historically considered the birthplace or start of the M ...
. They then began the easterly march up the
Gallatin Valley Gallatin County is located in the U.S. state of Montana. With its county seat in Bozeman, Montana, Bozeman, it is the List of counties in Montana, second-most populous county in Montana, with a population of 118,960 in the 2020 United States cen ...
, stopping in
Bozeman, Montana Bozeman is a city and the county seat of Gallatin County, Montana, United States. Located in southwest Montana, the 2020 census put Bozeman's population at 53,293, making it the fourth-largest city in Montana. It is the principal city of th ...
for supplies on September 8, 1869. From Bozeman, they moved to the shadows of Bozeman Pass, camping four miles east of
Fort Ellis Fort Ellis was a United States Army fort established August 27, 1867, east of present-day Bozeman, Montana. Troops from the fort participated in many major campaigns of the Indian Wars. The fort was closed on August 2, 1886. History The fort w ...
. On September 10, 1869 they struck out over the pass and down Trail Creek to reach the
Yellowstone River The Yellowstone River is a tributary of the Missouri River, approximately long, in the Western United States. Considered the principal tributary of upper Missouri, via its own tributaries it drains an area with headwaters across the mountains an ...
near Emigrant Gulch. They followed the river south until they entered the park region on September 13, 1869, at the confluence of the Gardner and Yellowstone rivers near present-day
Gardiner, Montana Gardiner is a unincorporated community in Park County, Montana, United States, along the 45th parallel. As of the 2020 census, the population of the community and nearby areas was 833. Gardiner was officially founded in 1880. The area has s ...
. After crossing the mouth of the Gardner River, they traveled along the benches above the western side of the Yellowstone until they reached
Tower Fall Tower Fall is a waterfall on Tower Creek in the northeastern region of Yellowstone National Park, in the U.S. state of Wyoming. Approximately upstream from the creek's confluence with the Yellowstone River, the fall plunges 132 feet (40&nbs ...
. At Tower Fall they forded the Yellowstone and explored the East Fork (
Lamar River The Lamar River is a tributary of the Yellowstone River, approximately long, in northwestern Wyoming in the United States. The river is located entirely within Yellowstone National Park. History Prior to the 1884–85 Geological Survey of the ...
) and Lamar Valley probably as far as the confluence with Calfee Creek . From there, the party returned to the Yellowstone in a due West route which brought them to the area of
Yellowstone Falls Yellowstone Falls consist of two major waterfalls on the Yellowstone River, within Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming, United States. As the Yellowstone river flows north from Yellowstone Lake, it leaves the Hayden Valley and plunges first over ...
and the
Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone The Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone is the first large canyon on the Yellowstone River downstream from Yellowstone Falls in Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming. The canyon is approximately long, between deep and from wide. History Althoug ...
. The party continued south along the course of the Yellowstone River crossing the river twice until they reached the north shore of
Yellowstone Lake Yellowstone Lake is the largest body of water in Yellowstone National Park. The lake is above sea level and covers with of shoreline. While the average depth of the lake is , its greatest depth is at least . Yellowstone Lake is the largest fre ...
near the mouth of Pelican Creek. From Pelican Creek, Cook-Folsom-Peterson followed the western shoreline of Yellowstone lake closely until they reached the West Thumb area. From West Thumb, the party stuck out due West over the
Continental Divide A continental divide is a drainage divide on a continent such that the drainage basin on one side of the divide feeds into one ocean or sea, and the basin on the other side either feeds into a different ocean or sea, or else is endorheic, not ...
and emerged on the northernmost point of
Shoshone Lake Shoshone Lake is a U.S. backcountry lake with the area of elevated at in the southwest section of Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming. It lies at the headwaters of the Lewis River a tributary of the Snake River. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Ser ...
. Turning northwest, they again crossed the divide and began traveling down the
Firehole River The Firehole River is located in northwestern Wyoming, and is one of the two major tributaries of the Madison River. It flows north approximately from its source in Madison Lake on the Continental Divide to join the Gibbon River at Madison Junc ...
into the geyser basins. They followed the Firehole River then
Madison River The Madison River is a headwater tributary of the Missouri River, approximately 183 miles (295 km) long, in Wyoming and Montana. Its confluence with the Jefferson and Gallatin rivers near Three Forks, Montana forms the Missouri River. The ...
out of the region, exiting the current park boundary near what is now the town of
West Yellowstone, Montana West Yellowstone is a town in Gallatin County, Montana, United States, adjacent to Yellowstone National Park. The population was 1,272 at the 2020 census. West Yellowstone is served by Yellowstone Airport. It is part of the Bozeman, MT Micropoli ...
on October 3, 1869. They followed the Madison down through Madison Canyon, emerging into familiar territory of the lower Madison River and mountains to the west around
Virginia City, Montana Virginia City is a town in and the county seat of Madison County, Montana, United States. In 1961 the town and the surrounding area were designated a National Historic Landmark District, the Virginia City Historic District. The population was 2 ...
. On the evening of October 11, 1869, Cook, Folsom and Peterson, after 36 days of travel returned to Diamond City, Montana.


Expedition chronology

* August 1869 - Cook and Folsom, ready to join another expedition that did not materialize, decide to go to the Yellowstone region on their own. Peterson, a friend and co-worker in Diamond City, Montana agrees to join Cook and Folsom. * September 6, 1869 - Cook, Folsom and Peterson depart Diamond City, Montana. They camp at Crow Creek , 30 miles south of Diamond City. * September 7, 1869 - traveling down the Missouri River they pass through Three Forks and head east up the Gallatin Valley camping at Hamilton (near present-day
Manhattan, Montana Manhattan is a town in Gallatin County, Montana, United States. The population was 2,086 at the 2020 census. It is part of the ' Bozeman Micropolitan Statistical Area'. History In 1865, the town was called Hamilton. This changed in 1883 when ...
. * September 8, 1869 - continued east to Bozeman, Montana to re-supply, eventually camping just east of Fort Ellis. * September 10, 1869 - up over Bozeman Pass then immediately southeast down Trail Creek to the Yellowstone River opposite Emigrant Gulch. * September 11, 1869 - traveled south along the Yellowstone to the southern end of Paradise Valley camping close to the river in Yankee Jim Canyon . * September 13, 1869 - continued south along the Yellowstone, crossing the mouth of the Gardner River and moving up on the benches above the Black Canyon of the Yellowstone. They camped at what was to become known as Rescue Creek. * September 14, 1869 - the party continued along the benches above the Black Canyon to Tower Fall. They camped at Tower Fall for two days, leaving on September 16, 1869 * September 16, 1869 - crossing the Yellowstone at Tower Fall, they traveled east until they encountered the East Fork (Lamar River). They travel up the Lamar River camping at the confluence with Calfee Creek. * September 17–18, 1869 - camped just 6 miles southeast of the previous camp in the parkland above Flint Creek to sit out a snowstorm. * September 19, 1869 - traveled a hard eight miles west toward the Yellowstone camping near Sour Creek. * September 20, 1869 - continued to travel west over timbered and broken terrain to the ''Basin Group'' of hot springs on Shallow Creek. The group referred to these springs as the ''Chemical Works''. * September 21, 1869 - the group continued west for 18 miles emerging on the rim of the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone just downstream from the falls at a point that is now named Inspiration Point. They move up river a few miles camping just above the Upper Falls until September 23, 1869. On September 22, 1869 they descend the canyon between the falls, ford the river and try to scale the northern wall of the canyon. This fails and they must return the way they came. * September 23, 1869 - they travel up the Yellowstone through today's
Hayden Valley Hayden Valley is a large, sub-alpine valley in Yellowstone National Park straddling the Yellowstone River between Yellowstone Falls and Yellowstone Lake. The valley floor along the river is an ancient lake bed from a time when Yellowstone Lake wa ...
to the Mud Volcano area where they camp. * September 24, 1869 - continued up the eastern shoreline of the Yellowstone, eventually crossing Pelican Creek before encountering the north shore of Yellowstone Lake near the mouth of Pelican Creek. * September 24, 1869 - departing Pelican Creek, the group crossed the outlet of Yellowstone Lake near present-day Fishing Bridge and followed the shoreline to the current location of Bridge Bay marina where they camped for the night. * September 25, 1869 - they continued along the shoreline to the
West Thumb Geyser Basin The geothermal areas of Yellowstone include several geyser basins in Yellowstone National Park as well as other geothermal features such as hot springs, mud pots, and fumaroles. The number of thermal features in Yellowstone is estimated at 10,0 ...
where they camped and explored for two days. * September 26–27, 1869 - explored the geothermal features of West Thumb * September 29, 1869 - departed West Thumb westerly en route to the Madison River drainage. The route took them across the Continental Divide to the upper end of Shoshone Lake. They camped in the vicinity. * September 30, 1869 - traveling north up deLacy Creek from the Shoshone Lake area, the group had a difficult time re-crossing the divide. They camped on the divide that night. * October 1, 1869 - after crossing the divide, the party stayed east of the Firehole until they followed White Creek down into the Lower Geyser Basin where they saw the
Great Fountain Geyser The Great Fountain Geyser is a fountain-type geyser located in the Firehole Lake area of Lower Geyser Basin of Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming. It is the only Lower Geyser Basin feature that the park makes predictions for. Eruption The geyser ...
erupt. They camped just south of the geyser. * October 2, 1869 - the group explored the area upstream on the Firehole River from their camp for about five miles, taking them into the Midway Geyser Basin. There they saw the Excelsior Geyser erupt before heading back down the Firehole River to the Madison River. * October 3, 1869 - the group eventually emerged from Madison Canyon (the present day site of the 1959 Hebgen Lake earthquake). From that point on they were in familiar territory. * October 11, 1869 - the Cook-Folsom-Peterson party arrived in Diamond City.


Accounts of the expedition

Shortly after his return from Yellowstone, Folsom was employed as field surveyor by
Henry D. Washburn Henry Dana Washburn (March 28, 1832 – January 26, 1871) was a U.S. Representative from Indiana and a colonel and was breveted twice as brigadier general and major general in the Union Army during the American Civil War. Biography Born in Wood ...
, the Surveyor General of the Montana Territory. While in that office, Cook and Folsom shared their experiences and diaries with Washburn and W. W. deLacy, the territorial map maker. From these discussions, deLacy published an updated map of the Yellowstone region. When the Washburn party traveled into Yellowstone in August 1870, Henry D. Washburn was carrying copies of the Cook and Folsom diaries and the deLacy map. Once Folsom was back in Helena, Montana as a surveyor, his friends
Nathaniel P. Langford Nathaniel Pitt Langford (August 9, 1832 – October 18, 1911) was an American explorer, businessman, bureaucrat, vigilante and historian from Saint Paul, Minnesota who played an important role in the early years of the Montana gold fields, terri ...
and
Samuel Thomas Hauser Samuel Thomas Hauser (January 10, 1833 – November 10, 1914) was an American industrialist and banker who was active in the development of Montana Territory. He made his first fortune in silver mines and railroads, but he lost everything in th ...
asked him to give a talk on the expedition to a group of prominent Helena citizens. Folsom refused to relate the experiences publicly because he thought nobody would believe him. However, those who knew Folsom well, believed him and credited him with the inspiration needed to organize the Washburn-Langford-Doane Expedition in 1870. Both Cook and Folsom kept journals during the trip. Peterson did not. After the expedition, Cook combined the two journals into a single version. This version was submitted to both the
New York Tribune The ''New-York Tribune'' was an American newspaper founded in 1841 by editor Horace Greeley. It bore the moniker ''New-York Daily Tribune'' from 1842 to 1866 before returning to its original name. From the 1840s through the 1860s it was the domi ...
and
Scribners Charles Scribner's Sons, or simply Scribner's or Scribner, is an American publisher based in New York City, known for publishing American authors including Henry James, Ernest Hemingway, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Kurt Vonnegut, Marjorie Kinnan Rawli ...
for publication. Both declined citing the unreliability and improbability of the information. It was finally published in a significantly edited version in the ''Western Monthly Magazine''. In 1904, a version of the account was published in the ''Contributions to the Historical Society of Montana''. Sometime around 1900, William Peterson wrote ''A Reminiscence of William Peterson'' which was later published in the ''Yellowstone Interpreter'' in 1964. Charles Cook lived to participate in the 50th Anniversary celebration of Yellowstone's creation in 1922. That year he authored the ''Reconstructed Diary of the Cook-Folsom Diary'', published in the ''Haynes Bulletin'' in 1922-23. The most accurate and comprehensive account of the expedition was produced by Aubrey L. Haines, the Yellowstone National Park historian in 1965 when he produced ''The Valley of the Upper Yellowstone'' which was masterfully reconstructed from all the previous fragmented accounts.


Names given to park features

The Cook–Folsom–Peterson Expedition did not name any park features discovered during the expedition that have persisted to the present day. In their journals they did refer to many features incorrectly (based on incomplete or inaccurate maps made from previous accounts), thus causing some confusion that had to be sorted out by later explorations and surveys. One name that took a few years to sort out was ''Madison Lake'', the small pond that is the headwater of the
Firehole River The Firehole River is located in northwestern Wyoming, and is one of the two major tributaries of the Madison River. It flows north approximately from its source in Madison Lake on the Continental Divide to join the Gibbon River at Madison Junc ...
. In some accounts,
Shoshone Lake Shoshone Lake is a U.S. backcountry lake with the area of elevated at in the southwest section of Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming. It lies at the headwaters of the Lewis River a tributary of the Snake River. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Ser ...
was actually referred to as ''Madison Lake'' because many believed Shoshone Lake was at the headwater of the
Madison River The Madison River is a headwater tributary of the Missouri River, approximately 183 miles (295 km) long, in Wyoming and Montana. Its confluence with the Jefferson and Gallatin rivers near Three Forks, Montana forms the Missouri River. The ...
drainage


Park features named in honor of expedition members

*
Folsom Peak Folsom Peak, elevation , is a mountain peak in the Washburn Range of Yellowstone National Park. The peak was named in 1895 by geologist Arnold Hague to honor David E. Folsom, a member of the Cook–Folsom–Peterson Expedition of 1869. Folsom, Pet ...
() - * Cook Peak () -


Members of the expedition


Further reading

* * * *


See also

*
Washburn–Langford–Doane Expedition The Washburn Expedition of 1870 explored the region of northwestern Wyoming that two years later became Yellowstone National Park. Led by Henry D. Washburn and Nathaniel P. Langford, and with a United States Army, U.S. Army escort headed by Lt. G ...
*
Hayden Geological Survey of 1871 The Hayden Geological Survey of 1871 explored the region of northwestern Wyoming that later became Yellowstone National Park in 1872. It was led by geologist Ferdinand Vandeveer Hayden. The 1871 survey was not Hayden's first, but it was the first ...
* Expeditions and the protection of Yellowstone (1869-1890)


Notes

{{DEFAULTSORT:Cook-Folsom-Peterson Expedition 1869 in the United States Yellowstone National Park Wyoming Territory Pre-statehood history of Montana North American expeditions Expeditions from the United States