An archive of research on historic trails and roads
This Mullan Road centerline describes the general route of the Mullan Military Road built between 1859 and 1861. It represents many years of research from several individuals and continues to be adjusted as new research is completed.
ViewThese detail maps of the Mullan Road are marked on county road maps at a scale of 1" = 1 mile. The information giving the location of the Mullan Road was obtained from the township surveys made by the General Land Office, U.S. government. These surveys primarily located the section corners within the township. This was necessary so that land claims or titles could be identified as a particular fraction of a numbered section within a township identified by number and range. Flowing streams and existing roads were also marked on these surveys. Hence, the Mullan Road was noted in most places where it traversed. These surveys were made as early as 1860 for Walla Walla and as late as 1912 for the township on the immediate west side of the Bitterroot Mountains at St. Regis Pass in Idaho. The scale of these survey maps is near to 1" = 0.5 mile. Present day roads and towns are not indicated on these so that identification can only be made by transcribing the Mullan Road of the old maps on to present day county road maps.
This archive is courtesy of Mineral County Museum and Historical Society, Superior Montana.
1991, PDF
View DownloadThis map is a digital representation of an exhibition for the Staff House Museum in Kellogg, Idaho to celebrate the 150th anniversary (2009) of the Mullan Road coming through the area. Spanning the width of eight 40" x 30" panels, a detailed map shows the most probable route of the Mullan road. Each panel also includes photographs and comments from the road-builders and travelers of the era.
The probable location of the Mullan Road was determined primarily from General Land Office (GLO) survey plats made between 1872 and 1898. The display maps also mark the seventeen Coeur d'Alene River crossings, twenty-eight North Fork Coeur d'Alene River crossings, and forty-six St. Regis River crossings as listed by Mullan in his 1863 report.
ViewThis map represents 45 years of research by Dr. Rich Buswell. The yellow line is a faithful interpretation of his paper Forest Service map, using Township and Range section lines as a reference, by Kris Townsend, August 30, 2017. With this digital map, Buswell, Townsend, and perhaps other researchers, plan to refine this route with greater accuracy.
ViewPart 1: To avoid making sidecuts in the steep hills, the Mullan Road crossed the Coeur d'Alene river 17 times in just 14 miles. This map shows the location of these river crossings between the Mission of the Sacred Heart near present-day Catalto and Wallace, Idaho as determined by researcher Robert Dunsmore.
ViewTo avoid making sidecuts in the steep hills, the Mullan Road crossed the Coeur d'Alene river 28 times in just 11 miles. This map shows the location of these river crossings between present-day Wallace and Mullan, Idaho as determined by researcher Robert Dunsmore.
ViewTo avoid making sidecuts in the steep hills, the Mullan Road crossed the St. Regis river 46 times in just over 21 miles. This map shows the location of these river crossings between present-day St. Regis and Lookout Pass, Montana as determined by researcher Robert Dunsmore.
ViewIn 1902, the Fletcher's and Dimmitt families moved from Kansas to Chesaw, Washington. What was unusual about this migration was that they chose to travel by wagon in a day dominated by rail travel. In 1902, there were wagon roads from town to town, but no organized highways. Their route utilized much of the Mullan Road including Camels Hump and St. Regis Pass. Of interest to Mullan Road scholars is the toll fee near Clinton, the ferry charge near Superior, and their July 21 camp near the fourth crossing of the St. Regis River.
2018
ViewOn Christmas day—some sources say Dec. 24—, 1861, John Mullan gave what is said to be the first public lecture in Montana. It was the largest crowd ever assembled at Fort Owen and his topic was Lewis and Clark. Several Mullan historians have mentioned the speech in their works, but this transcriber was unable to find the actual text of the speech. Presented here is the first draft his own transcription. This needs to be further refined by consulting the actual newspapers, or at least better-quality microfiche, as well as viewing Mullan's handwritten manuscript located at the Montana Historical Society, Helena.
2018, PDF
View Download