In the mid-19th century, the Army Corps of Engineers played a crucial role in the exploration and mapping of the American West, culminating in the formation of the specialized Army Corps of Topographical Engineers. This elite group was tasked with charting the vast terrain beyond the Mississippi River, laying the groundwork for national expansion. Their efforts sparked intense competition among survey teams vying to justify the most viable east-west route for the proposed transcontinental railroad. Many of these engineers were West Point graduates who later became prominent figures in the Civil War, including J.J. Abert, Robert E. Lee, Isaac Stevens, and Gouverneur Warren. The period between the Mexican War and the Civil War saw a surge in cartographic innovation, producing maps that not only documented geography but also shaped the future of American infrastructure and settlement. Join these sessions to hear about wild geographical adventures, political jockeying, and the panoply of unique figures who helped—literally—shape the West. 

Subject: history 

Michael Stevens has a PhD in literature from the University of Dallas and has taught American literature and various writing courses in Grand Rapids for more than 25 years. With a passion for researching the westward expansion of the United States, he brings to life the dynamic and often contested process of American growth, helping others understand how the West was imagined, measured, and ultimately settled.