Congress’s First Look at the Yellowstone- Thomas Moran
By: Katelyn Parker
In the late 1800’s information was not so readily available as it is today. Much of the western frontier was still being discovered and most of the population only knew what they had heard through rumors and written publications. When rumors started circulating about a fantastical place in the west that was brilliantly colorful with dramatic canyons cut through the mountain ranges, hot pools and geysers that seemed to be the work of the devil and an abundance of wildlife, it was hard for anybody to believe such a place existed. As more and more people returned from their exploration of the west and told their stories of “The Yellowstone” the U.S. government decided they needed to fund an expedition to finally know the truth.
In 1871 an expedition was organized and to be headed by Ferdinand Hayden. The Hayden expedition was to travel to Yellowstone to survey and document the area and bring their findings back to be presented to the U.S. Congress. In addition to the survey team, two artists were asked to join the group, William Henry Jackson, a photographer, and Thomas Moran who was an artist who worked with watercolors and oils. At the behest of railroad tycoon, Jay Cooke, Thomas Moran was invited to join the expedition to paint what he saw. Cooke was looking to build a rail line that would extend west from the Great Lakes but needed to know if there were any attractions along the way that would entice the public to take the journey. He funded Moran’s trip and so history was written.
Image Provided By: Yellowstone National Park
Image Provided By: Yellowstone National Park
Thomas Moran
Thomas Moran was an American artist who is known for his landscape paintings of Yellowstone National Park and the Grand Canyon. At the time of the expedition, Moran was working for an illustrated magazine, Scribner’s Monthly, as their illustrator. He had been asked to create illustrations of “The Yellowstone” in the past but having never been there, he had to use his imagination. The rumors of the fantastical place created an intrigue so when he was asked to join the expedition he did not hesitate to accept. Moran had strong ambitions of being considered one of the great landscapists, competing with well-known artists such as Albert Bierstadt and he viewed this trip as an opportunity to enhance his professional reputation. Moran was an incredible colorist, and his depictions of our national parks are still revered and displayed in museums around the country.
Image Provided By: Yellowstone National Park
Art & Exploration
After an arduous journey, Moran joined the survey team, and they made their way into the area known as The Yellowstone. Together Moran and Jackson documented what they saw but the photographs were all in black and white so it was up to Moran to depict the marvelous landscape in color so congress could grasp the vivid colors that would have been present in Jacksons photographs had the technology permitted. After surveying the Yellowstone and satisfied they had mapped the area and documented the incredible features it was time to return home to present their findings.
Image Provided By: Yellowstone National Park
The First Look at What Would Become the First National Park
The U.S. Congress was presented with all the discoveries from the Hayden expedition, and they were finally convinced that this was a place that needed protection and must be preserved. The convincing data was the colorful sketches and watercolors done by Moran and the photos taken by Jackson to back up the truth behind Moran’s interpretation. Congress declared Yellowstone National Park as the first national park in 1872. From his sketches, Moran painted a massive study of the Yellowstone Canyon which he presented to Congress in 1872 which they later purchased for $10,000 and hung in the U.S. Capitol Building.
Image Provided By: The Smithsonian
150 Years Later
This year Yellowstone National Park celebrates its 150th year and it is amazing to think that without Thomas Moran’s colorful interpretations, the park may not have been declared a national park until several years later. During his lifetime, Moran would take several more trips to Yellowstone, continuing to paint its incredible landscape. His paintings were the first artistic interpretations of Yellowstone and continue to hang in prestige in museums throughout the nation. To learn more about Thomas Moran and the Hayden expedition, check out the video below.