Judge Lyman Munson and Yellowstone.

Judge Munson's involvement with the exploration of Yellowstone was very minor. In the article that I presented on my recent blog the Judge was sitting out a snowstorm with the Montana governor, another judge, two marshals, and a young lawyer. This group were on a trip to discuss peace treaties with the Blackfoot Indians. Ten years later was Custer's Last Stand. Available to these men in the storm shelter were men who had knowledge of the Yellowstone area. Yellowstone was discussed quite a bit. These men carried these stories with them and they had contacts with people in the east. Their conversation was in 1865. In 1869 to 1871 three parties explored Yellowstone. They were the Folsum party, the Washburn party, and the Haydon-Barlow party. These parties conveyed the information about Yellowstone to the public and action was taken to establish Yellowstone Park.

What is interesting to me is that John Coulter pealed off from the Lewis and Clark  Expedition and explored the area in 1807.  He is considered to be the first white man to see Yellowstone Lake. The exploration mentioned above was 60 plus years after Coulter. I guess no one believed Coulter.

My son Mike is a Mountain Man expert.