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Illustration from Stansbury's report depicts expedition crew members "landing to encamp, shores of Great Salt Lake Bear River Bay. " USHS collections.
Stansbury's Expedition to the Great Salt Lake, 1849-50 BY B R I G H A M D . M A D S E N
T o EXPANSIONISTS IN THE UNITED STATES OF 1848 the capture of the great Southwest from Mexico appeared to be just the first salvo in the conquest of the entire western hemisphere. As one excited politician proclaimed, it was manifestly the destiny of the American eagle to fly over all the region from the aurora borealis on the north to Tierra del Fuego in the south. Of course, while plans matured for the next great territorial addition, something must be done to explore what had already been gained in the area stretching from the Rockies to the Pacific Coast and from the forty-second parallel to the Rio Grande. Dr. Madsen is professor emeritus of history. University of Utah, Salt Lake City.
