The Wild in Wild West
So, what exactly was it that made the Wild West so wild? Probably all the uncharted territories, right? The wonders and curiosities of what lies beyond the Rocky Mountains and great sand dunes of the southwestern desert are what motivated frontiersmen like the Wheeler Survey Group to start exploring the lands out west.
Photo by Granger / Shutterstock
This group of men was led by Captain George Montague Wheeler from 1869-1879. They explored specific locations in the southwestern region, which later became known as Wheeler Geologic Area in Colorado, Wheeler Peak in Nevada, and Wheeler Peak in New Mexico. The group also created maps and documentation of their discoveries.