Impressive Preacher's Kid

In the summer months of 1869, the one-armed Civil War veteran, John Wesley Powell, led an epic expedition down the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon.

It was the first-ever complete exploration of the Green and Colorado Rivers, and the first known passage through the Grand Canyon -- the last unexplored region of the continental United States.

Powell wrote:

Thus the Grand Canyon is a land of song. Mountains of music swell in the rivers, hills of music billow in the creeks, and meadows of music murmur in the rills that ripple over the rocks. Altogether it is a symphony of multitudinous melodies. All this is the music of waters.

Later, he created the Cosmos Club, founded and directed the Smithsonian's Bureau of Ethnology, served as the Director of the U.S. Geological Survey and among many other accomplishments, helped to found the National Geographic Society. He is buried in Arlington National Cemetery.

An amazing man -- with a fascinating story.

And here's the cool part: His dad, Joseph Powell, was an original 1843 Wesleyan Methodist preacher!

I have read every Wesleyan Church history book, and do not recall this guy being mentioned once!

You can read more about John Wesley Powell and his excursions here and here.