The Mystery of John Colter: The Man Who Discovered Yellowstone

by Ronald M. Anglin, Larry E. Morris

From the first account of “Colter’s Run,” published in 1810, fascination with John Colter, one of America’s most famous and yet least known frontiersmen and discoverer of Yellowstone Park, has never waned. Unlike other legends of the era like Daniel Boone, Davy Crockett, and Kit Carson, Colter has remained elusive because he left not a single letter, diary, or reminiscence. Gathering the available evidence and guiding readers through a labyrinth of hearsay, rumor, and myth, two Colter experts for the first time tell the whole story of Colter and his legend.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Biography

274 pages, Paperback

First published March 15, 2016

Reviews

[Glen · Rating 2 out of 5]

John Colter is a famous mountain man who went on the expedition with Lewis and Clark, but very little is known about him. What little is known, is probably in this book.

[Lewis and Clark Trail Heritage Foundation · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book serves to illustrate the point that Colter did not leave any kind of record of his own behind. It explains a lot of things that were happening around Colter and recounts the various versions of Colter's Run. All the accounts took creative liberties with the story including the accounts by those who had interviewed Colter; Dr. William H. Thomas, John Bradbury, and Thomas James. This is now my second Colter read and what I do know about Colter is that he is a fascinating character who still inspires people to write and read about him even though much of what we read is based on conjecture alone.
Other recommended reading: Travels in the Interior of America by John Bradbury, Three Years Among the Indians and Mexicans, 1846 by Thomas James, Astoria by Washington Irving.