Marathon Pundit: Four Corners Furtherance: A final look at Capitol Reef

Monday, September 13, 2010

Four Corners Furtherance: A final look at Capitol Reef

My favorite section of Capitol Reef National Park was Fruita and its orchards. But they could not exist without the supply of irrigated water from the Fremont River. It's named for John C. Frémont, one of the most compelling figures in American history. He was an explorer of the Midwest and West, a brigadier general in the Mexican War who was found guilty of mutiny in a court martial trial--President James K. Polk commuted it down to dishonorable discharge, and a major general for the Union in the Civil War--and he was relieved of command for trying to abolish slavery in Missouri in 1861. Lincoln feared Frémont would drive Missouri and other border states to the Confederacy.

He was also a US senator from California and a two time presidential candidate--the Republican nominee in 1856 and the abortive Radical Republican candidate in 1864.

Like the more famous Alexander Hamilton, Frémont was born out of wedlock. The Fremont (no accent mark) Indian culture is named for the river, which was of course named for Frémont. I'll discuss that culture in a later post.

Frémont explored the Capitol Reef area during his last western expedition in 1853.

I can't quite figure out the difference between a natural bridge and an arch, but Hickman Bridge is on the upper right. We hiked a mile to get there, and it was Mrs. Marathon Pundit's favorite part of Capitol Reef. If you like arches, or uh, bridges, then stick around.