Join Justin and venture across the American West as he details the adventures, hardships, and explorations of Lieutenant G.K. Warren.
In 1855, as part of General Harney’s expedition, Warren became the first white man to travel overland from Fort Pierre (South Dakota) to Fort Kearny (Nebraska). He was present at the Battle of Blue Water Creek (also known as Harney’s Massacre). In 1856, he continued his adventures and mapped the Missouri River from Fort Pierre to Fort Union. From there, he mapped the Yellowstone River to the confluence of the Powder River.
These adventures earned Warren the unofficial title “The Explorer of Nebraska Territory.”
In 1857, Lieutenant G.K. Warren set out with orders to make “explorations in the Black Hills.” Warren camped at the base of Inyan Kara Mountain and may very well have been the first white man to witness Matȟó Thípila (Devils Tower). He encountered a band of Native Americans herding bison before an early Autumn snowstorm led him to Bear Butte.
Warren continued to dream big until family tragedy and the national calamity of Civil War sent him elsewhere. He played a crucial part in the Union victory at Gettysburg, before tarnishing his reputation. He spent the remainder of his short life trying to reclaim it.
About Justin:
Justin Horn grew up in Buffalo, Wyoming. He holds a B.A. in history from the University of Wyoming, a M.A. in history from the University of Nebraska-Kearney, and a master’s certification in museum studies from Harvard. He served six years in the US Air Force as a weather forecaster. For part of his service, he was stationed at Ellsworth AFB outside Rapid City, SD. He was deployed twice overseas as a meteorologist in support of B-1 bomber missions. Justin has also worked with the National Archives’ Dwight Eisenhower Presidential Library and with the National Parks Service at Fort Laramie Historic Site in Wyoming.
Currently he is Museum Assistant of collections and exhibits at the Campbell County Rockpile Museum in Gillette, WY. Justin has articles published in Annals of Wyoming, WyoHistory.org, and the 2021 Frederick C. Luebke awarded article of the year in Great Plains Quarterly. In his free time, Justin loves hiking in the Big Horn Mountains and Black Hills, riding his motorcycle, and kayaking.