In the spring of 1853, a young man fresh out of West Point by the name of Lieutenant John Mullan was ready to put his topical engineering training to the task of improving a wagon route from Fort Benton to Fort Walla Walla, which was then known as the Washington Territory. Because of war, construction would be delayed by about five years.  Overseeing a workforce of 200 people, Lt. Mullan through a combination of perseverance and ingenuity, would develop a road that would serve as a primary centralized route for settlers migrating to the Pacific Northwest and be aptly named for the person who led the charge.