On a hot July morning in 1853, a group of hungry men were navigating the plains of North Dakota. As members of the Pacific Railway Survey, they were tasked with finding the best northern route for a transcontinental railroad. Led by Isaac Stevens, a distinguished engineer, the group consisted of soldiers, scientists, engineers, artists, and local guide Pierre Bottineau. Stevens was scheduled to become the first governor of the territory of Washington. He chose to undertake the survey along the