The earlier marker,
The Mullan Tree, was replaced with this one when the tree died of disease and was removed.
His crew celebrated July 4th at the summit, chopping the date into a great white pine. This marker refers to the road itself, but also mentions that tree.
Nearby are the
Mullan Road National Historic Site and one of the thirteen original statues of
Captain John Mullan, cut from white Vermont marble and placed on concrete bases, which were initially placed at various points along the route of
The Mullan Road.
MULLAN MILITARY ROAD
WALK THE MULLAN ROAD ONE OF THE NORTH-WEST'S MOST SIGNIFICANT ROUTES. TAKE THE SIDE ROAD TO YOUR LEFT
From 1858-62, Lt. John Mullan's crew built the Northwest's first engineered highway, connecting Fort Benton with Fort Walla Walla, 625 miles. In Idaho, 1-90 closely follows the original road.
Mullan's crew spent July 4, 1861 here, carving the date into a white pine - the famous Mullan Tree. The diseased tree - and last Mullan Road Marker - was removed in 1988.