page_title: Thomas A. Cullinan
section_title: Explorer
hierarchical_section_title: Thomas A. Cullinan / Career / Explorer
caption_attribution_description: English: Map of the Colorado River drainage basin, created using USGS data. Intended to replace older map
context_page_description: Thomas Allen Cullinan, also known as Tom Allen, was a law enforcement officer in Kansas. He served as city marshal of Junction City, Kansas from 1871 to 1904. Before that he was a seaman, miner, fur trapper and hunter. He served in the Union Army during the American Civil War.
context_section_description: Many merchants in Denver employed Allen and two of his land co-claimants, Jack Menzies and David Thompson, to explore the Colorado River. This expedition took place eight years before the explorations of Major John Wesley Powell. Unfortunately, Allen and his associates were captured by the Native American Utes after only 250 miles (400 km) into their expedition. When one of the tribesmen pulled Allen's ear, Allen punched the Ute and made him fall to the ground. Afterwards, Allen told the chief in Spanish that the Utes were cowards and that he could defeat the tribe's best warrior. Unfortunately, there is no confirmation as to whether the chief fulfilled Allen's request or was merely amused by Allen's bravado. Overall, Allen and his land co-claimants were set free. He returned to Leavenworth.
caption: Colorado River map
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