John
Muir was born in Scotland on April 21, 1838. He was
raised by very strict religious parents, who chose to move the family
to America when he was eleven years old. John had formal schooling in
Scotland, but on the farm in Wisconsin he had to learn on his own
between chores. He left home and attended the University of Wisconsin
for three years. He began developing his love of nature at an early
age, but it took a brief episode of blindness before he dedicated his
life to enjoying and preserving nature. On Christmas eve of 1914 he
died at his daughter's home in Los Angeles.
During his life John Muir traveled to many places; Canada, Florida, Panama, California, Washington, Alaska, and overseas. He walked or hiked through most of the Western U.S. so that he could enjoy the environment. He worked at a variety of odd jobs, studied glaciers, wrote articles, and was even a successful fruit farmer.
The dedication John Muir showed for the conservation of nature has led him to be called "the father of our National Parks". He was a member of a survey team that recommended park sites to President Cleveland.
The work that John Muir dedicated his life to, resulted in the dedication of more than thirteen National Parks, including Yosemite National Park, Sequoia National Park, and General Grant National Park. In 1892 he helped to organize the Sierra Club which still exists today.
To honor this conservationist, his name ahs been placed on trails, mountains, lakes, and even two glaciers. These sites can be found throughout California, in Alaska, and Washington state.
Designed by: K. Williams
Bade, William Frederic (1924). The Life and Letters of John Muir. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Houghton Mifflin Company.
Douglas, William O. (1961). Muir of the Mountains. Cambridge, Massachusetts: Houghton Mifflin Company.
Muir, John (1916). The Story of My Boyhood and Youth. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company.