Monthly Historical Profile - The Life and Times of John Muir

The slug fest that John Muir engaged in on behalf of nature may never be rivaled. His iconic beard, and well known work in Alaska and California gave him notariety. Almost 100 years after his death, the legend of John Muir continues on, inspiring generations, and giving us insight through his profound thoughts that cause us to rethink the way we think of ourselves, and nature.

John was born on April 21st, in Dunbar, Scotland, where he would live until emigrating to Wisconsin in 1849.  His father, Daniel, was devoutly religious, and insisted that young John recite the bible daily. By the time he was a young boy, John knew the new and most of the old testaments by heart. John's father required his son to work tediously on their farm, however young John craved knowledge. He had begun primary school at the age of 3, but after reaching America, the formal education ceased. With his father's permission, John began waking early to study before his daily chores commenced. In order to wake him at around 1 in the morning, John invented a "rise early machine". This precursor to the alarm clock would tip him out of bed each morning. He later showed this invention, amongst others at the 1861 Wisconsin State Fair, while attending Wisconsin State University. There he studied science. John left school in 1863, after 2 1/2 years, to focus on other ventures. That same year, John went on what the Sierra Club refers to as a "foot tour of Wisconsin, Iowa, Illinois, and Canada." This travelling bone would be a fundamental part of Muir's life. Before his death, he would have worked, walked, or visited Europe, North America, South America, and Africa. However, had one nearly tragic incident occured, this may have never been possible.

While in Canada in 1867, an accident at the factory he was employed at caused John to loose his eyesight for months. He vowed that if his blindness subceeded he would "(Study) the inventions of God". Little did he know, that his existence would save many of these "inventions" from the proverbial way of the dinosaurs. After recovering in a bed for months, he did what any rational person would do: walked a thousand miles to Florida. His first great expedition, and it nearly proved fatal, when he contracted malaria. This didn't deter him though. In 1868, John landed in the San Francisco Bay, and met the place he would call home for the next 46 years. The great state of California. He moved to Yosemite in the spring of 1868, and spent the next 6 years studying the environment there detailing his observations in both scientific and personal journals. In his book, The Mountains of California, John described the Sierra Nevada mountain range as, "The most divinely beautiful of all the mountain chains". That is truly saying something, coming from this man of nature.

Muir Glacier (Right 1941, Left 2004)

Alaska held a special place in John's heart. He launched a total of 7 expeditions to the area, and discovered the now immensely receding Muir Glacier. It was no doubt the time he spent in Alaska, that convinced him that glacier intrusion during the Ice Age caused the enticing landscape of the Yosemite Valley. This thoery was widely discredited during the time, however is now believed to have been the catalyst which gorged out the natural scheme of the valley. His first trip to Alaska was in 1879, after returning from this trip in 1880, he married Louie Wanda Strentzel. John would later have two children with Louie, Wanda and Helen,born in 1881 and 1886 respectively. That same year, John returned to Alaska where he explored the Glacier Bay region, detailing his voyage in 1909's Stickeen and 1915's Travels In Alaska. Click Here for a list of all of John's published works.

   Along with other scholars, and conservationists John formed the Sierra Club in 1893. According to their website, the Sierra Club was established to "explore, enjoy, and render accessible the mountain regions of the Pacific coast; to publish authentic information concerning them..." Furthermore they strive to put pressure on the federal government in order to preserve nature, especially the Sierra Nevadas. The Sierra Club remains strong to this day, still working on correcting environmental issues that we face, with the tenacity of their hero and co-founder.

Teddy Roosevelt and John Muir in Yosemite, c. 1903

The Yosemite National Park would not be what it is today had John Muir not made it his personal mission to preserve it. The valley, though protected, was still experiencing degradation in the forms of logging and over grazing of the commons by livestock. Ken Burns' documentary The National Parks: America's Best Idea. details his travels with Theodore Roosevelt in 1903. According to Burns' documentary, Theodore Roosevelt himself requested that the aging "Father of the National Parks" (as Muir is sometimes called today), guide him through Yosemite. After their caravan, guarded by 30 buffalo soldiers reached the lush canopies of their destination, they took a picture at the Grizzly Giant. Shortly thereafter, the masses of journalists, soldiers, politicians, (the Governor of California and Attorney General were alongside Teddy), and everyone else began their way to a reception hall for a dinner in honor of the President. The President, however had other plans. He snuck away from the crowd and left with John and a guide for a 3 day camping trip. The men discussed Yosemite, and National Parks in depth, along with John's glacial theory of how the valley was sculpted. When they awoke on the last day of their trip, their was a light covering of snow. Theodore Roosevelt was reported to have exclaimed, "This has been the greatest day of my life!". Yosemite was no longer in danger of over grazing or logging. It was preserved. John Muir had won the battle, but the war dragged on

John Muir was a stout preservationist.  At times, friendships even took back seat to the continuance of nature's beauty. When controversy sparked surrounding the damming of the Hetch Hetchy Valley (a part of Yosemite National Park), John and his Sierra Club boys were on the front line against Congress passing legislation permitting construction of the dam and flooding of the valley. On the opposite side of this heated debate was Gifford Pinchot, John Muir's friend and fellow environmentalist. Gifford was the 4th Chief of the Division of Forestry, and the 1st Chief of the Forest Service. In contrast to John, Gifford was a conservationist, believing that resources in nature should be used to meet our demands, but that they should also be ensured for future generations. This ruined the relationship between the two, and fundamentally split environmentalism. John Muir lost the battle, when Congress signed the needed legislation in 1913. The dam was completed in 1923.

A self portrait

John wouldn't live to see this. On December 24th, 1914 at the age of 76, John Muir passed away from pneumonia in a Los Angeles Hospital. Far from where it can by assumed he would have wanted to spend his final days, resting in the bosom of his beloved Yosemite. John proceeded his wife Louie in death by 8 years.

When all is said and done, John Muir defined the spirit of environmentalism. His deeply held convictions set him apart from many other individuals then, or today. That is exactly why we must (and do) celebrate the life of this naturalist, philosopher, scientist, and author. It goes to show you how much of a difference one voice can make.