John Muir: The Father Of Our National Parks

497 Words2 Pages
He has been called “Wilderness Prophet,” “Citizen of the Universe,” and most commonly, “The Father of our National Parks.” According to the Sierra Club, he was “America’s most famous and influential nationalist and conservationists,” and one of California’s most prominent historical figures.Who is he? John Muir. Born in 1838 in Dunbar, Scotland, Muir grew up with seven siblings. According to Amy Marquis, assistant editor for the National Parks magazine, Muir began his “love affair” with nature at a young age, possibly in rebellion of his very strict religious upbringing. Muir and his family immigrated to Wisconsin in 1849 where Muir would later attend college and his first botany class, which encouraged further love for the outdoors. In 1867, Muir had an accident. While working in a wagon wheel factory, a tool slipped and hit him in the eye. For six weeks, Muir was left wondering in a dark room if he would regain his sight. After those six weeks, he emerged with his eyesight and vowed to do what he loved, studying plants. Eventually, Muir found his way to Yousemite, California where he settled in an isolated cabin. To sustain himself, Muir read Ralph Waldo Emerson’s essays and adventured into the wilderness. Muir became well known for living in Yosemite, and was…show more content…
He advocated for a bill to Congress that would protect Yosemite Valley from domestic sheep, who tended to ruin the grassland. In 1892, Muir also helped establish a now well known club for mountain lovers called The Sierra Club, of which he was president for twenty two years. The Sierra Club fought to push Yosemite National Park to federal control and to establish national forests, among other accomplishments. Muir also met with President Theodore Roosevelt and inspired him to create conservation
Show More
Related

  • John Muir's Major Accomplishments

    881 Words  | 4 Pages

    John Muir started off as a young boy with big dreams, and those dreams eventually turned into great accomplishments. With his strong love for nature, John Muir would eventually grow up to become a writer and advocate of U.S. forest conservation, along with helping establish Sequoia and Yosemite National Parks in California. Overall, John Muir has had major accomplishments being a Naturalist, and changing natural parks in California forever. John Muir was born on April 21st 1838, in Dunbar Scotland

    Read More

  • John Muir Imperialism

    2114 Words  | 9 Pages

    John Muir was a Scottish-American author who was an early advocate for the preservation of wilderness in the United States. Through his letters, essays, and books he described his travels throughout America, specifically drawing attention to the devastation of the mountain ranges, meadows, and forests. To Muir it was a completely dreadful to see the beauty that once defined America slowly withering away so he made it his mission in life to remedy the situation. This is why he is often called the

    Read More

More about John Muir: The Father Of Our National Parks

Open Document