Welcome, little fact explorers, to take a look at the life and contribution of the “Father of the National Parks,” John Muir!
From being an American naturalist and environmental philosopher to being an advocate for the preservation of wilderness, this famous person has several significant facts to offer!
This article will offer some fascinating facts about John Muir that will surprise you😲!
Let’s begin this memorable exploration!
Mysterious John Muir Facts
John Muir: Meet a Scottish-born American naturalist
This famous naturalist, John Muir, took birth on April 21, 1838, in Dunbar, East Lothian, Scotland.
He was not only a Scottish-born American naturalist 🌳 but also a writer and an advocate of America’s forest conservation!
In 1849, Muir emigrated with his family from Scotland to a farm near Portage, Wisconsin!
Did you know that in 1860, he traveled to Madison and subsequently attended the University of Wisconsin, Madison until 1863?
Later, he devoted himself to nature.
John Muir was a great writer
Love to read different books and essays? Then you will surely love this amazing fact about John Muir!
Muir was not only a lover of nature but also shared his love for natural wonders with the entire world!
He started writing articles and published them in several well-known magazines, like Scribner’s magazine, Harper’s magazine, and the New York Tribune!
The focal point of his works was nature, the environment, and conservation.
He even developed a reputation in the scientific community and became a notable public figure!
Later, he published 10 major books 📚and 300 articles telling about his travels!
A hiking trip: It caused Muir to study botany
Muir studied philosophy, science, and literature at the University of Wisconsin! He even wanted to go to the medical school later.
When in college, he realized his strong love for botany.
Muir was even influenced by the works of naturalist philosophers Henry David Thoreau and Ralph Waldo Emerson!
After enjoying a summer hiking ⛰️with his friends in the wilderness, Muir gave up school to study botany and explore the beauties of the natural world!
Muir had quite a difficult childhood
Muir’s father, Daniel, was a strictly religious person!
He and his family immigrated from Scotland because he wished to practice and also preach the gospel.
The family settled in a wilderness, and he drove John mercilessly in an attempt to change the wilderness into a beautiful Garden of Aden🍃!
John’s father endorsed his sons work through regime sermons and floggings!
The people of Scotland had a custom of whipping for every act of disobedience or even simple forgetfulness!
This was practiced in Muir’s household and most of his father’s beatings were directed to John and not his siblings!
Muir never forgot his roots
I am really surprised to know this interesting secret about John Muir!
Although he spent the major part of his life in America, he never forgot his Scottish roots!
He held a strong connection with his Scottish identity and birth place throughout his life.
Also, he was often heard talking about his childhood days amid the East Lothian countryside.
He was a great fan of the works of Robert Burns and Thomas Carlyle.
He even carried a collection of poems by Burns during his trip to the wilderness!
The Father of National Parks: It referred to John Muir
Muir wrote quite many articles about his beliefs!
This caused many people to write several letters and even to lobby Congress to establish a new national park!
Later, the Congress even created both Sequoia and Yosemite national parks!
He was later involved in the creation of Petrified Forest, Mount Rainer, and Grand Canyon national parks.
In 1903, Muir went camping above Yosemite Valley with Roosevelt.
There, Muir asked for Roosevelt’s help in preserving the beauty of the area!
Roosevelt was impressed and set aside 148 million acres of forest reserves🌲 and even the number of national parks doubled!!
John Muir, an inspiration to both American and Scots
I am quite amazed to explore this surprising fact about this famous person! Want to know? Let me explain.
He is considered “an inspiration to both Americans and Scots.
Steven J. Homes, Muir’s biographer, believes Muir has become “one of the patron saints of 21st century American environmental activity,” both recreational and political!
Muir was an inventor
Have you heard this fascinating fact about John Muir?
Without any technical training, John even invented small machines!
One of those machines was a contraption to flip him out of bed every morning, which he even took to the Madison State Fair.
Thus, Muir attracted attention from the University of Wisconsin and even received a scholarship.
At Madison, Muir invented a ‘study desk’ to open books and even turn their pages.
There was a thread connected to a lens which would burn by sunlight, making sure that the contraption would be set off at sunrise☀️.
In Muir’s honor: There are more than 200 sites names
In the U.S., one of the most famous hiking trails is the 340 km John Muir Trail, which was named in Muir’s honor!
Muir Woods was named by Roosevelt.
It was the towering redwood forest located at the north of San Francisco, as national monument in honor of John Muir!
Also, there is the famous John Muir College, a part of the University of California 🏛️. It promotes environmental studies!
In 1964, Congress designated Muir’s Martinez house The John Muir National Historic Site, to offer recognition to his campaigns and the books in which he celebrated America’s natural heritage!
John Muir never lived off the land
Did you hear this wonderful secret about John Muir??
Even if this famous person spent most of his time wandering the earth, he did not dine off it.
From a very young age, he could survive by eating very little. The most Muir even weighed was around 148 pounds!
As he wasn’t a fisherman or a hunter, he was frequently hungry!
Sometimes, he was even very faint on his trips. However, this could not tempt him to taste a piece of steak!
While roaming in the wilderness, he tried to preserve the land as much as possible.
Muir built a small cabin along Yosemite Creek
Along Yosemite Creek, Muir constructed a small cabin.
He designed it so that a part of the stream flowed through a corner of the room. In this way, he could enjoy the sound of running water!
He lived there for around two years and wrote about this time in his renowned book First Summer in the Sierra (1911).
Frederick Turner, Muir’s biographer, notes Muir’s journal entry regarding his first visit to the valley and writes that his unique description “from the page with the accurate force of a conversion experience.”
Lousia Strentzel: Meet Muir’s wife
John Muir married Lousia Strentzel 👰♀️ in the year 1880.
For around ten years, he went into business with his father-in-law.
Their business was managing the orchards on the family’s 2600-acre farm in Martinez, California!
John and his wife had two daughters, Wanda Muir Hanna and Helen Muir Funk.
Willian Keith: Meet Muir’s friend
Have you heard about Keith? No? Let’s know about him!
William Keith was a very good friend of Muir for many years. Keith was a California landscape painter.
They were of the same age and shared a love for the mountains of California. Quite impressive, isn’t it?
Botanical studies of Muir
Along with his geologic studies, Muir even investigated the plant life of the Yosemite region! In both 1873 and 1874.
He even made field studies, along with Sierra’s western flank on the distribution and ecology of the groves of Giant Sequoia!
In 1876, Muir’s paper on this subject was published by the American Association for the Advancement of Science.
Muir once walked 1000 miles: He did this to reach Florida from Indiana
Did you hear this impressive secret about Muir?
In September 1867, Muir started a walk of about 1000 miles to Florida from Kentucky!
This was stated in Muir’s book A Thousand-Mile Walk to the Gulf!
He did not choose any specific route, except to go by leafiest, wildest, and least trodden path he could find!
He even slept beneath bushes during the nights and awoke to the earliest birds 🐦call in the dawn. While traveling, he faced harsh conditions.
Also, the distances traveled by him became shorter and even more indirect as he went through the ‘vine-tangled’ landscape!
President Teddy Roosevelt: He was a very close friend of Muir
In 1901, the President personally wrote to Muir, requesting a tour through Yosemite!
In the letter Roosevelt stated that he wished to be out there in the open for four days.
In the spring of 1903, Muir traveled with Roosevelt for two months to Yellowstone from the White House with several flesh-pressing stops along the way.
Later, Muir toured his friend on a four-day trip through Yosemite.
During that period, Roosevelt ditched his security detail and enjoyed the trip with Muir.
For some time, Muir worked in a dragon wheel company
Have you heard this unique fact about John Muir?
In 1866, Muir settled in Indianapolis to work in a dragon wheel factory!
He proved to be very important to his employers due to his inventiveness in improving processes and machines.
Later, he was promoted to supervisor, being paid $25 weekly.
Muir in 1867: He met a serious accident
In March 1867, Muir met an accident that changed quite the course of his life!
A tool he was using slipped and even struck him in the eye. That cut the cornea in his right eye and even his left eye sympathetically failed!
For six weeks, he was confined to a darkened room to regain his sight.
During that time, he was worried about whether he would become blind!
After regaining his sight, Muir “saw the world, and his purpose-in a new light.”
Trips to Alaska: Muir made four trips
John Muir made four trips to Alaska, including Unalaska and Barrow!
A group of native American Guides, Muir, ad Mr. Young first traveled to Alaska in 1879.
Also, they were the first Euro-Americans to explore Glacier Bay. Later, Muir Glacier was named after Muir.
Again in 1880 and in 1881, he returned for further explorations in southeast Alaska.
He documented his experiences in newspaper articles and journal entries, which were later compiled into his book The Cruise of the Corwin.
Muir in 1892: Formation of the Sierra Club
I am really amazed to explore this wonderful fact about John Muir!
In early 1892, a philologist at the University of California, Berkeley, Professor Henry Senger, contacted Muir.
He shared the idea of creating a local ‘alpine club’ for mountain lovers.
Together, they formed the ‘Sierra Club,” and the first meeting was held on May 28, 1892.
One week later, Muir was elected the club’s president, and Warren Olney was elected the vice-president. Muir remained the president until his death.
Jeanne Carr: Meet Muir’s friend and mentor
Muir’s friendship with Jeanne Carr had a really long and strong influence on Muir’s carrier as a writer and a naturalist!
They first met in 1860, when a 22-year-old Muir entered a number of his own inventions at the Wisconsin State Agricultural Society Fair.
Carr was a fair assistant; hence, she was asked by fair officials to check Muir’s exhibits to determine if they had merit!
Carr was impressed by Muir’s works, and hence, Muir got a diploma and a monetary award for his homemade thermometer and clocks!
Later, Muir became friends with Carr and her husband Ezra.
Death of John Muir
Aged 76, Muir died at California Hospital, Los Angeles, on December 24, 1914, of pneumonia⚰️.
He had been in Daggett, California, to see his daughter, Helen, when he died.
Summing up
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