John Muir's Birthplace

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Content updated Mon, 01 Feb 1999 00:45:20 GMT

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Birthplace Appeal Leaflet

Local Traders' Appeal Letter

150 years ago, who cared about the natural environment?

The 10 year old boy from Dunbar who became the founding father of world conservation.

Earliest known photograph of Dunbar Castle

When I was a boy in Scotland I was fond of everything that was wild ... I loved to wander in the fields to hear the birds sing, and along the shore to gaze and wonder at the shells and the seaweeds, eels and crabs in the pools when the tide was low; and best of all to watch the waves in awful storms thundering on the black headlands and craggy ruins of old Dunbar Castle.

John Muir 1838 - 1914

Statue depicting John Muir as a boy

John Muir was born in Dunbar on April 21st 1838. As a child he developed a deep love of the natural world around his home.

In 1849 the Muir family emigrated to the United States, and began the hard work of making a farm. Self-taught, John won a place at university and began to explore the wilderness areas of America.

Through his writing and the force of his personality he won support for his ideas of conserving wild places for their own sake. He helped found the Sierra Club in 1892 to campaign for the preservation of natural environments. His legacy lives on in the National Parks of the world and in the greater awareness of the importance of wild places.

Visionary: The Message Today

John Muir's life and work has inspired conservationists the world over, yet he is still largely unknown in his own country. His boyhood in Dunbar gave John Muir the love of wild landscapes that was to stay with him for the rest of his life and inspire all his future work. Telling the story of the man and his vision in the town where he was born will inspire future generations to share his vision and learn more about conservation. The establishment of an interpretation centre at 128 High Street Dunbar will allow us to tell the story to a wide range of visitors from a unique location: the birthplace of John Muir.

John Muir's birthplace 128 High Street Dunbar

Inspiration: Investing in Our Future

The newly established John Muir Birthplace Trust now needs to secure the purchase of 128 High Street Dunbar to transform the building into an interpretation centre. Using modern interactive technology, the story of John Muir's life and his pioneering work as an environmentalist, geologist and botanist will be told. The legacy of his contribution to the modern conservation movement will encourage all visitors to share his vision and look to the future of our planet.

Conservation: A Partnership Project

The Trust needs to raise funds to buy the property at 128 High Street Dunbar to transform John Muir's childhood home into a permanent focus for the life and work of this Scottish-born hero. Donations of £10 and over for this exciting initiative will be recognised in a commemorative plaque to be mounted on the site as an integral part of the display. £90,000 was needed to buy the property before the option to buy ran out at the end of January 1999 and now further funds are needed for its transformation: please sign up today and secure the John Muir House for the enjoyment of future generations.

John Muir Birthplace Trust

I would like to become a Founding Sponsor of the John Muir Birthplace Trust.

Please find enclosed a cheque payable to John Muir Birthplace Trust for

[ ] £10
[ ] £25
[ ] £50
[ ] £100
[ ] Other (please state amount)

[ ] I am interested in paying by covenant or gift aid
    and would like information on this.

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Please return to:

Birthplace Appeal
John Muir Birthplace Trust
128 High Street
Dunbar
East Lothian
Scotland
EH42 1JJ

The John Muir Birthplace Trust has been formed by Dunbar's John Muir Association, Dunbar Community Council, East Lothian Council and the John Muir Trust to purchase John Muir's birthplace and transform it into an interpretative centre on John Muir's life and work - and the importance of his work to the world today.