John Muir's Birthplace

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Content updated Mon, 19 Jul 1999 19:44:24 GMT

An Infinite Storm of Beauty... [home]

Someone Else's Hero

Scottish Origins and Emigration

Self-Taught from the Great Book of Nature

Why is John Muir's name scattered across the map of America?

Throughout the United States, John Muir is regarded as the Father of the America's National Parks. The significance of his enduring legacy is reflected in the fact that his adopted country has named over 200 sites in his honour, including:

• Muir Glacier, Mount Muir, Muir Inlet and Muir Point in Glacier Bay National Park, Alaska.
• Muir Woods and Muir Beach, north of San Francisco's Golden Gate.
• The John Muir Wilderness, and the 212 mile John Muir Trail in the High Sierra.
• Muir Sequoia Grove, Muir Lake, Mount Muir and Muir Pass in Sequoia National Park.
• The John Muir Memorial Park at Marquette County, Wisconsin.
• The John Muir Center for Regional Studies, University of the Pacific at Stockton.
• More than 100 American schools.
• A long list of American hospitals, medical centrs and libraries.

In 1964 the United States Congress designated Muir's Martinez home The John Muir National Historic Site, in recognition of his advocacy of America's natural heritage. It is just one of the 340 historic sites and parks, encompassing 80 million acres of wild land cared for by the National Park Service, which Muir helped to create.