John Muir
Despite the efforts of previous environmentalists like
Margaret Fuller and Ralph Waldo Emerson, in the late 1800s
America had no established laws to protect the environment.
John Muir, a botanist and nature lover, used his friendship
with President Theodore Roosevelt to help establish a
government agency to oversee national parks. How else did
John Muir influence America?
John Muir was one of America’s leading scientific figures in the late 1800s. Trained as a
botanist (a specialist in the study of plants), Muir traveled throughout the country before
settling down in California near what is now Yosemite National Park . There, he used his
knowledge of the earth’s natural processes and his love of nature’s beauty to argue for the
protection of the country’s natural resources. He became the nation’s most important
conservationist. He met and befriended President Theodore Roosevelt, who then used
Muir’s ideas to advocate for the establishment of a government agency to oversee national
parks.
Seen here sitting on a rock looking thoughtful, Muir was one of the earliest advocates for
federal protection of America’s natural beauty.
Unknown. (1902). [John Muir, full-length portrait, facing right, seated on rock with lake and trees in
background]. Library of Congress: Prints & Photographs.
Muir spent much of his early years as a writer, traveler, and activist in Yosemite
National Park, seen here.
Unknown. (n.d.) Yosemite National Park, Yosemite Valley, Yosemite National Park,
CA. Library of Congress: American Memory.
To help attract national attention to the issue of conservation, Muir published a variety of works
on nature. The Mountains of California, written about the Sierra Nevada mountain range, was
one of his most famous pieces.
Muir, J. (1894). The mountains of California, by John Muir. Library of Congress: American
Memory, "California as I Saw It": First-Person Narratives of California's Early Years, 1849-1900.
In this image, Muir stands next to President Teddy Roosevelt in Yosemite. Muir’s friendship
with the President helped further his cause; the President supported Muir’s ideas and
supported laws to protect the environment.
Underwood & Underwood. (c1906). Theodore Roosevelt and John Muir on Glacier Point, Yosemite
Valley, California. Library of Congress: American Memory, By Popular Demand: Portraits of the
Presidents and First Ladies, 1789-Present.
Muir’s efforts to protect areas of natural importance were successful. The Sierra Club, which
Muir founded, remains one of the nation’s leading environmental activist groups. Additionally,
Muir’s work of promoting conservation led to the creation of the National Parks Service,
created two years after Muir died. The forested area seen here was named “Muir Woods” in
honor of Muir.
Unknown. (n.d.). Muir Woods, path through tres, Muir Woods, CA. Library of Congress: American
Memory, American Landscape and Architectural Design, 1850-1920: a Study Collection from the
Harvard Graduate.