The other day I zipped over to see the John Muir House which is an historic site not too far from where I live, and it is where John Muir and his wife Louisa lived until his death in 1914. The mansion was built in 1883 by Dr. John Strentzel, Muir’s father-in-law, with whom Muir went into partnership, managing his 2,600-acre (1,100 ha) fruit ranch. Why I’ve never been there is beyond me. It’s a self-guided free tour and you can even go inside the house. I’m definitely bringing my wide angle lens next time I go.
For those of you unfamiliar with John Muir, he was a Scottish-American naturalist, author, environmental philosopher and early advocate of preservation of wilderness in the United States. His letters, essays, and books telling of his adventures in nature, especially in the Sierra Nevada mountains of California, have been read by millions. His activism helped to preserve the Yosemite Valley, Sequoia National Park and other wilderness areas. The Sierra Club, which he founded, is a prominent American conservation organization. The 211-mile (340 km) John Muir Trail, a hiking trail in the Sierra Nevada, was named in his honor. Other such places include Muir Woods National Monument, Muir Beach, John Muir College, Mount Muir, Camp Muir and Muir Glacier. In Scotland, the John Muir Way, a 130 mile long distance route, was named in honor of him.
I wished I had more time. Perhaps sometime soon I’ll go again so I can get more pictures. I actually posted a picture of a landscape the other day which was taken right outside the mansion. You can see that here.
John Muir House
Laura Macky Photography 