Timeline
April
21, 1838 John Muir is born in Dunbar,
Scotland.
1845 Enters Dunbar Grammar School, reads about natural history, becomes interested in America's wildlife.
1849 Muir's family emigrates to Wisconsin.
1861 Enrolls at the University of Wisconsin, studies geology with Dr. Ezra S. Carr.
1863 Botanical journey along Wisconsin River heading to the Mississippi.
1864 Muir is 26 when President Lincoln signs a bill giving Yosemite Valley and Mariposa Big Tree Grove as a state park to California.
1866 The Boston Recorder publishes Muir's first written piece: "The Calypso Borealis."
1867 Muir is temporarily blinded in a factory accident. At 29, he sets out on a 1000 mile walk to Florida and Cuba to study nature.
1868 Arrives in San Francisco, visits Yosemite.
1869 Summer in the Sierra Nevada Mountains, hikes and climbs glaciers.
1870 Gives tours of Yosemite and works at James M. Hutchings' sawmill.
1871 Ralph Waldo Emerson visits Muir in Yosemite. Muir’s first visit to Hetch
Hetchy Valley.
1872 Yellowstone becomes the first National Park.
1879 First trip to Alaska.
1880 Marries Louisa Strentzel.
1881 Daughter Wanda Muir is born.
1886 Daughter, Helen Muir is born.
1890 Yosemite becomes a National park.
1892 Co-founds the Sierra Club.
1893 At 55 travels along US East coast and Europe. Pushes for the establishment of Mount Rainier National Park.
1899 Mount Rainier National Park is established.
1901 San Francisco campaigns for a reservoir in Hetch Hetchy Valley. Theodore Roosevelt becomes president.
1903 At 65 Muir takes President Roosevelt on a 3-night camping trip through Yosemite.
1905 Louisa Strentzel dies.
1906 The Petrified Forest is made a National Monument by President Roosevelt.
1908 John Muir is now 70. President Roosevelt proclaims The Grand Canyon and Muir Woods National Monuments.
1911 At 73, travels to South America and Africa, studying wildlife
1913 At 75, he loses the battle of Hetch Hetchy Valley, which is dammed and made into a reservoir.
1914 John Muir is 76 when he dies on Christmas Eve of pneumonia.
1845 Enters Dunbar Grammar School, reads about natural history, becomes interested in America's wildlife.
1849 Muir's family emigrates to Wisconsin.
1861 Enrolls at the University of Wisconsin, studies geology with Dr. Ezra S. Carr.
1863 Botanical journey along Wisconsin River heading to the Mississippi.
1864 Muir is 26 when President Lincoln signs a bill giving Yosemite Valley and Mariposa Big Tree Grove as a state park to California.
1866 The Boston Recorder publishes Muir's first written piece: "The Calypso Borealis."
1867 Muir is temporarily blinded in a factory accident. At 29, he sets out on a 1000 mile walk to Florida and Cuba to study nature.
1868 Arrives in San Francisco, visits Yosemite.
1869 Summer in the Sierra Nevada Mountains, hikes and climbs glaciers.
1870 Gives tours of Yosemite and works at James M. Hutchings' sawmill.
1871 Ralph Waldo Emerson visits Muir in Yosemite. Muir’s first visit to Hetch
Hetchy Valley.
1872 Yellowstone becomes the first National Park.
1879 First trip to Alaska.
1880 Marries Louisa Strentzel.
1881 Daughter Wanda Muir is born.
1886 Daughter, Helen Muir is born.
1890 Yosemite becomes a National park.
1892 Co-founds the Sierra Club.
1893 At 55 travels along US East coast and Europe. Pushes for the establishment of Mount Rainier National Park.
1899 Mount Rainier National Park is established.
1901 San Francisco campaigns for a reservoir in Hetch Hetchy Valley. Theodore Roosevelt becomes president.
1903 At 65 Muir takes President Roosevelt on a 3-night camping trip through Yosemite.
1905 Louisa Strentzel dies.
1906 The Petrified Forest is made a National Monument by President Roosevelt.
1908 John Muir is now 70. President Roosevelt proclaims The Grand Canyon and Muir Woods National Monuments.
1911 At 73, travels to South America and Africa, studying wildlife
1913 At 75, he loses the battle of Hetch Hetchy Valley, which is dammed and made into a reservoir.
1914 John Muir is 76 when he dies on Christmas Eve of pneumonia.