In March 1867 while working as an industrial engineer he suffered an accident that would change his life. A tool he was using slipped and struck him in the eye. His doctor confined him to a darkened room for the next six months and John didn't know if he would ever to see again.
When he regained his sight he determined that from then on he would be true to himself and fulfill his dream of exploration and the identification of plants.
In September he walked 1000 miles from Indiana to Florida. From there he sailed to New York and then on to California. When he arrived in California in 1868 he took a one-week trip to Yosemite. That one week influenced the rest of his life.
John moved to Yosemite. He designed a water-powered sawmill that he used to cut wind-felled trees and built a cabin on Yosemite Creek. He designed the cabin to allow the creek to flow through one corner so he could enjoy the sound of running water.
John believed that Yosemite was such a special place that it had to be saved from over-grazing and commercialization. He began a long and arduous quest that resulted in Yosemite being named a National Park on October 1, 1890. However, control of the Yosemite Valley remained in State hands until transferred to the Park in 1905.
One of the key factors for this transfer was a tour of the park John gave to President Theodore Roosevelt in 1903. They traveled mostly by themselves and camped in the back country. They talked late into the night and awoke in the morning covered by a dusting of snow. That tour made an impact on the President who helped make John's dream a reality.
John Muir dedicated his life to the preservation of forest areas and has been called the "patron saint" of the American Wilderness. During his life he published over 300 articles and 12 books.
Of course as my wife Bonnie will tell you, my favorite John Muir quote is "The Mountains are calling and I must go".
A Splash of Color |
