John Muir

John Muir research papers discuss one of the greatest naturalists and philosophers in American history. Have Paper Masters custom write research on any of his accomplishments or his philosophy regarding the importance of preserving nature.

John Muir (1838-1914) was an American naturalist, one of the earliest advocates for the conservation of wilderness areas in the United States.

• John Muir was founder of the Sierra Club.
• Helped preserve both Yosemite Valley and Sequoia National Park.
• Many nature reserves, including Muir Woods, Muir Beach, and the Muir Glacier have been named in his honor.

Muir's Early Years

John Muir was born in Scotland, and migrated to America with his family when he was eleven. They settled in Wisconsin, where Muir enrolled in the University of Wisconsin-Madison at the age of 22. It was there he first encountered botany. In 1867, Muir walked one thousand miles from Indiana to Florida, by the wildest route possible. From Florida, Muir traveled to Cuba, before eventually settling in San Francisco.

Having relocated to California, Muir traveled to Yosemite, where he built a small cabin along the Yosemite Creek. In the 1880s, he made four trips to the Alaskan Wilderness, where he studied glaciers. By 1890, Muir was nationally known conservationist and was instrumental in encouraging Congress to establish Yosemite National Park.

In 1892, he co-founded the Sierra Club, and soon came up with the idea of creating National Forests. When Theodore Roosevelt became President in 1901, Muir found a willing partner within the government dedicated to the conservation of America's national resources.