Boyhood in Scotland
John Muir was born in Dunbar, Scotland, in a three-story stone building now preserved as a museum. He was the third of eight children of … See more

Preservation efforts
Establishing Yosemite National Park
Muir threw himself into the preservationist role with great vigor. He envisioned the Yosemite area and the Sierra as pristine lands. He thought the greatest threat to the Yosemite area … See more

Nature and theology
Muir believed that to discover truth, he must turn to what he believed were the most accurate … See more

In 1878, when he was nearing the age of 40, Muir's friends "pressured him to return to society". Soon after he returned to the Oakland area, he was introduced by Jeanne Carr to … See more

California
Experiencing Yosemite
Finally settling in San Francisco, Muir immediately left for a … See more

In his life, Muir published six volumes of writings, all describing explorations of natural settings. Four additional books were published posthumously. Several books were … See more

Muir died, aged 76, at California Hospital in Los Angeles on December 24, 1914, of pneumonia. He had been in Daggett, California, to see his daughter, Helen Muir Funk. His grandson, Ross Hanna, lived until 2014, when he died at age 91. See more