Profile of the Day: John Muir

John Muir

This Earth Day, we highlight the profile of naturalist and advocate John Muir, who was instrumental in preserving the wilderness of the United States.

Muir was born on April 21, 1838 in Dunbar, Scotland and immigrated with his family to the United States when he was eleven years old. The family settled in Wisconsin, where Muir developed a fascination and wonder for the natural world.

Muir devoted much of his later life to the preservation of the country’s Western forests. He petitioned the U.S. Congress to pass the National Parks bill, which would establish Yosemite National Park. He wrote many books and essays detailing his adventures and experiences in nature that would be read by millions. It was his ability to describe his love and enthusiasm for the wilderness that inspired and rallied the public to help preserve the nation’s wilderness. He also co-founded the Sierra Club, one of the most prominent American conservation organizations, and today, he is often referred to as the “Father of the National Parks.”

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Image: Library of Congress