John Muir National Historic Site

Photo Copyright © 2001 Krista Kennell

The John Muir National Historic Site is located in Martinez, California, in the San Francisco Bay Area.

The Site preserves the Victorian residence and a part of the fruit ranch where the naturalist John Muir lived from 1890 to his death in 1914. While living in Martinez, Muir laid the foundations for the creation of the National Park Service in 1916. Visitors today can tour the home, see Muir's "scribble-den" where he wrote his campaigning conservation articles and books, and stroll the orchards.

The newly-added Mount Wanda area, 325 acres in size, historically owned by the Muir family, where Muir used to take frequent walks with his daughters, includes the John Muir Nature Trail, featuring spring wild flowers, abundant bird life, and scenic vistas of the Carquinez straits.

John Muir's gravesite was acquired by the National Park Service in 2000, but public visitation is awaiting repair work of damaged roadways and construction of parking spaces or a shuttle service.

Official National Park Service Websites

• Historic Site information from the National Park Service. This new in-depth website now features expanded visitor information, updates of programs and activities at the Site, a virtual tour, and a large quote collection. (Offsite link)
• Museum Collections at John Muir National Historic Site - National Park Service - photographs include portraits of Muir and his family, his Martinex ranch house and orchards, personal belongings, and specimens that he collected. (Offsite link)

Features of the Historic Site

• Description and Visitor Information
• Bookstore
  - operated by the Site's non-profit cooperating association, the Western National Parks Association (offsite link).
• Map of Grounds
• Map and Driving Directions to get there

Photos of the Historic Site

• Photo Gallery by Krista Kennell - 24 photos (2001)
• Other contemporary Photographs of the John Muir National Historic Site
• Historic Photographs of the John Muir National Historic Site

Historic Site Publications

• Chronology of Important Events in the Life of John Muir
• The Importance of John Muir
• 26 Most Often Asked Questions -
• Environmental Living Program - for classroom groups by advance registration
• Muir Ranger Fact Sheet - For children ages 8 - 12.
• The Martinez Adobe - Fact Sheet about the 1849 Land Grant structure located near the Muir House, on the grounds of the Historic Site.
• John Muir's Gravesite - Description and Photo.
• Wildflower List
• John Muir NHS Landscape Management Plan (off-site link)
• John Muir N.H.S. Self Guiding Tour Booklet - Detailed, step-by-step guide to the John Muir National Historic Site. Available for $1.00 from John Muir Bookstore.
• Rubbisow, Ariel, John Muir National Historic Site (Tucson, AZ: Southwest Parks and Monuments Association [now Western National Parks Association], 1990). 15 pp. $3.95. A brief, highly readable biographical sketch of Muir, with color photographs of his residence in Martinez, California, now a National Historic Site operated by the National Park Service. Available from John Muir Bookstore.
• Maruca, Mary, A Kid's Guide to Exploring John Muir National Historic Site (Tucson, AZ, Southwest Parks and Monuments Association, 2000). 14 pp., illustrated, paperback, $3.95. Multiple color photographs and graphics on each page enhance this beautiful little booklet. Despite the book's title, the book is primarily a very brief biography about John Muir, with just the last one-third emphasizing his fruit ranch home in Martinez. The author and designers did a great job of making Muir a friendly, human person of interest to kids. Available from John Muir Bookstore.

• The View From John Muir's Window (offsite link) , newsletter of the John Muir Memorial Association - News about programs and activities at John Muir National Historic Site (offsite link)

Capital Campaign Fund to Build a New Visitor and Education Center

• An Overview of the "Thank You, John Muir" Capital Campaign (offsite link)
• More details on the Capital Campaign Fund (offsite link)
• A visualization of the proposed Education and Visitor Center (offsite link)
• Capital Campaign Fund Pledge Form (offsite link)

Location and Contact information:

John Muir National Historic Site
4202 Alhambra Avenue,
Martinez, California 94553
925-228-8860
JOMU_Interpretation@nps.gov

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