William E. Colby
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1875-1964 |
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- William E.
Colby was an attorney who specialized in mining and water law.
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- He joined the
Sierra Club 1898, was its third president (after John Muir and
Joseph N. LeConte), and served as its secretary from 1900 to 1946.
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- In 1898, just out of law school, he served as the Club's representative
at the Yosemite Valley's first visitor and information center at Adolph
Sinning's Cottage, a precursor to the Club's
LeConte
Memorial Lodge.
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- Colby served for 9 years as chairman and member of the California
State Parks Commission, helping to launch the world-renowned California
State Park System, the first in the nation.
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- "The
Story of the Sierra Club" by William Colby (offsite link) was
first writen in 1947 and reprinted in the 1961 edition of the Sierra
Club Handbook.
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- He received
the Sierra Club's first "John Muir Award," the
Club's highest honor for conservation, in 1961.
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- Later, a Sierra Club award in his name was
established for significant contributions to the Sierra Club itself,
and the Sierra Club's Colby Library was named in his honor.
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Photo of William E. Colby by Cedric Wright. courtesy
of Colby
Library;
all rights reserved.
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