John Muir Timeline

A more detailed year-by-year timeline can be found at Chronology of the Life and Legacy of John Muir.

  • April 21, 1838

    John Muir is born in Dunbar, Scotland.

  • 1841

    Began school at the age of three.

  • 1849

    Immigrated to Wisconsin at the age of 11.

  • 1860

    Left home (22 years of age) to exhibit his inventions at State Agriculture Fair in Madison, Wisconsin; brief jobs; enrolls at the University of Wisconsin.

  • 1861-62

    Attends University of Wisconsin for 2-1/2 years (5 tri-semesters), teaches school during the winter, forms friendship with the Carr's.

  • 1863

    Left the University; foot tour of Wisconsin, Iowa, Illinois, and Canada.

  • 1866

    Indianapolis, Indiana: Worked for manufacturer of carriage parts.

  • 1867

    Eye injury. Begins 1000 mile walk to Florida and then to Cuba.

  • 1868

    Voyage to California: landed in San Francisco, March 28, and walked across the valley; worked at ranch of Pat Delaney.

  • 1869

    Summer sheep herder in high Sierra; returned to live in Yosemite, to work for Hutchings, to operate saw mill; began exploration for signs of glaciers.

  • 1871

    Met Emerson in Yosemite.

  • 1872

    Began to publish articles in leading magazines.

  • 1873

    Continuous residence in Yosemite ended.

  • 1874

    Met the Strentzels in Alhambra Valley.

  • 1875

    Lived in Bay Area writing magazine articles; trips to mountains; Utah.

  • 1879

    Proposed to Louie Strentzel; First Alaska trip with S. Hall Young; discovery of Glacier Bay and Muir Glacier.

  • April 14, 1880

    Marriage of John Muir (42) and Louie Strentzel (33); Second trip to Alaska, adventure with Stickeen.

  • 1881

    John Swett bought ranch adjoining Muir holdings. Birth of Wanda Muir; railroad built; third trip to Alaska aboard the Corwin.

  • 1882

    Beginning of extensive ranching period.

  • 1882-1883

    Construction of mansion.

  • 1886

    Birth of Helen Muir

  • 1888

    Trip to Mt. Rainier. Editor and contributor of Picturesque California, two volumes

  • 1890

    Alaska trip to Muir Glacier; death of Dr. Strentzel; Muir family move to mansion

  • 1890

    Yosemite becomes a National Park.

  • 1892

    Founding of the Sierra Club. End of ranching career for John Muir

  • 1893

    Trip to Europe with William Keith

  • 1894

    Mountains of California published

  • 1898

    Death of Mrs. Strentzel

  • 1899

    Mt. Rainier National Park established; member of Harriman Alaska Expedition

  • 1901

    Our National Parks published.

  • 1903

    Theodore Roosevelt visits Yosemite.

  • 1904

    World tour

  • 1905

    Helen ill; visits Adamana, Arizona for recovery

  • August 6, 1906

    Death of Louie Strentzel Muir

  • 1906

    Petrified Forest becomes a national monument.

  • 1906

    San Francisco earthquake, repair of house, marriage of Wanda to Thomas Hanna

  • 1908

    Grand Canyon National Park established.

  • 1907-1913

    Fight to save Hetch Hetchy Valley

  • 1909

    Stickeen published

  • 1910

    Helen Muir marries Buel Funk.

  • 1911

    My First Summer in the Sierra published.

  • 1911-12

    Trip to South America and Africa.

  • 1912

    The Yosemite published.

  • 1913

    The Story of My Boyhood and Youth published.

  • December 24, 1914

    John Muir dies from pneumonia in a Los Angeles Hospital (age 76).

  • 1915

    A Thousand Mile Walk to the Gulf, Steep Trails, Travels in Alaska, and Cruise of The Corwin published.

  • 1916

    Congress creates National Park Service.

  • July 29, 1942

    Wanda Muir Hanna dies (age 61).

  • June 17, 1964

    Helen Muir Funk dies (age 78).

  • 1964

    John Muir House declared a National Historic Site , land acquisition completed in 1966.

  • 1982

    John Muir House is 100 years old.

  • 1988

    John Muir 150th Birthday year celebration.

  • 1989

    April 21st annually proclaimed John Muir Day by California Governor, bill 476.

  • 1992

    John Muir House is 110 years old.