This week as we celebrate Earth Week, The American-Scottish Foundation® spotlights naturalist and conservationist, John Muir. Today, April 21 is John Muir’s birthday. Muir was born in Dunbar, Scotland, in 1838, his family moving to the US when he was 11 years old and settling in Wisconsin.Muir through his writings influenced so many resulting in him often being called the Father of the National Park Service National Parks system. Muir fought to protect the wild places he loved. Through his writings he convinced the U.S. government to protect and give us Yosemite National Park Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, Grand Canyon National Park and Mt. Rainier National Park (Washington State) ASF had been touring a photographic exhibit of John Muir by Scottish photographer Ken Patterson “In The Footsteps of John Muir”, a series of photographs taken both in the US and Scotland reflecting the land Muir loved so much.
The exhibit has been on view in the US and Scotland, being on show in many The National Parks locations including John Muir National Historic Site, in Martinez, CA, Federal Hall National Memorial, New York, Erie Canal Museum and Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library and Museum, Hyde Park, We hope to resume sharing the exhibit once again with everyone.
In 2014 The John Muir Way was opened in Scotland – a coast to coast “trail” a 134 mile to cycle or walk, from Dunbar to Helensburgh on the west coast.