John Muir National Historic Site Martinez CA preserves the home and part of the fruit ranch where naturalist John Muir lived his last 24 years. Guests can tour the house, including the “scribble den” where he wrote his influential conservation writings. Read on to learn more.
The 17-room Italianate Victorian was built by Muir’s father-in-law, and the site also includes a historic adobe.
The House
The National Park Service preserves the 14-room Victorian residence and part of the fruit ranch that John Muir owned from 1890 until his death in 1914. Visitors can tour the home on their own or take a ranger-led tour. The second floor “scribble den” is where Muir wrote many of his campaigning conservation articles and books.
Muir inherited the house from his father-in-law Dr. John Strentzel and spent the first decade there working on the family’s fruit ranch. But after a series of health problems, Muir decided to leave the ranching business behind and focus on his explorations of Alaska glaciers and travels around the world.
Muir was one of the most influential naturalists in United States history. He helped start the National Park Service and founded the Sierra Club. He was a man of many passions, but his greatest love was for nature and wilderness. His writings continue to inspire people today. His home in Martinez is a great place to learn about the father of our National Parks.
The Orchards
The park’s main site preserves the Victorian home of its namesake, as well as adjacent tracts of the family’s fruit ranch. John Muir managed the ranch from 1882 through 1887 until his wife Louie convinced him to give up farming and focus on his conservation work and travels.
Visitors today can tour the large Italianate house, see Muir’s belongings in his second-floor “scribble den,” and stroll through the orchards. The property also contains the Martinez Adobe, a California historic landmark that dates back to the same time as the Muir residence.
The National Park Service maintains one of the world’s largest museum collections of artifacts and archives related to John Muir. These resources are used to tell the story of Muir’s life, achievements, and legacy. The collection is accessible through onsite and offsite exhibitions. The site also plays a critical role in increasing understanding of Muir’s significance through educational programs and partnerships with institutions that contain similar holdings. This article is worth reading.
The Adobe
In the midst of freeways and suburban sprawl stands a historic property that is both impressive and well-preserved. The main site contains the house Muir lived in with his family, plus an adobe that was built for Vicente Martinez during the period when California was a Mexican Territory.
The main house is a beautiful Italianate Victorian that Muir made his home after marrying into the fruit-ranching Strentzel family in 1880. He retired from the ranching business to concentrate on his conservation efforts and writing. He is buried in the family cemetery a mile from the house.
You can tour the house, 14 rooms, and attic on your own or with a guide. You can even visit the desk in his “scribble den” where he composed many of his important writings. The grounds also contain the Martinez Adobe and Mount Wanda, a grassy and oak woodland named for one of his daughters.
The Gravesite
The park preserves a Victorian mansion Muir called home, plus a fruit ranch and 350 acres of oak woodland and grassland. It also has a gravesite.
Visitors can tour the house, wander the grounds, and climb to the top of Mount Wanda. The park has a free self-guided tour booklet that is simple to follow and offers lots of information.
In the 17-room Italianate-style Victorian, visitors can see many of the things Muir owned. They can also visit the Muir/Strentzel family exhibit and even ring the bell in the attic.
Muir and his wife Louisa were buried in a small family cemetery near the house. It’s a beautiful spot with a large manna gum eucalyptus, California bay laurel, and incense cedar tree that still thrive here. The only thing missing is the yew tree that was planted in honor of Muir’s Scottish heritage. The yew is often planted in churches and cemeteries in Britain as it is seen as a symbol of immortality. Discover more interesting articles.
Driving directions from Century Pyramid to John Muir National Historic Site
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