Places and Schools Named After John Muir

For an updated collection of Places Named for John Muir, or which he visited see the John Muir Global Network Global Muir page.

Canada

General: Canada on John Muir Global Network
Ontario

Bruce Trail
- John Muir Historical Plaque, Epping Point, near Meaford.
Meaford - John Muir lived in Meaford 150 years ago - the Meaford Museum includes information about Muir's youthful stay there for two years.

Scotland

General: Scotland on John Muir Global Network
John Muir Way - The John Muir Way stretches 134 miles or 215 km across Scotland's heartland, running between Helensburgh in the west through to Dunbar on the east coast and Muir's birthplace. It is a walking and cycling path, that can also be ridden in parts by horseback. Opened in 2014, the centenary of John Muir's death, the John Muir Way encourages Scots to engage with nature on their doorstep and to awaken interest and respect for John Muir's philosophy across Scotland.
Dunbar

Photo Essay of John Muir's Dunbar (20 photos with text) from BBC.
Text Essay of John Muir's Dunbar (Discover how John Muir's life and legacy were shaped by his boyhood in East Lothian, Scotland, in this illustrated essay from the BBC.
Muir's View - a putting green located on the Winterfield Golf Course, overlooking the beach at Belhaven Bay which is part of the John Muir Country Park.
John Muir Country Park - The Park is a coastline area of land of 1,667 acres set aside for the conservation of nature and for people to freely enjoy the beautiful coastline. The Park begins at the Dunbar Castle where Muir played as a child, and extends northward. The park was approved in 1976 and was the first of its kind in Scotland.
John Muir Birthplace Re-Opens (August, 2003)
Friends of John Muir's Birthplace - A new interpretive center has been developed by the John Muir Birthplace Trust. (offsite links)
A series of street names in the former Lochend Estate to the south of the town are named for Muir: John Muir Crescent, John Muir Gardens, John Muir Place, John Muir Road, and John Muir Way. David Anderson, a Dunbar resident writes: "All of the streets in this residential development of approximately 500 new homes (2002-2003) will be named after notable Dunbar people (mind you, some are only notable to us). A large woodland associated with the old estate will be preserved for community use and will be managed for the benefit of wildlife."
Discover Dunbar - Official Website

Edinburgh
- John Muir Building - at The University of Edinburgh
- John Muir Building - at Heriot-Watt University, housing programs in Biology, Marine Science and Environmental Management, Sport and Exercise Science, and the International Centre for Brewing and Distilling (ICBD)
- Engraved John Muir Quote at Scottish Parliament Building
- Makar's Court - engraved flagstone with John Muir quote - installed in 2014 at the Edinburgh Writer's Museum. On Tuesday 29th April 2014 John Muir, became the thirty-eighth Scot to be commemorated at Makars' Court with the unveiling of an inscribed flagstone. The flagstone, which has been sponsored by the John Muir Birthplace Trust, bears the inscription: John Muir (1838 –1914) "I care only to entice people to look at Nature’s loveliness." (from The Life and Letters of John Muir by William Frederic Bade, Volume 11, Chapter XI On Widening Currents 1873-1875. Letter to Mrs Carr from John Muir, Yosemite Valley, 7 October 1874).
- John Muir Grove - in the Royal Botanic Garden, Edinburgh. A popular venue for weddings, the grove feature California Redwoods over 24 meters in height that were planted in the 1920s, as well as rhododendrons. John Muir quotes are sometimes featured in exhibitions elsewhere in the Garden.
Glasgow - John Muir Room and four stained-glass panels, created by the artist John K Clark, includied a glass quotation from Muir, was unveiled on April 29, 2008 at Oran Mor, a popular bar, restaurant and entertainment events venue located in a historic converted church in west Glasgow.
Haddington - John Muir House - East Lothian Council (local government) headquarters (click on link to view photo)

United States of America

Alaska
- Glacier Bay National Park
  - John Muir Cabin - Tongass National Forest
  - Muir Glacier - Named about 1880 for John Muir, 1834-1918, the American naturalist and conservationist who discovered this glacier on his 1879 trip to Alaska. In Glacier Bay National Monument, heads about 9 mi. S of Mount Harris, trends SE to Muir Inlet, 6 mi. NW of Westdahl Point and 77 mi. NW of Hoonah, St. Elias Mts.
    - Painting by Thomas Hill
      
      Original owned by John Muir, used on the cover of Muir's book Travels in Alaska
    - Painting by Francis C.M. Davis
      
      .
      Oil. 1940. Alaska State Museum. Juneau, Alaska. Photographed by Stephen R. Larson. (file size = 19 kilobytes)
    - Muir Glacier - Historic postcard view
  - Muir Inlet
  - Muir Point- The USGS reports (via Orth) that Camp Muir was named in 1890 by Reid (1892, p. 21). "On July 1st the George W. Elder cast anchor in Muir Inlet, not far from the glacier, and landed our instruments, tents, personal baggage, and provisions on the eastern shore. We found Professor Muir and Mr. Loomis encamped there * * *. This was our base-camp, and, in honor of Professor Muir we named it Camp Muir." The point of land was named for the camp. Located at mouth of Adams Inlet, on Muir Inlet, in Glacier Bay National Monument, 2 mi. SSW of Point George, 55 mi. NW of Hoonah; St. Elias Mts.
  - Mount Muir- The USGS states that this was a name reported in 1908 by Grant and Higgins (1910, pl. 2) U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). Probably named for John Muir. Located NW of Harriman Fiord, 8 mi. NW of Point Doran and 50 mi. E of Anchorage, Chugach Mts. Officially designated by the U.S. Board on Geographic Names on January 1, 1948.
- Ketchikan
California
- General: California on John Muir Global Network
- Anaheim
  - Disney California Adventure Theme Park
    - Grizzly Peak Airfield - officially opened May 15, 2015
      - Mt. Muir Lookout
      - Sign with Muir quote: "Come to the woods, for here is rest."
      - Sign with Muir quote: "In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks."
- Berkeley
  - John Muir School
    - General Information - The school is located in a historic 1916 Tudor-style building , and sits nestled among redwood trees, a large grassy field, native plants, flourishing vegetable gardens, and a burbling creek. As of 7 January 2022, the school's official website, and its independent PTA website states: "The John Muir community is proud of and connected to their school's namesake and to the natural beauty of their environment." However, Berkeley School Disrtrict, like many others, are re-considering names of historic figures in its schools. It recently changed the name of its Washington and Jefferson schools. The former Jefferson schoool is now the Ruth Acty School, named for the first teacher of color in ?Berkeley Unified School District?. The Washington School will be renamed in the near future, currrently targeted for March, 2022. Will Berkeley school officials re-name Muir elementary school as well?
    - John Muir School PTA
    - City of Berkeley Landmark designated in 1983. (off-site link).
- Burbank
  - John Muir Middle School (offsite link)
    - This school has some wonderful murals depicting John Muir and Yosemite in an outdoor pavilion. In addition there are TWO mural portraits of John Muir in its Hall of Heroes (off-site link)
    - This school has students who co-wrote with John Muir a John Muir song - Rainbow Dust.
- Chico
  - John Muir Luminary Art Bench - see our sculpture page.
- Coarsegold
  - John Muir Court
  - John Muir Drive
- Coulterville
  - John Muir Highway - The John Muir Highway was established to honor the legendary naturalist John Muir by developing visitor sites along the County Road J132 route of Muir’s 1868 walk to Yosemite from San Francisco.
  - John Muir Geotourism Center - Educational organization, growing out of the John Muir Highway project, promoting exploring, learning, sharing, and preserving the natural environment for mental, spiritual and physical development, as exemplified in John Muir's life.
- Corcoran
  - John Muir Middle School (offsite link)
- Cupertino
  - John Muir Elementary School , Cupertino Union School District
- Elk Grove
  - John Muir Ct.
- Fontana
  - Muir Street (in Village of Heritage)
- Fresno (City)
  - John Muir Elementary School (offsite link)
  - John Muir CCC Charter School (offsite link)
- Fresno County
  - Kings Canyon National Park
- Glendale
- Groveland
- Hayward
- Idyllwild
- La Jolla
- Lake Arrowhead
- Lodi
- Lone Pine
- Long Beach
- Los Angeles (city)
- Los Angeles County
- Mammoth Lakes
- Marin County
- Mariposa County
- Martinez
- Merced
- Mill Valley
  - Muir Woods Rd.
- Modesto
- Mountain View
  - Muir Drive
- Napa
- Newark
- Oakland
- Pasadena
- Pleasant Hill
- Riverside
- Sacramento
- San Bernardino
  - Muir Mountain Way (street)
- San Bruno
- San Diego
- San Francisco
- San Jose
- San Leandro
- Santa Ana
- Santa Monica
- Sebastopol
- Sierra Nevada
- Siskiyou County
- Sonora
- Stockton
- Sugar Pine
- Tuolumne County
- Tulare County
- Walnut Creek
Connecticut
- Paugnut State Forest (offsite link)
  - John Muir Trail - Map (pdf) - A 2.1 mile trail which passes through the main section of Paugnut State Forest (near Torrington) connecting Burr Pond State Park with Sunnybrook State Park. Two trail heads exist, shown on the map. See also article Connecticut's Own John Muir Trail by Rob McWilliams from the Shelton Herald newspaper dated January 19, 2016 (accessed 1-20-16). (offsite link), duplicated with additional photos at The Hour - McWilliams Takes a Hike: Admiring the John Muir trail Paugnut State Forest (January 20, 2016) (accessed 1-21-16).
Florida
- General: See John Muir in Florida by John Muir Global Network.
- Due to the numerous resources on Muir in Florida, please see the updated website above.
Idaho
- Island Park, Harriman State Park
  - John Muir ADA (American Disabilities Act) Compliant Interpretive Trail and fishing platform - -a three-quarter-mile loop trail inspired by John Muir's August 1913 "Island Park" journal, and named after revered naturalist John Muir who had been a guest of the Harriman family at Harriman's vacation home near Island Park, ID, now a state park.

Illinois
- Hoffman Estates
  - John Muir Literacy Academy (formerly John Muir Elementary School)
Kentucky

John Muir Highway - Highway 90 starts in Cave City, KY, and goes 35 miles to Burksville, KY.
Hart County
- Munfordville
  - John Muir and Robert Munford Historical Plaque erected by the Munfordville Tourism Commission. Tells the story of Johh Muir meeting the founder of Munfordville, Robert Munford, a surveyor and bee-keeper on September 5, 1867, as told in Muir's book A Thousand Mile Walk to the Gulf.
Wolfe County
- Muir Valley - a privately owned nature preserve and rock climbing area in the Red River Gorge area of Kentucky. The Valley is approximately 400 acres in size and walled in by over seven miles of majestic cliffs of hard Corbin Sandstone. The owners, Rick & Liz Weber, chose the name, "Muir Valley", to honor the memory of John Muir. They write:
  "John Muir is revered as the "Father of the National Parks." His reputation as a conservationist has overshadowed his achievements as a rock climber. The climbing community recognizes him as the greatest climber in America during the last quarter of the nineteenth century, in terms of first ascents and technical skills. His achievements are especially impressive in view of the fact that he free soloed his climbs and did so without the benefit of modern climbing equipment.
  Muir discovered that climbing rock provided him with an enchanting perspective of the natural beauty around him that viewing from the ground could not. Many of us who climb have been fortunate to make this same discovery. We believe, as John Muir did, that responsible rock climbing in places of natural beauty is altogether fitting and proper.
  
  In 1890, when Yosemite Valley was set aside as a national park, solely due to Muir’s efforts, the land was scarred by logging trails and tree stumps. With much work and the natural healing effects of time, Yosemite has grown into a wondrous place for all lovers of nature — flatlanders and rock climbers alike. On a much smaller scale, we are faced with similar challenges and hold hopes that this little Kentucky valley, with its waterfalls, caves, and breathtaking cliffs will grow into a place that old Muir would have enjoyed
  climbing in and sauntering through."

New York
- Amherst (Buffalo suburb)
  - John Muir Drive
- Bronx, New York City
  - John Muir Nature Trail - a feature of Van Cortlandt Park. Begun in 1997, the trail passes through forests, with 100 foot trees, wetlands with frogs and salamanders, and grasslands filled with songbirds. Located on Van Cortlandt Park's north side, John Muir Trail's 4-mile out-and-back winds through the Northwest Forest before crossing over to the park's east side and into the Croton Woods.
North Carolina
- Greensboro
Ohio
- Parma
  - John Muir Elementary School
Oregon
- Ashland - John Muir Outdoor School - First opened in the fall of 2006, the John Muir Outdoor School was intended as ascience and art magnet school serving children in kindergarten through eighth grade. On November 8, 2021, after months of controversy, the school board voted to abandon the name "John Muir," as a result of a widespread re-assessment of many historical figures, including John Muir, taking place on a national basis since 2020. One student has since commented, "They never made John Muir their backing up of all their beliefs about the outdoors," which perhaps explains why it was easy for the school authorities to abandon nuance and proportional assessment of historical figures' lives, instead of incorporating Muir's inspring life and writings as foundational to the school's curriculum to promote environmental awareness as we recommend in the Educational Resources available on this site.
- Prospect
  - Prospect Hotel, John Muir Room. The proprietors note: "John Muir, the famed wilderness explorer and conservationist, is best known as a founder of the Sierra Club. His support of William Steel to propose a National Park for Crater Lake inspired him to write "The trees and their lovers will sing their praises, and generations yet unborn will rise up and call them blessed." The John Muir Room is on the third floor and features a full size bed, handmade quilt, private bath and phone.
Tennessee
- Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area (Scott County)
  - John Muir Trail - thowever, some sections are also known by other names such as: O&W Trail, Angel Falls Overlook, etc. The John Muir Overlook is a spectacular overlook along the John Muir Trail, overlooking No Business Creek in the Big South Fork National River & Recreation Area. Saame trail is listed below.
- Cherokee National Forest (Polk County)
Texas
- Colleyville
  - According to press reports, a subdivision adjacent to Whittier Heights in Colleyville, Texas (a suburb of Fort Worth), has a street named after John Muir and other streets named after other naturalists and conservationists.
Washington, D.C.
- John Muir Inducted on the Extra Mile Volunteer Pathway (April 22, 2009)
  - John Muir 1838-1914 The Extra Mile - Points of Light Volunteer Pathway - Read the inscription and see more photographs of this marker on the Historical Marker Database.
  - Muir as Honoree on The Extra Mile Volunteer Pathway in Washington, D.C. (off-site link)
- "John Muir Room" at the office of the U.s. Department of the Interior, 1800 C Street, - a conference room with a capacity for up to 25 persons. See: https://www.doi.gov/ofas/asd/events
- The Smithsonian's National Portrait Gallery - Features at least three portraits of John Muir and a bust (not including items for which no online illustration is available):
  - Platinum Print of John Muir by William Dassonville, circa. 1910 - part of the Smithsonian's "Faces of the Frontier" - Photographic Portraits of the American West (1845-1924)
  - John Muir by Orlando Rouland, 1917. (off-site link) [or see our image of Rouland's painting of John Muir - part of the Smithsonian's National Portrait Gallery Collection. On view at National Portrait Gallery, South Gallery 322. For a full description of this painting, see Portrait of a Prophet: Orlando Rouland's John Muir, 1917 from the National Portrait Gallery's blog "Face to Face."
  - Charcoal Drawing of John Muir by Garnet W. Jex (undated) - National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution; transfer from the National Museum of Natural History.
  - Bronze Sculpture Bust of John Muir by Edwin Keith Harkness - National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution; transfer from the National Gallery of Art.
- The Smithsonian's National Postal Museum
  - From June 9, 2016 - March 25, 2018, the National Postal Museum is offering an exhibition named Trailblazing: 100 Years of Our National Parks, which includes: original John Muir Stamp Art from the 1998 Celebrate the Century Issue (off-site link -if that is unavailable, choose on-site link) on loan from the United States Postal Service, Postmaster General's Collection. This stamp art is unique in that it just shows Muir with background of Yosemite, without the postal service postage markings.
Washington State
- Kirkland
  - John Muir Elementary School, a public school in the Lake Washington School District. The school website which includes a portrait of Muir on their "About Us" page, notes, "The school was built in 1970 and is named after John Muir, the famous naturalist, writer, conservationist, and founder of the Sierra Club. Muir was active in creating the National Parks along with 26th President Teddy Roosevelt. John Muir's work is as relevant today as it was over 100 years ago when he dedicated his work and life to preserving nature and the environment. The school's shared spaces are named after National Parks. Construction of a new school began in 2010 and was built "green" reflecting the beliefs of the naturalist John Muir." The site quotes Muir: "Let children walk with nature...as taught in woods and meadows, plains and mountains and streams of our blessed star..." Their "Academics" page quotes Muir (who himself was re-quoting earlier writers) "The power of imagination makes us infinite," and their "Library" page quotes what is perhaps his most valuable statement of ecological consciousness: "When we try to pick out anything by itself, we find it hitched to everything else in the universe."
- Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest
- Mount Rainier National Park
  - Camp Muir (off-site link to Wikipedia). Once known as "Cloud Camp," it was re-named for naturalist John Muir after his ascent to the summit in 1888. Outdoor lore has it that during his party's climb, he suggested it as a good spot to camp in the mistaken belief that it would provide shelter from the wind. Following his visit, Muir went on to play a major role in the campaign to establish Mount Rainier as a national park.
- Seattle
  - John Muir Elementary School (K-5) - A 2002 book by the Seattle Public Schools on the histories of its schools commented, "Probably no group in the city holds the name of their school in higher esteem than do all connected with John Muir; the name, life and character of John Muir being honored and beloved, and a constant inspiration to pupils." Originally opened in 1910 under a series of other names, "in 1921, Principal Jessie Lockwood was asked to select a new name for the school. She chose to honor Scottish-born naturalist John Muir, who founded the Sierra Club in 1892 and was instrumental in establishing Yellowstone National Park and the National Park Service. Part of her motivation for selecting Muir was the hope that students would develop a love of nature and a desire to conserve natural beauty." Indeed, in 1925, the Pupils of the John Muir School published The John Muir Book, filled with photos and a "Pageant" composition containing many Muir quotes, and including a foreword by S. Hall Young. In the Introduction, Principal Lockwood stated, "John Muir was selected as the name for our school because it is the name of a man who was the embodiment of the spirit of nature of our great West, because of his service to his fellow man, because of his pure and high ideals, and because his name typifies those qualities of character which we can hold before our boys and girls as desirable."
    Later, in 1938, in commemoration of the Hundredth Anniversary of the Birth of John Muir, The Pupils of the John Muir School published John Muir: A Pictorial Biography, in a limited edition of 300 copies. This book is filled with full-page photographs depicting Muir, his family, his friends, his sketches, and many places he visited, accompanied by quotations or passages from Muir and others. The students expressed their goal this way: "In publishing this book we hope to help establish John Muir in the hearts of all people as one who gave his life to the preservation of our forests and wildlife." As noted in the entry for Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest, on June 1, 1935, the John Muir School, Seattle Washington, dedicated a bit of natural forest preserved under their auspices and named the "John Muir School Grove" in Snoqualmie National Forest near the Dulles Campground on the Mather Memorial Highway with a large wooden sign and a bronze plaque reading "America's Forests - the Glory of the World" - John Muir. Dedicated to The Great Western Nature Lover by the John Muir School, Seattle, June 1, 1935."
Wisconsin

Solar System - Universe

Minor Planet Named for John Muir (2006) - This 1-mile diameter celestial body, now named "Johnmuir" is Solar System object number 2004PX42. It was named by its discoverer, amateur astronomer R.E. Jones, in honor of our pioneer conservationist. Seems appropriate for someone who gave his address as "Earth-Planet, Universe."

There are many places, including schools and streets, named after John Muir. If you know of any not listed here, please let us know so we may add them to the list. E-mail me at harold.wood@sierraclub.org

Updated February 23, 2022

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