William and Maymie Kimes

The Kimes made John Muir a life-time study. They spent decades tracking down Muir in libraries, bookstores, and antique-stores. They followed his footsteps climbing mountains in the High Sierra, and around the world.

William Kimes authored many articles about Muir, including conference proceedings such as the 1975 "John Muir's Dunbar" in John Muir: Life and Legacy (Stockton, CA: California Historian, 1975.

Maymie Kimes received the University of the Pacific's "John Muir Award" in 2001.

The Kimes Collection of John Muir, containing thousands of materials by or about Muir, purchased by the John Muir Memorial Association. and then donated to the John Muir National Historic Site. The Collection includes books, magazine articles, newspaper clippings, posters, letters, and photographs. Some items are inscribed by Muir. Selected items from the Collection are periodically featured in special displays at the Muir Home. The collection includes: 112 books by John Muir 353 books by other authors 587 magazines and articles, 54 clippings and flyers, 17 postcards, numerous photographs, 40 posters, 79 pamphlets & booklets, 422 original and copies of letters, Miniature books, 13 anthologies, 1 outline of Muir's feet, 40 books from Muir's library, 237 Sierra Cub publications, 11 Maps, and several Textbooks. See Slideshare of Kimes Collection of John Muir,

Authors: "Ryozo Azuma, the John Muir of Japan" by William and Maymie Kimes, Sierra, July-August, 1979.

The Kimes are credited with reviving interest in John Muir in his birthplace of Scotland. When the Kimes visited Dunbar, Scotland, in the early 1970's, the townspeople there knew very little about their native son. The Kimes helped to bring awareness to the community, donating books and paintings, and encouraging the establishment of the John Muir Country Park and the birthplace museum in Dunbar.

The Kimes' greatest achievement was as authors of John Muir: A Reading Bibliography, which identified and described all of John Muir's writings from his first article in a Boston newspaper to current-day publications. The organization of this master-work is now used to catalog the John Muir Papers held at the University of the Pacific.