John Muir National Historic Site to Be Expanded

Ken Burns, in his 12-hour 2009 documentary, called the National Parks "America's Best Idea." And while the country's National Park Service has many different parties responsible for its existence -- artist George Catlin, who came up with the idea; Ferdinand V. Hayden, who petitioned Congress to designate Yellowstone as the first national park; Teddy Roosevelt, who used his power to expand the system -- no one quite gets the credit quite like naturalist author John Muir.

Born in Scotland in 1838, Muir's family moved to America in 1849. In 1867, he embarked on a 1,000-mile walk from Indiana to Florida, which began his love affair with nature. He moved to San Francisco, founded the famed Sierra Club, and began working to conserve the country's lush natural landscape. His achievements include lobbying successfully for the creation of Yosemite, Sequoia, Mount Rainier, and Grand Canyon National Parks.

In 1890, he moved into a 14-room Victorian mansion in Martinez, California in the San Francisco Bay Area. He lived there until his death in 1914. In 1964, the site became a National Historic Site.

And now, because of legislation backed by U.S. Senator Barbara Boxer and Congressman Mark DeSaulnier, the John Muir Historic Site will soon encompass an additional 44 acres of public land. While details are still murky as to how the land will be used ("improve access to the park" and "provide more for visitors to see and do" are the explanations being lobbed around now), the addition will allow hikers to follow in Muir's footsteps by hiking the Bay Area Ridge Trail to his home. The bill still needs to be officially voted on, but by all accounts this transfer of property is simply a formality.