It was 70 degrees Fahrenheit outside. Nothing unusual about that; it's almost always 70 degrees around here. What was unusual, the National Park Service ranger said dogs on leash are allowed on the grounds. Dogs are not allowed in the buildings, though. That was okay by me; I'll go back there some time and have a look at the "scribble den" and other interior spaces John Muir (April 21, 1838 – December 24, 1914) writes about. Today, the dogs and I just wanted to romp around the fields were Muir once walked.
The 14-room Italianate-Victorian style house built in 1882 is mostly constructed of redwood. It originally belonged to Dr. John T. Strentzel, father-in-law of John Muir. After Strentzel's death in 1890, Muir and his wife Louisa, and their daughters Wanda and Helen lived there. When Muir wasn't managing the orchards and horticultural business, he was writing, sketching, or walking in the wild--that's the John Muir persona readers, hikers, walkers, and lovers of nature everywhere know and admire most.
It had rained recently, so grasses on the grounds and surrounding hills were lush and green. A few golden poppies here and there among mowed native grasses mixed with dandelion, miner's lettuce, and thistle. In the orchards grew pear, quince, pomegranate, olive, and an assortment of other fruit trees. In the vineyard, tidy rows and columns of grapevines. Two tall palms bracketed the front of the house. Clusters of palm, redwood (Sequoia sempervirens), spruce, and cypress added to the biotic display.
According to one of Muir's journals [citation needed], in about 1898, he took a trip to the Sierra Nevada and brought back a giant sequoia (Sequoiadendron giganteum) sapling, which he planted near an out building, down by the wind mill. Today it is about 116 years old and 70 feet tall and is considered the most monumental botanical specimen at the site. As evident in the photo above, the tree is infected with the fungus Botryosphaeria dothidea, a vascular disease that causes branches to die. Arborists have been carefully monitoring and treating the symptoms for decades. Good news is this giant sequoia with such an significant connection to John Muir has been successfully propagated from cuttings by Archangel Ancient Tree Archive.
It was really something to stroll around with my dogs on sacred ground where Muir once lived. Touching the giant sequoia and knowing Muir planted it was amazing! Even though the traffic noise, construction work, and views of high-voltage towers, Valero gas station, and Chase bank were a bit of a distraction, there was a definite sense of Muir's presence. Seeing a marvelous piece of architecture preserved for future generations to enjoy is a good feeling. The John Muir National Historic Site is a treasure to the community of Martinez, to the world at large, and to all who visit.
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