John Muir, the Scottish American naturalist, environmental philosopher and wilderness advocate, has been called the “father of the national parks.” The Sierra Club on Wednesday distanced itself from Muir, its founder, saying he was a racist and apologizing for the group’s “substantial role in perpetuating white supremacy.”
Many namesakes to Muir can be found throughout California and beyond, according to the Sierra Club’s website. He has been honored in much of the Bay Area’s topography — schools, parks, roads, plaques, monuments, lodges and more.
Here are some examples.
BAY AREA
Regionwide:
John Muir Health is a system of doctors, hospitals and other services located throughout the Bay Area.
Berkeley:
John Muir Elementary School
John Muir Health at Berkeley’s UCSF Health Outpatient Center
Hayward:
John Muir Elementary School
Hercules:
Muir Pointe, a single family home development at John Muir Parkway by Taylor Morrison
Marin County:
Muir Woods National Monument in Mill Valley
Muir Beach in western Marin County
Martinez:
John Muir Elementary School
John Muir Inn
John Muir National Historic Site — the preservation of the Victorian mansion where Muir lived for 24 years
John Muir Statue, a monument at the John Muir National Historic Site
John Muir Park
John Muir Road
Muir Station Road
Muir Parkway
Muir Lodge Motel
Muir Station, a historic railroad depot
Alhambra Avenue’s John Muir Mural
Napa:
John Muir Inn, a hotel in wine country
Muir Hanna Vineyards, a tasting room and winery
Newark:
John Muir Drive
Pleasant Hill:
John Muir Room in Contra Costa County’s Office of Education building
San Bruno:
John Muir Elementary School
San Francisco:
John Muir Drive, along Lake Merced
John Muir Elementary School in the Lower Haight
John Muir Nature Trail in Golden Gate Park
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has a room dedicated to Muir
San Jose:
John Muir Elementary School
John Muir Middle School
San Leandro:
John Muir Junior High School
Walnut Creek:
John Muir Medical Center, which includes a statue of him
Scott’s Restaurant has a banquet room named after Muir.
CALIFORNIA
Here are some of the ways Muir is recognized elsewhere in the state:
California Hall of Fame:
Muir was inducted in 2006 into the Hall of Fame at the California Museum for History, Women, and the Arts in Sacramento by then-Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and first lady Maria Shriver.
Disney’s California Adventure:
Grizzly Peak Airfield, a themed land in Disney’s California Aventure theme park in Anaheim, has a Mt. Muir lookout and two signs with Muir quotes.
Kings Canyon National Park:
The park in Fresno County has John Muir Lodge, Muir Rock (a granite boulder dedicated to him), Muir Pass and John Muir Memorial Muir Shelter (a granite shelter and memorial to him).
La Jolla:
UC San Diego’s second college, John Muir College, is named after him.
Los Angeles:
The city of Los Angeles has a branch library named after him, as well as a middle school. The county is home to Muir Peak near Altadena.
Sequoia National Park:
The national park next to Kings-Canyon National Park includes Muir Grove, Muir Lake and Mount Muir.
Sierra Nevada:
One of California’s most prominent Muir namesakes is the 211.9-mile-long John Muir Trail, which begins at Happy Isles in Yosemite Valley and ends on the summit of Mount Whitney. John Muir Wilderness in the Inyo and Sierra national forests is also dedicated to him.
A giant ponderosa pine tree in Yosemite Valley’s Leidig Meadow is also named for him.
Stockton:
In Stockton, there’s the John Muir Center for Regional Studies, John Muir Elementary School and the John Muir Collections at the University of the Pacific (home to 75% of Muir’s surviving papers).
Tuolumne County:
In 2010, a major route into Yosemite National Park was named the John Muir Highway. In Yosemite National Park, there’s also Muir Gorge; in Yosemite Valley, a Muir Plaque.
OTHER EXAMPLES:
California coinage:
Muir’s image appears on the California state quarter released in 2005.
Scientific names:
Several species, including Ivesia muirii (a rose), Thecla muirii (a butterfly) and Amplaria muiri (a milliped) are named after him, along with the mineral muirite.
Annie Vainshtein is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. Email: [email protected] Twitter: @annievain