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photo by Donald Kinney
A stream flowing year-around on the Pacific coast must have been a most pleasant place for Coast Miwok Indians. But gold was discovered not too far away and the White Man realized great opportunity in clear-cutting nearly every Coast Redwood here in Marin. By 1870 most of the vast Redwood stands were gone, except those inaccessible, like the giants in Redwood Canyon (Muir Woods), a mile or two east of this scene (above).
Here, Redwood Creek flows into the Pacific Ocean at Muir Beach.
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photo by Donald Kinney
Beginning in 1890, local conservationists began realizing how vulnerable Redwood Canyon was to advancing civilization. William Kent, a Marin County resident, philanthropist, politician and businessman was urged to purchase the land in order to protect it. Convinced of the forest’s value, Kent purchased 600 acres of Redwood Canyon In 1905 for $45,000.
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photo by Donald Kinney
In 1907, the North Coast Water Company, successor to the Tamalpais Land and Water Company, started legal proceedings for a
reservoir in Redwood Canyon. So, at the urging of John Muir, a philosopher, scientist, author and clearly one of the first conservationists, Kent and his wife donated 295 acres to the Federal Government.
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photo by Donald Kinney
So you see--past history is fairly murky and dark, but score one for the conservationists.
The place in Muir Woods where we now walk could be under 40 feet of water.
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photo by Donald Kinney
Not a new photo (I always note when not),
Redwoods at Muir Woods, taken January 12, 2011.
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