President Theodore Roosevelt and Conservationist John Muir on Glacier Point, 1903

    Theodore Roosevelt and John Muir on Glacier Point.
    Courtesy of Library of Congress, "Theodore Roosevelt and John Muir on Glacier Point, Yosemite Valley, California," 1903

    Description 

    This photograph shows President Theodore Roosevelt with famous conservationist and environmentalist John Muir on a camping trip at Glacier Point, which would later become Yosemite National Park. Muir took Roosevelt to Yosemite in an attempt to persuade him to take the land under federal control and establish it as a national park, which Roosevelt did in 1906.

    Source-Dependent Questions 

    • The two people in this photo are environmentalist John Muir, with the long beard, and President Theodore Roosevelt. The men are standing at Glacier Point, in what would later become Yosemite National Park, in California. John asked President Roosevelt to visit this area with him because John hoped President Roosevelt would turn this land into a National Park. Why would John want President Roosevelt to see the land in person rather than just writing President Roosevelt a letter describing the area?
    • Compare this photo with Zion National Park. How are the two National Parks the same? How are they different?

    Citation Information 

    "Theodore Roosevelt and John Muir on Glacier Point, Yosemite Valley, California," 1903. Courtesy of Library of Congress

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