In 1901, Mr. Muir published “Our National Parks,” a collection of essays that described areas of the American West and called for their preservation. The work gained the attention of Theodore Roosevelt, who visited Mr. Muir in Yosemite for a three-night camping trip in 1903 where they laid the groundwork for the president’s conservation programs. The National Park Service was created in 1916, two years after Mr. Muir’s death.

Named the Greatest Californian in 1976 by the California Historical Society, Mr. Muir is also the namesake of more places in the state than any other person. Admission to Muir Woods National Monument, the redwood forest north of San Francisco, is waived this weekend for National Park Week.

Inyoung Kang contributed reporting.

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