hetch hetchy valley john muir summary

This is the story of water, a valley, and a city. 1. 2. In the early 20th century, San Francisco flooded the Hetch Hetchy Valley, destroying "one of nature's rarest and most precious mountain temples." Given the era and the prevailing pro-development values (hardly changed to this day, after all), it is not surprising that the congressional committees created to analyze the controversy opted to allow the city to build the Hetch Hetchy dam. Since the 1880s, the city of San Francisco had been raising the possibility of constructing a dam on the Tuolumne River at Hetch Hetchy Valley. As the Merced flows in tranquil beauty through Yosemite, so does the Tuolumne through Hetch-Hetchy. About a year later John Muir passed away. After the dam was completed in 1923, waters flooded the valley, destroying Muir’s environmental muse. The city of San Francisco, rebuilding after the devastating 1906 earthquake, believed the dam was necessary to meet … being built in Dinosaur National Monument and in Grand Canyon National Park. 3 of 22 June 25,, 1913 article on the John Muir and the Sierra Club fighting to prevent the creation of Hetch Hetchy Reservoir on National Park land Existing as another spectacular example of a monumental ice-sculpture, Hetch Hetchy exists just below 4000’ elevation in the northwest corner of Yosemite National Park. John Muir, in Chapter 16 of his book The Yosemite (chapter titled "Hetch Hetchy Valley"), writes The floor of the Valley is about three and a half miles long, and from a fourth to half a mile wide. Photo: San Francisco Public Utilities Commission. The city's line ended a few hundred yards from PG&E's Newark substation on the eastern side of the south bay, conveniently close to PG&E's just-completed high-voltage delivery cable from Newark to SF. Hetchy, in the 1950s and 1960s, the Sierra Club successfully stopped dams from The women of the conservation crusade had worked hard to preserve the valley as an integral part of the park. Please consider a year-end contribution to Restore Hetch Hetchy. The plan languished throughout the first decade of the century, in part due to the corrupt regime of the Union Labor Party under Boss Abe Ruef, which attempted to strike a deal with the Bay Cities Water Company in exchange for a million dollar bribe. Hetch Hetchy valley is in Yosemite National Park, about 190 miles east of San Francisco in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. Hetch Hetchy is located in Yosemite National Park and is part of the Tuolumne River watershed. Let us never forget what happened here. The arguments of the preservationists were focused on saving Hetch Hetchy Valley for public use. John Muir won the crusade to get Yosemite National Park created, but lost the battle to save Hetch Hetchy Valley from being submersed by a reservoir for San Francisco. Pleistocene glaciation had carved this spectacular canyon westward from the Sierra crest, its icy thrust waning approximately where Hetch Hetchy valley now exists. The City built a dam and reservoir, drowning this beautiful valley, even though other less-damaging sites existed. The federal Right of Way Act of 1901 provided the legal basis for the city to acquire rights to national park land, but the then-Secretary of the Interior Ethan Allen Hitchcock refused to give SF a permit, preferring to protect Yosemite's natural wonders. More evidence that Hetch Hetchy is not the whole Tuolumne valley. The valley, they thought, would be an ideal place for reservoir that would provide water for the city forever. Hetch Hetchy—whose name is likely derived from a Miwok phrase meaning “edible grasses”—is essentially a carbon copy of the popular pilgrimage site Yosemite Valley, complete with its … The Hetch Hetchy Valley, California, undated painting by Albert Bierstadt (black and white). The Hetch Hetchy Reservoir, which holds 117 billion gallons of water behind a 312-foot dam, drowned a glacial valley that early conservationist John Muir … A~thor of "The Mountains of California," " Our National Parks,'' etc. by a reservoir. John Muir won the crusade to get Yosemite National Park created, but lost the battle to save Hetch Hetchy Valley from being submersed by a reservoir for San Francisco. John Muir, who led the opposition, wrote beautifully about the valley, calling it “one of Nature's rarest and most precious mountain temples.” He appealed to the nation, asking what else might be at stake if we allowed the creation of a “water tank” in this national park. — from The Yosemite (1912) "The clearest way into the Universe is through a forest wilderness." Our blog. The city was San Francisco, the valley was Hetch Hetchy, and the waters were from the Tuolumne River watershed, located within Yosemite National Park. to the words William Colby wrote to Gifford Pinchot in 1909 with reference Contributed by Gregory Hitch said John Muir.1, Meanwhile, Mayor Phelan considered the project essential to save the city from "monopoly and microbes." From 1901 - 1913, John Muir led the Sierra Club in a campaign to protect The dam could provide sorely needed fresh water for the Bay Area along with an inexpensive supply of hydro-electric power. The glacial Hetch Hetchy Valley lies in the northwestern part of Yosemite National Park and is drained by the Tuolumne River. Situated inside Yosemite National Park, the Hetch Hetchy Valley was described by John Muir as “ one of nature’s rarest and most precious mountain temples.” It was one of the most spectacular landscapes on earth, and it was protected for a reason. animation: John Muir on Hetch Hetchy by Jim Swanson. Study for "The Hetch Hetchy Valley, California" painting by Albert Bierstadt (black and white). As well dam for water-tanks the people's cathedrals and churches, for no holier temple has ever been consecrated by the heart of man." They will analyze petitions, resolutions, and telegrams sent to the United States Senate. From the turn-off, the road winds for 16.5 miles up the old Hetch Hetchy railroad grade (… In late October 1934, the system finally brought water into the city, but its power transmission lines never reached beyond PG&E's Newark substation on the eastern side of the south bay. If we could return Hetch Hetchy to a more natural state — of the variety that stirred John Muir’s soul a century ago — would we be clearing a path for the emergence of Yosemite Valley 2.0? Hetch Hetchy Valley lies about 20 miles north of Yosemite Valley. The most outspoken opposition to San Francisco's plans came, however, from the nascent preservation movement, led in this case by the famous John Muir. Summary: Students will study the Hetch Hetchy debate with primary sources from the records of Congress. . Students will study the Hetch Hetchy debate with primary sources from the records of Congress. the Hetch Hetchy Valley, a part of Yosemite National Park, from being filled (op.cit. Although Hetch Hetchy is included within the boundaries of Yosemite National Park, the entrance is separate from the rest of the park. the nation in defense of its national parks. The Hetch Hetchy Valley, located near Yosemite, has been described as being like a slightly lower, drier and warmer Yosemite. ... Hetch Hetchy is perfect if you want a little more seclusion. In John Muir's eyes, the Hetch Hetchy Valley of Yosemite National Park was "one of Nature's rarest and most precious mountain temples." - The Hetch Hetchy Valley was "uncommon feature" not found often in nature - Submerging Hetchy Hetchy would NOT enhance its beauty by creating a crystal-clear lake - Damming Hetch Hetchy would come at a universal public loss for the private gain of a few - John Muir thought Hetch Hetchy Valley was a gift from God that shouldn't be destroyed At the heart of the debate was the conflict between conservationists, who held that the environment should be used in a conscientious manner to benefit society, and preservationists, who believed that nature should be protected, saved from human interference. Hetch Hetchy was part of Yosemite National Park, which meant that it was federal property. Initial opposition came from the lightly populated eastern Central Valley where there were two irrigation districts in Modesto and Turlock with their own eyes on the Tuolomne River watershed. From 1908-1913, Congress debated legislation to supply the city of San Francisco with water by damming the Hetch Hetchy Valley. John Muir rallied other groups, such as the Appalachian Mountain Club and the Saturday Walking Club in Chicago, to oppose the plan, but lacking the active participation of California conservationists, the campaign was unable to derail the project. It was the first time the young national park system had been so violated. The name of this valley is derived from Miwok word hatchhatchie, meaning edible grass (tchistory). ', For information about this website, e-mail: From 1901 - 1913, John Muir led the Sierra Club in a campaign to protect the Hetch Hetchy Valley, a part of Yosemite National Park, from being filled by a reservoir. In 1902, ex-Mayor James Phelan of San Francisco filed a claim with the federal government for the water from the Tuolomne River, which would be gathered by damming the mouth of the Hetch Hetchy Valley. See our library. For years, city officials had been wanting to dam the Hetch Hetchy Valley 167 miles away in the Sierra Nevada mountains. Muir … Muir referred to this valley to Yosemite Valley because of its glamorous views. To get to Hetch Hetchy, turn north off Highway 120 onto Evergreen Road about 1 mile (2.2 km) outside the Big Oak Flat Entrance gate, and 12.5 miles (20 km) east of the small community of Buck Meadows. Was part of the Tuolumne River… dam Hetch Hetchy Valley lies about 20 miles north of Yosemite Valley because its. Power to SF about Hetch Hetchy Valley 167 miles away in the northwestern part of the Hetchy... Wanting to dam the Hetch Hetchy Valley is derived from Miwok word hatchhatchie, meaning edible grass tchistory... 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