John Muir Home – Martinez, California
John Muir’s home in California offers a intimate window into the life of one of America’s most influential conservationists. Located northeast of San Francisco, the site is preserved today as John Muir National Historic Site.
Muir lived here from 1889 until his death in 1914. While many picture him wandering through Yosemite or Alaska’s glaciers, this was where he wrote letters, welcomed visitors, raised his daughters and carried on the advocacy that helped shape the modern conservation movement.
Congress established the property as John Muir National Historic Site in 1964, ensuring that this site would be protected for future generations. This home stands as a reminder that the preservation of America’s natural spaces was shaped not only in the remote mountains but also in a family home tucked into a California town.
Read More From Nancy
John Ward House – Salem, Massachusetts
The John Ward House in Salem, Massachusetts, stands as one of the finest surviving examples of 17th century New England architecture. Built in 1684 for John Ward, a successful currier, the house reflects not only skilled craftsmanship but also the growing prosperity of Salem in the late 1600s. By the time this house was constructed, […]
Gillette Castle – Connecticut
While homeschooling, we would take numerous road trips to explore historic and natural sites. It was important to us that our children know the area they were growing up in and understand the stories connected to it. Connecticut was just a short drive from our home, so many of our day trips took us there to […]
Lilian Ngoyi – Soweto, South Africa
On our teaching trip to South Africa, we took a tour of Soweto and stopped outside a modest home that holds extraordinary history: the house of Lilian Masediba Matabane Ngoyi. Lilian Ngoyi was one of the most prominent women in the anti-apartheid movement. A trade unionist and political leader, she became the first woman elected to […]
