Everything about Galen Clark totally explained
Galen Clark (
March 28,
1814,
Dublin, New Hampshire –
March 24,
1910,
Oakland, California) is known for his discovery of the
Mariposa Grove of
Giant Sequoia trees and for his role as Guardian of
Yosemite National Park for 21 years. In
1853, Clark had a severe lung infection that was diagnosed as consumption, as
tuberculosis was called in Clark's time. Doctors gave him six months to live at most. He then moved to the
Wawona area as a
homesteader. "I went to the mountains to take my chances of dying or growing better, which I thought were about even." (Galen Clark, 1856) Upon his discovery of the Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias, Galen Clark spent the majority of his time exploring the area and teaching others about the mysteries of the giant, cinnamon-colored trees. This passion led to him writing letters to friends and congress, eventually leading to the passing of the Yosemite Grant. This grant was the first of its kind, stating that it would protect Yosemite Valley and the Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias for, "public use, resort, and recreation...to be left inalienable for all time..." Galen then became the first "guardian of the grant". His lungs healed and he subsequently explored and climbed much of the area.
Clark didn't seek to enrich himself from
Yosemite Valley or the Sequoia Trees. He ran a modest hotel and guide service, but was a poor business man who was constantly in debt. "Clark's Station" in Wawona, California, for example, had several more employees than required for the number of guests and its short season.
Toward the end of his life Clark was desperately poor. He wrote three books on Yosemite. These include
Indians of the Yosemite (1904) and
The Yosemite Valley (1910). Galen Clark's book on the Sequoia trees is simple, factual, and direct. He left out his personal role in the discovery, popularization, and protection of the Mariposa Grove of Big Trees as hotel keeper, guide, and Guardian of Yosemite and Mariposa Grove.
Today, the Giant Sequoia that would have been the first of its kind to be seen by Clark upon his arrival at the Mariposa Grove is named and marked "The Galen Clark Tree", in memory of his contribution to the preservation of the Giant Sequoia
ecosystem and the idea of the "National Park".
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