Tag Archives: mariposa grove

Happy 150th Anniversary, Yosemite!

Under a towering canopy of the Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias, the National Park Service, Yosemite Conservancy and public officials today celebrated the 150th Anniversary of the Yosemite Grant Act, the legislation signed by President Abraham Lincoln to preserve Yosemite Valley and the Mariposa Grove, by breaking ground on a landmark project to protect the ancient sequoia trees and the extraordinary experience they make possible.

“On the 150th Anniversary of the Yosemite Grant Act, we stand in awe among these giant trees that are thousands of years old and are reminded about the importance of protecting our natural resources so that future generations can experience what John Muir called ‘nature’s forest masterpiece,’” said National Park Service Director Jon Jarvis at public ceremonies attended by thousands.

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Galen Clark and the Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias

On this day in 1814 Galen Clark was born in Shipton, Canada East (now known as Quebec).

As a young man, he became part of the great westward migration.  He first headed to Missouri, where he met his wife Rebecca McCoy, who bore him two daughters. Unfortunately, his wife waste die far too young.

It’s believed that after her death, Galen moved further to the west, settling in California during the Gold Rush to seek his fortune.  After living in the Golden State for five years, Clark contracted tuberculosis at the age of 39.  Consumption was a fatal diagnosis in 1853, as there was no course of treatment or antibiotics at the the time.  Doctors gave him six months to live, and recommended rest and clean air.

Galen moved to Wawona, California – a small ‘census designated place’ located entirely within what would eventually become Yosemite National Park – in 1855.

“I went to the mountains to take my chances of dying or growing better, which I thought were about even.” Galen Clark.

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Record of Decision available for Mariposa Grove Plan

The National Park Service (NPS) at Yosemite National Park is pleased to announce that the Record of Decision for the Restoration of the Mariposa Grove of Giant Sequoias Final Environmental Impact Statement (Mariposa Grove Final EIS) was approved by the Regional Director on December 10, 2013. The Record of Decision (ROD) formally selects Alternative 2, South Entrance Hub for implementation. Alternative 2 was identified as the park’s Preferred Alternative in the October 2013 Mariposa Grove Final EIS. The Selected Action in the Record of Decision is substantially the same as described for Alternative 2 in the Final EIS.

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