Existing comment:
Taking Care of Business:
Dr. John Strentzel first planted fruit trees in the area in the 1850s. He most likely used this room as his office to manage the ranch accounts. John Muir learned the family business after marrying Strentzel's daughter Louie. The work made Muir a very wealthy man, even by today's standards.
"For ten years I was engaged in fruit-raising in the Alhambra Valley, near Martinez... until I had more money that I thought I would ever need for my family."
-- John Muir, His Life and Letters
With his finances secure, Muir provided a good life for his wife and daughters. With his family cared for, Muir could dedicate time to his writing -- writing that would help protect thousands of acres of wilderness. |