The Preservationist Supporters

John Muir Robert Underwood Johnson Ethan Hitchcock J. Horace McFarland Lyman Abbott Asle Gronna Frederick Law Olmsted Jr.

John Muir John Muir relaxing in the wilderness source: PBS Organization "Excepting only Yosemite, Hetch Hetchy is the most attractive and wonderful valley within the bounds of the great Yosemite National Park and the best of all the camp grounds. People are now flocking to it in ever-increasing numbers for health and recreation of body and mind. Though the walls are less sublime in height than those of Yosemite, its groves, gardens, and broad, spacious meadows are more beautiful and picturesque. Last year in October I visited the valley with Mr. William Keith, the artist. He wandered about from view to view, enchanted, made thirty-eight sketches, and enthusiastically declared that in varied picturesque beauty Hetch Hetchy greatly surpassed Yosemite. It is one of God's best gifts and ought to be faithfully guarded." -Hearing held before the committee on the Public Lands of the House of Representatives, December 16, 1908, on House Joint Resolution 184. Library of Congress Ethan Hitchcock Ethan A. Hitchcock source: U.S. Army Center of Military Center "Ethan Hitchcock (Secretary of Interior) rejected the plan (San Francisco's application for rights to Hetch Hetchy) in January 1903 and again in February 1905 because of his general policy of keeping utilitarian projects out of the National Parks." -The American conservation movement: John Muir and his legacy, by Stephen R. Fox J. Horace McFarland J. Horace McFarland source: Pennsylvania Capitol Preservation Committee "If the valley is given up ..inevitably in the future all the watershed ..must be given up to the purpose of the water supply of the city of San Francisco. The creation of the proposed reservoir will ..withdraw this great portion of the public domain from the public use to which it was once dedicated by Congress." -San Francisco and the Hetch Hetchy Reservoir, Hearing held before the Committee on the Public Lands of the House of Representatives. H.J RES.-1908. Lyman Abbott Dr. Lyman Abott source: Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division "Lyman Abbott, the editor of Outlook, also felt that it was a mistake “ to turn every tree and waterfall into dollars and cents.” Abott made Outlook one of the chief organs of the Hetch Hetchy campaign. “The National habit is to waste the beauty of Nature and save the dollars of business”." -Wilderness and the American Mind, by Roderick Nash Asle Gronna Asle A. Gronna source: Academic Brooklyn University Asle J. Gronna (Senator) of North Dakota believed that it was a mistake “ to commercialize every bit of land” and “to destroy the handiwork of God’s Creation.” The Senators opposing San Francisco stressed the availability of other reservoir sites." -Wilderness and the American Mind, by Roderick Nash. Henry Gregory Henry E. Gregory was a member of the American Scenic and Historic Preservation society. He appeared in person and spoke of the need to counteract “business and utilitarian motives”. He mentioned that the Hetch Hetchy wilderness provided values such as “as an educator of the people and as a restorer and liberator of the spirit.” Frederick Law Olmsted Jr. Frederick Law Olmsted Jr. source: National Park Service "Frederick Law Olmsted ...a leader in the field of landscape architecture published a defense of the valley. Wilderness like Hetch Hetchy had great importance to modern society. They must be preserved and held inviolate “if beauty of scenery is not to be pushed to the wall at every point of conflict with the more obvious claims of utilitarian advantages". -Wilderness and the American Mind, by Roderick Nash. Halvor Steenerson Halvor Steenerson was the House representative of Minnesota. He believed that adding an artificial lake will not add to the beauty of the valley. “You may as well improve the lily of the field by hand painting it” and said that adding a power plant in city will add a “devilish hissing noise” and a “ dirty muddy pond.” Horace Towner Horace M. Towner was the House representative of Iowa. He wanted to preserve the eternal beauty of the valley and pleaded with his colleagues saying “dish washing is not the only use for water, nor lumber for trees, nor pasture for grass.” Edmund Whitman Edmund D. Whitman was a member of the Appalachian Mountain club. He was the only preservationist to testify at the house hearings. He tried to show that the dam will lower the value of the national park as a beauty spot. He concluded with a quotation that without our unspoiled nature to provide a “touch of idealism”, life degenerated into “a race for the rough.” Robert Underwood Johnson Robert Underwood Johnson source: Sierra Club Organization "Robert Underwood Johnson worked for Hetch Hetchy at a fever pitch through the summer and fall of 1913 because he believed that "this is a fight between the sordid commercialism on the one hand and the higher interests of the whole people on the other". The difference between a wild Hetch Hetchy and an artificial reservoir ...involved worship and sacrilege". -Wilderness and the American Mind, by Roderick Nash.

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