Descriptive Summary
Administrative Information
Access Points
Biography
Scope and Content
Descriptive Summary
Title: Brown (Mary Louise) Collection of Muiriana,
Date (inclusive): 1980-1982
Collection number: Mss216
Creator:
Mary Louise Brown
Extent: 8.5 linear ft.
Repository:
University of the Pacific. Library. Holt-Atherton Department of
Special Collections
Shelf location: For current information on the location of
these materials, please consult the library's online catalog.
Language: English.
Administrative Information
Access
Collection is open for research.
Preferred Citation
[Identification of item], Brown (Mary Louise) Collection of Muiriana,
Mss216, Holt-Atherton Department of Special Collections, University of the
Pacific Library
Access Points
personal name
Wolfe, Linnie Marsh (1881-1945)
personal name
Young, Samuel Hall
personal name
Muir, John (1838-1914)
personal name
Brown, Mary Louise
subject
Forest conservation -United States
subject
Nature conservation -United States
subject
National parks and reserves -California
subject
Alaska -Description and travel
subject
California -Description and travel
Biography
Mary Louise Brown studied the life, works, and bibliography of John Muir
for many years. She seems to have intended to createa film or films about the
great naturalist. Her papers consistof many binders of notes, annotations of
published texts by and about Muir, illustrations and notes for original
scenarios based on various periods of Muir's life.
Brown writes of her work, "I probably represent a lot of others hurrying
too fast, thinking that one day instead of a Gold Rush, there will be a Muir
Boom! We do not give a gift and tell others such as you folks here what to do
with. I leave it freely now to you all, to see what probably a lot of others
are doing, too, besides myself...I was going to turn to Living Free [animal
shelter] as the non-profit organiztion for films---then to Egolf for financing
films. Both of these friends might be helpful to anyone in need of financing
films...I certainly did not feel prepared to ask for financial assistance. You
might be one day so that I hope these people can be of help."
Scope and Content
Series 1 consists of Brown's correspondence, notes and original
writings. They were arranged and packaged in binders by Ms. Brown. Many of the
notes are Ms. Brown's interpretation of John Muir's religious beliefs. The
correspondence--virtually all of which dates from between 1980 and 1982--is
with film makers, the John Muir Papers Microform Project, and with various
university libraries. Brown apparently worked on two original Muir scenarios
which she hoped to see filmed. One of these pertains to Muir's boyhood and
youth while the other describes his first summer in the Sierra (1869). Both
scenarios combine text with appropriate illustrations drawn from a variety of
sources.
Series 2 consists of Brown's expanded indices of works by and about
Muir. Most of this material brings together photocopies of all citations on a
particular topic in a particular text so that they may be examined
simultaneously. Brown has expanded this information with illustrations,
definitions and miscellaneous supporting materials found in other sources.
Works so treated include: Linnie M. Wolfe's Son of the Wilderness; Rev. Hall
Young's Alaska Days With John Muir; and, Muir's own Collected Writings and
Travels in Alaska.