This collection contains photographs (albums and separates), ephemera, and inscribed books documenting the friendship between Anna Ryder Dickey and celebrated naturalist and wilderness conservationist, John Muir. The albums document two Sierra Club nature trips that Muir, Mrs. Dickey, her adolescent son, Donald R. Dickey, and others took to Yosemite National Park, and Sequoia and King's Canyon National Parks, in 1896 and 1902 respectively. Of special note are six pictorialist style presentation photographs of John Muir alone or with Mrs. Dickey, taken by the Pasadena photographer Kraig. The book inscriptions, letters, and notes provide further proof of the Muir-Dickey friendship, while the books themselves, newspaper clippings, and magazine extracts highlight aspects of Muir's work, philosophy, and life story.

ANNA RYDER DICKEY was born December 23, 1863 in Dubuque Iowa and died May 4, 1928 in Pasadena, California. She was the mother of Donald Ryder Dickey, Sr. and the grandmother of Donald Ryder Dickey, Jr. (from whom the collection was obtained). Prior to moving to Pasadena, she lived in Dubuque, marrying Ernest M. Dickey in 1885. The scrapbooks, photographs of John Muir, and related ephemera, were accumulated while residing in Pasadena (specifically, the area known as San Rafael Heights). As evidenced by the photographic material and several personal notes in the ephemera, she maintained a close friendship with Muir during this time.

3 Linear Feet (3 boxes)

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