This collection consists of the correspondence of John Muir from 1856-1914. The vast majority of the letters were sent and received by Muir, although the collection also includes some correspondence of selected family members and colleagues. Muir's correspondence offers a unique first-hand perspective on his thoughts and experiences, as well as those of his correspondents, which include many notable figures in scientific, literary, and political circles of the 19th and early 20th centuries. All of the letters include full-text transcriptions that can be searched as well as viewed alongside images of the originals.

The correspondence forms part of the John Muir Papers microfilm set that filmed letters located at over 35 institutions. In this digital collection the "owning institution" of the original letters is indicated on each image and in its metadata. Muir correspondence acquired after the microfilm was created in 1986 is not currently included in this digital collection, although it may be added at a later date.

The unpublished works of John Muir are copyrighted by the Muir-Hanna Trust. To purchase copies and/or obtain permission to publish or exhibit items from Holt-Atherton's collections, visit our fees and forms page. To purchase copies of letters located at other institutions and/or obtain permission to publish or exhibit them, contact the owning institution. Some letters written to John Muir may be protected by the U.S. Copyright Law (Title 17, U.S.C.). Transmission or reproduction of materials protected by copyright beyond that allowed by fair use requires the written permission of the copyright owners. Responsibility for any use rests exclusively with the user.

The John Muir Correspondence digitization project was funded by the U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act, administered in California by the State Librarian.