[Description of the Great Glacier.]

Authors

Captain L.A. Beardslee

Files

Kimes Entry Number

144B

Original Date

1-1-1882

William and Maymie Kimes Annotation

Beardslee prefaces Muir's statements by saying, ""The information which follows in regard to Glacier Bay was obtained from Mr. Muir, a gentleman who had lately visited the locality."" Muir gives impressive statistics of the massive volume of the glacier, its great extension into the interior, and concludes that it ""is the grandest of all."" In his autobiography, S. Hall Young states that he suggested to Captain Beardslee that the ""Great Glacier"" be named for Muir. Soon after the official report of 1880 was submitted to Washington, the glacier became known as the Muir Glacier. One can strongly surmise that it was Beardslee who named the glacier for Muir, in recognition of Muir's extensive exploration of it. Donald J. Orth, executive secretary of the United States Board on Geographic Names, writes: ""The only information we have on the formal naming of Muir Glacier is that it occurred about the same time as the naming of Glacier Bay. Having no other choice, I would be inclined to believe that the Reverend Samuel Hall Young suggested the name to Beardslee. It would be natural for Young to wish to name the 'Great Glacier' for Muir.""

Publication

Beardslee, Captain L.A., U.S. Navy, Reports of Captain L. A. Beardslee Relative to ""Jamestown"" Under His Command While in the Waters of That Territory. Senate Ex. Document no. 71, 47th Congress, 1st Session. Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office, 1882

Page/Column

p. 94

Recommended Citation

Beardslee, Captain L.A., "[Description of the Great Glacier.]" (1882). John Muir: A Reading Bibliography by Kimes (Muir articles 1866-1986). 114.
https://scholarlycommons.pacific.edu/jmb/114