O'Shaugnessy oversaw the gradual construction of the network of dams, reservoirs, tunnels, and powerhouses to deliver water and power to SF. In 1902, ex-Mayor James Phelan of San Francisco filed a claim with the federal government for the water from the Tuolomne River, which would be gathered by damming the mouth of the Hetch Hetchy Valley. Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 3.0. Vineet N wrote a review Jun 2019. http://foundsf.org/index.php?title=The_Hetch_Hetchy_Story,_Part_I:_John_Muir,_Preservationists_vs._Conservationists&oldid=25112. Hetch Hetchy Cañon in 1890 by Landscape Artist Albert Bierstadt. . From 1908-1913, Congress debated legislation to supply the city of San Francisco with water by damming the Hetch Hetchy Valley. The floor of Yosemite is about 4000 feet above the sea, and that of Hetch-Hetchy about 3700, while in both the walls are of gray granite, very high, and rise precipitously out of flowery gardens and groves. The name of this valley is derived from Miwok word hatchhatchie, meaning edible grass (tchistory). At the heart of the debate was the conflict between conservationists, who held that the environment should be used in a conscientious manner to benefit society, and preservationists, who believed that nature should be protected, saved from human interference. "Dam Hetch Hetchy! , animation: John Muir on Hetch Hetchy by Jim Swanson. Although Hetch Hetchy is included within the boundaries of Yosemite National Park, the entrance is separate from the rest of the park. Initial opposition came from the lightly populated eastern Central Valley where there were two irrigation districts in Modesto and Turlock with their own eyes on the Tuolomne River watershed. The battle for Hetch Hetchy was perhaps the first effort at what is now known as "grassroots lobbying," getting individual citizens to contact elected officials in support of or opposition to legislation. We went a bit later in the day and barely saw anyone. Although
Hetch Hetchy was part of Yosemite National Park, which meant that it was federal property. When Ruef and the ULP were exposed and put on trial soon after the earthquake of 1906, the water issue re-emerged in the glaring national spotlight that followed the spectacular destruction and fire. John Muir won the crusade to get Yosemite National Park created, but lost the battle to save Hetch Hetchy Valley from being submersed by a reservoir for San Francisco. This is … Echoing contemporary struggles over the environment, President Theodore Roosevelt's early initiatives in parkland creation and wilderness preservation were under attack. In 1923, San Francisco revoked Spring Valley Water Company's franchise and began rebuilding the water mains and plumbing for the citizens of San Francisco. being built in Dinosaur National Monument and in Grand Canyon National Park. The Sierra Club today still holds fast
After the dam was completed in 1923, waters flooded the valley, destroying Muir’s environmental muse. Hetch Hetchy valley is in Yosemite National Park, about 190 miles east of San Francisco in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. As well dam for water-tanks the people's cathedrals and churches, for no holier temple has ever been consecrated by the heart of man . We are going to keep up the good fight without fear or favor, 'if it shall take until doomsday. As well dam for water-tanks the people's cathedrals and churches, for no holier temple has ever been consecrated by the heart of man." The glacial Hetch Hetchy Valley lies in the northwestern part of Yosemite National Park and is drained by the Tuolumne River. See our library. Muir referred to this valley to Yosemite Valley because of its glamorous views. About a year later John Muir passed away. The plan languished throughout the first decade of the century, in part due to the corrupt regime of the Union Labor Party under Boss Abe Ruef, which attempted to strike a deal with the Bay Cities Water Company in exchange for a million dollar bribe. A hydroelectric powerhouse was built and enough copper wire purchased to stretch from the Sierras to San Francisco. Our flagship blog features analysis of news from our staff and announcements of upcoming events. From 1901 - 1913, John Muir led the Sierra Club in a campaign to protect
M.M. The federal Right of Way Act of 1901 provided the legal basis for the city to acquire rights to national park land, but the then-Secretary of the Interior Ethan Allen Hitchcock refused to give SF a permit, preferring to protect Yosemite's natural wonders. said John Muir.1, Meanwhile, Mayor Phelan considered the project essential to save the city from "monopoly and microbes." Since the 1880s, the city of San Francisco had been raising the possibility of constructing a dam on the Tuolumne River at Hetch Hetchy Valley. the Hetch Hetchy Valley, a part of Yosemite National Park, from being filled
from private Phelan papers, Bancroft Library, UC Berkeley). — from The Yosemite (1912) "The clearest way into the Universe is through a forest wilderness." From the turn-off, the road winds for 16.5 miles up the old Hetch Hetchy railroad grade (… John Muir wrote to his friend Robert Underwood Johnson: "We held a Sierra Club meeting last Saturday--passed resolutions and fanned each other to a fierce white Hetch Hetchy heat. How do those positions inform today’s environmental debates? The valley, they thought, would be an ideal place for reservoir that would provide water for the city forever. 1. The women of the conservation crusade had worked hard to preserve the valley as an integral part of the park. Hetch Hetchy proponents were quick to use the conflagration as proof of the necessity of new water supplies for San Francisco. 19th century oil painting of Hetch Hetchy Valley. It was the first time the young national park system had been so violated. The Death of a Valley and its Protector. They will analyze petitions, resolutions, and telegrams sent to the United States Senate. Muir … I particularly urged that we must get everybody to write to Senators and the president keeping letters flying all next month thick as storm snow flakes, loaded with park pictures, short circulars, etc. All reviews evergreen lodge san francisco yosemite valley clean water john muir hiking trails valley floor tunnel drive road miles controversial groveland bear ranger hikers june restrooms. Please consider a year-end contribution to Restore Hetch Hetchy. Stir up all other park and playground clubs, women's clubs, etc...". In the opening it seems like Harrison ford is supporting a movement to drain the reservoir and restore the Hetch Hetchy Valley. Hetch Hetchy Valley lies about 20 miles north of Yosemite Valley. More evidence that Hetch Hetchy is not the whole Tuolumne valley. Summary: Students will study the Hetch Hetchy debate with primary sources from the records of Congress. Hetchy, in the 1950s and 1960s, the Sierra Club successfully stopped dams from
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