In 1905, William and Elizabeth Kent paid $45,000 for 611 acres of California redwood forest; after a reservoir threat, they donated about 295 acres and the land became Muir Woods National Monument in 1908

In 1905, William and Elizabeth Kent paid $45,000 for 611 acres of California redwood forest; after a reservoir threat, they donated about 295 acres and the land became Muir Woods National Monument in 1908

William and Elizabeth Kent purchased land in Redwood Canyon and donated it to create Muir Woods National Monument. The area became protected after a legal dispute over a proposed reservoir threatened the redwood grove. President Theodore Roosevelt proclaimed it a national monument in 1908, marking the first land donation for such purpose. Elizabeth Kent played a significant but often overlooked role in this conservation effort.