Louisa "Louie" Muir

Louisa "Louie" Wanda Strentzel, wife of John Muir, a talented musician, dedicated mother, and capable manager of the Strentzel family ranch.

JOMU

Wife of John Muir

Louisa Wanda Strentzel, known as "Louie," was born in Texas in 1847. She moved to California in 1849, the same year that John Muir was relocating to Wisconsin from Scotland. While much has been documented about Muir's life, Louie's life and contributions remain largely unknown. This brief account is a tribute to Louie and the support she provided her husband in his work. Louie was a talented musician, a devoted wife and mother, a capable ranch manager, and a supportive helpmate. Muir did not push Louie into an anonymous life in the background—this was her personal preference. She preferred staying close to home, rarely being away for more than a day or two. Unlike her adventurous husband, Louie was not inclined to camp out on Alaskan glaciers or take long walks in the nearby hills of their Alhambra Valley home. Much of what we know about Louie comes from a letter written by their daughter Helen in July 1963.

The Strentzel Family's Journey to California

In 1849, the Strentzel family traveled to San Diego, California, by covered wagon and then settled along the Merced River. They operated an inn and a farm where Louie's father, John Strentzel, began horticultural experiments. After three years in that area, they moved to Arroyo el Hambre (Valley of Hunger)* in 1853, camping out until their first house could be built. Louie's mother, Louisiana Strentzel, disliked the name of the valley—Spanish soldiers had been unable to find food and nearly starved—so she renamed it Alhambra Valley after the popular story by Washington Irving about the Alhambra palace in Spain.

Education and Musical Talent

In 1859, Louie began her formal education as a day student at Miss Atkins Young Ladies Seminary across the Bay in Benicia. The Young Ladies Seminary (YLS) opened in 1852 with 25 students, founded by local citizens. Miss Mary Atkins, a graduate of Oberlin College, became the principal in 1854 and later purchased the school. Louie took the ferry "Carquinez" each day to attend classes. At YLS, she studied a broad curriculum, including English, languages (Latin, French, German, and Spanish), and fine arts (music, painting, and drawing). She excelled in her studies, receiving high marks in all subjects. Louie was also a gifted pianist, mastering classical pieces like Beethoven's Sonata Pathetique.

Life After Graduation

After graduating in 1864, Louie spent the next fifteen years at home with her parents, learning about fruit ranching, hybridizing, and flowers, while continuing her piano studies. She first met John Muir on September 15, 1874, at the home of Dr. and Mrs. Carr in Oakland. Muir and Louie were eventually matched by Mrs. Carr, a friend of both families. They became engaged on June 17, 1879, the day before Muir's first trip to Alaska, and married on April 14, 1880, in the Strentzel's home decorated with white Astrakan apple blossoms.

Family Life and Contributions

The Muirs' daughter Wanda was born on March 25, 1881, and their second daughter Helen on January 23, 1886. Louie managed the fruit ranch very capably while Muir was away, handling finances and bookkeeping, and even sending checks to cover his hotel bills. Despite her preference for staying close to home, Louie once accompanied her husband to Yosemite Valley in 1884, but the trip was not enjoyable for her.

Louie recognized her husband's need for time in the mountains and unselfishly encouraged him to follow his heart. In an August 9, 1888, letter, she wrote to Muir:

"Dear John, A ranch that needs and takes the sacrifice of a noble life, or work, ought to be flung away beyond all reach... The Alaska book and the Yosemite book, dear John, must be written, and you need to be your own self, well and strong to make them worthy of you. Ever your wife, Louie."

Continuing the Strentzel Legacy

Louie Muir died on August 6, 1905, and is buried with John, her parents, a brother, a sister, and Uncle Henry in the Strentzel/Muir cemetery, about a mile from the National Historic Site.

*"Mexican soldiers, disappointed by the lack of game, had dubbed this valley the Arroyo el Hambre, or valley of hunger... In April 1853, the Strentzels began acquiring lands of the deceased Don Martinez, until they owned a main ranch covering 856 acres in the valley and surrounding hills and an extended estate of 2,665 acres, including rangelands in the nearby Briones Hills. Louisiana Strentzel renamed the Arroyo el Hambre the Alhambra Valley, after the sumptuous citadel of the Moorish kings of Spain..." (Worster 279).