Sponsoring Organizations include:Coulterville Community Club

Coulterville Visitors Center

Economic Development Corporation of Mariposa County

Mariposa County Chamber of Commerce

Northern Mariposa County History Center

Tuolumne County Visitors Bureau

Yosemite Chamber of Commerce

Yosemite/Mariposa County Tourism Bureau

John Muir Highway Steering Committee

Larry Cope – Tuolumne Co. Economic Dev. Authority

John Gray – Tuolumne County Board of Supervisors

Jeffrey Hentz – Yosemite Mariposa Co. Tourism Bureau

MaryAnn Huff – Mariposa County Chamber of Commerce

Joy Kitchel – Coulterville Visitor’s Center

Ken Pulvino – Chief Evangelist, John Muir Highway

Ann Schafer – Yosemite Chamber of Commerce

Peter Schimmelfennig – Mariposa Chamber of Commerce

Dale Silverman – North Mariposa County History Museum

Nanci Sykes – Tuolumne County Visitors Bureau

Lyle Turpin – Mariposa Board of Supervisors

Vern Crow – Consultant

Christina Wilkinson – Consultant

Website Links:JohnMuirHighway.net – The official website

SierraNevadaGeoTourism.org – Background information

ToMarket.net – Background information & original proposal. Photos & maps.

Cover photography by W. E. Dassonville

John Muir HighwayDedication Ceremony

SOUVENIR PROGRAM

About John Muir

JOHN MUIR (21 April 1838 – 24 De-cember 1914) was a Scottish-born Ameri-can. John was an inventor, author, and an early advocate of preservation of the wilderness in the United States. His great contribution was to promote the idea that wilderness has spiritual value, as well as

economic. “Everybody needs beauty as well as bread, plac-es to play and pray in, where Nature may heal and cheer and give strength to body and soul alike.” This John Muir quote may be found on page 198, in The Yosemite. John’s letters, essays, magazine articles, and books about his per-sonal adventures in nature, especially in the Sierra Nevada Mountains of California, have been read by millions. His activism helped to save Yosemite Valley, Sequoia National Park, and other wilderness areas. The Sierra Club, which he founded, is now one of the most important conservation or-ganizations in the United States. The World-class hiking trail, from Yosemite to Mt. Whitney, 211 miles, was named “The John Muir Trail”, in 1938; 100 years after he was born.

Background. The designation of J132 from Coulterville to State Route 120 as the John Muir Highway, is the inspira-tion of Ken Pulvino, a long-time resident of the area. Mr. Pulvino has been an active supporter of the highway desig-nation to help the region with geo-tourism. The term refers to “best practices” tourism that sustains or enhances the geographical character of a place or the environment, or heritage and the well-being of its residents. Mr. Pulvino presented the concept to the Mariposa County Board of Supervisors in October 2009 and won approval for the portion in Mariposa County. Tuolumne County’s Board of Supervisors adopted the designation for its portion of the highway in April 2010.

Today it is our honor to dedicate J132 as the John Muir Highway connecting Highway 49 and High-way 120.

Dedication CeremonyMariposa County Park • Coulterville, CaliforniaJune 5, 2010

Speaker and Event AffiliationJeffrey Hentz, MC – Yosemite/Mariposa County Tourism BureauWelcoming remarksVFW Color Guard – Presentation of the FlagSierra Burkart and Veronica Frey of Coulterville/Greeley Hill Elementary School – Star Spangled BannerPledge of AllegianceLee Stetson – John Muir Impressionist and readingPeter & Donna Thomas – Walking the John Muir Highway /geo-tourismIntroduction of dignitaries – Remarks and presentationsBill Hanna – Reminiscences of my great grandfatherJeffrey Hentz – YMCTB/announcements

Ribbon Cutting and Unveiling of John Muir Highway signage near the Intersection of 132 and Highway 49

Jeffrey Hentz, MC – IntroductionsCo-Chairs MaryAnn Huff and Ann Schafer – Counties of Mariposa and TuolumneSupervisors John Gray and Lyle Turpin – Counties of Tuolumne and MariposaUnveiling of John Muir Highway sign Ribbon cutting ceremonyMotorcade up John Muir Highway lead by the Country Mountain Riders Color Guard. Rattler 4-H Club, Boy Scouts of America and Vintage Cars.

A second ribbon cutting ceremony is being held at 2:00 p.m. at the Big Creek Meadow Ranch for the Tuolumne County portion of the new John Muir Highway. Ceremonies include the unveiling of new highway signage and presentations and remarks from dignitaries. A vintage motorcar parade follows.