William Kent bought 611 acres of redwood forest for $45,000 in 1905; 3 years later it became Muir Woods

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.