William Edward Colby | |
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| Born | May 28, 1875 |
| Died | November 9, 1964(1964-11-09) (aged 89) |
| Occupation(s) | Lawyer,conservationist |
| Known for | First Secretary of theSierra Club |
William Edward Colby (May 28, 1875 – November 9, 1964) was an Americanlawyer,conservationist, and the first Secretary of theSierra Club.
William Colby was born inBenicia, California and was brought up by his aunt after being orphaned at the age of six. He received his law degree fromHastings College of the Law inSan Francisco, and his legal practice specialized inforestry andmining issues.[citation needed] In 1937, he received an Honorary Degree fromMills College, then a women's college, inOakland, California.
Colby joined the Sierra Club in 1898, the year of his graduation from law school. He served as the club's representative in theYosemite Valley area. In 1900, he became the club's secretary, and served (bar two years) in that post until 1946. He also served as a director of the club for 49 years.
Colby was a pioneer in the Sierra Club's outing program, and led hisHigh Trips to the Yosemite area from 1901 to 1929; he also led the 1928 High Trip to the Canadian Rockies, and at the end of that trip was given a heartfelt fireside tribute by his fellow hikers, who included 26-year-old photographer Ansel Adams. Colby joined Sierra Club founderJohn Muir in lobbying the U.S. Federal authorities to protect theYosemite Valley, by the creation of theYosemite National Park.[1]
In 1905, when the city of San Francisco lobbied Congress to allow it to dam theHetch Hetchy Valley to provide the growing city with water, Muir and Colby were leaders of the campaign to prevent the damming of theTuolumne River and the flooding of the valley. Colby called the valley "the indispensable entrance and exit to the Grand Canyon of the Tuolumne, next to the Canyon of the Colorado, the most wonderful gorge in America.".[2]
In 1927, when theCalifornia Legislature established the State Park Commission, Colby was its first Secretary.[3] Other members of the State Park Commission included:[4] MajorFrederick R. Burnham, W. F. Chandler, Henry W. O'Melveny, and Dr.Ray Lyman Wilbur.
Colby wrote the introduction for Muir's book,Studies in the Sierra.
Colby's other campaigns led to the expansion of theSequoia National Park and the creation ofOlympic National Park and theKings Canyon National Park.
In 1960, he was the first winner of theSierra Club John Muir Award. He was a trustee of the Sierra Club Foundation from 1960 until his death.
Colby died at home inBig Sur, California on November 9, 1964. In 1965, the Sierra Club re-dedicated the reading room and library in its San Francisco headquarters as the William E. Colby Memorial Library.[5] The Sierra Club annually awards the William E. Colby Award to those it feels have given great service to the environment.
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