– Early Life:
– Margaret Elizabeth Thomas born on August 18, 1902 in Seattle, Washington
– Moved to Fairbanks, Alaska at age nine
– Attended Reed College in Oregon and Simmons College in Massachusetts
– Graduated from Alaska Agricultural College and School of Mines in 1924
– Married Olaus Murie in 1924 in Anvik, Alaska
– Books and Articles:
– “Two in the Far North” published in 1962
– “Island Between” published in 1977
– “Wapiti Wilderness” published in 1966 with Olaus Murie
– Documentary “Arctic Dance” made about her life
– Work as a Wilderness Advocate, Advisor, and Consultant:
– Conducted research on caribou of the Brooks Range during honeymoon
– Helped protect Arctic National Wildlife Refuge
– Testified before Congress for Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act
– Murie Residence in Moose, Wyoming added to National Register of Historic Places
– Received Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1998
– Awards:
– Received Audubon Medal in 1980
– Awarded John Muir Award in 1983
– Honored with Robert Marshall Conservation Award in 1986
– Named honorary park ranger by National Park Service
– Received J.N. Ding Darling Conservationist of the Year Award in 2002
– See Also:
– Mount Margaret (Alaska)
Margaret Elizabeth Thomas "Mardy" Murie (August 18, 1902 – October 19, 2003) was a naturalist, writer, adventurer, and conservationist. Dubbed the "Grandmother of the Conservation Movement" by both the Sierra Club and the Wilderness Society, she helped in the passage of the Wilderness Act, and was instrumental in creating the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. She was the recipient of the Audubon Medal, the John Muir Award, and the Presidential Medal of Freedom—the highest civilian honor awarded by the United States.
Margaret Murie | |
|---|---|
 Mardy Murie and Olaus at their home, Grand Tetons, 1953 | |
| Born | Margaret Elizabeth Thomas August 18, 1902 Seattle, Washington, U.S. |
| Died | October 19, 2003 (aged 101) Moose, Wyoming, U.S. |
| Pen name | Mardy Murie |
| Occupation | Author, ecologist, and environmentalist |
| Genre | Memoir |
| Subject | Conservation, wilderness preservation |
| Notable works | Two in the Far North, Wapiti Wilderness |
| Notable awards | Presidential Medal of Freedom |
| Spouse | Olaus Murie |
| Relatives | See Murie family article, people |