Mira Lloyd Dock
Posted by: 
Gosffo
N 40° 16.189 W 076° 53.652
18T E 338944 N 4459426
Botanist and 1st women to serve on the State Forestry Reservation Commission.
Waymark Code: WM625
Location: Pennsylvania, United States
Date Posted: 01/14/2006
Views: 18
Born 12/25/1853. Educated in private schools including Brook Seminary, Media, Pa. After returning home she spent the next 20 years taking care of her widowed father and 4 younger sisters and a brother. In 1896, at age 43, she enter the University of Michigan to study botany, chemistry and geology. Wow, going back to school after 20 years had to be a challenge! And being felmale didn't help either. Mira had her own herbaruim with over 1,000 specimens, which was unfortunately destroyed by fire. The male scientific community shunned her. The only way she was heard was through the lecture circuit. Being an expert photographer she would lecture with or without glass lantern slides.
Mira led the way to beautify Harrisburg. She met and befriend Miss F R Wilkinson, landscape gardener for the London Public Garden Association. Miss Wilkinson invited Mira to the Internation Congress of Women in London June 1899. She went on behalf of the Federation of Women, Philadelphia Park Ass. and the New Pa. Depart of Arigculture. With all the new found information , Mira came back and launched her campaign to beautify Harrisburg. With the help of J Horace McFarland, Mira, in 15 years increased the Public Parks in Harrisburg from 46 acres (in 1902) to 958 acres (in 1915). Anoher partner was Warren H Manning, who also planned Riverfront Park, Reservoir Park and Wildwood Lake (Wetzel Swamp).
Mira believed, that parks, recreational opportunites, clean streets and clean inhabitants were compatible with a city's economic success.
In 1901 Mira was appointed to the State Forest Commission. She and another man, Dr. Joseph Rothrock would travel across the state looking for land to buy to add to the states resources. They traveled by train to the nearest town, rented a horse and rig and walked the land for sale. In her first year 175,000 acres where added thanks to Mira and Dr. Rothrock. By the time Mira retired (after 12 years) the commission forest reserves where over 1,000,000
acres.
After forester and rangers were trained they took over the responiblity of aquiring new land and keep the old lands clean of garbage and refuse. Mira Dock continued to travel to the foresters and if she found them doing a good job, she complimented them. If she was unhappy with there work she asked well choosen questions, so they could think through their practices themselves.
When the state started their own school of Foresty in Mont Alto (Pa. State College felt forestry was just a fad and refused to teach it) Mira taught the botany courses from 1903 to 1929. Penn State College has now changed it thought on Forestry being a fad.
Mira Dock's accomplishments were many, but she received few accolades! She was a woman! Mira died in 1945 and is buried in Harrisburg Cemetery (also a Waymarking cache) with her sister, parents and grandparents and not far from her friend J Horace McFarland.
Now, the next time your out in the woods, going for a hike, or looking for that cache! Don't forget to hug a tree and thank Mira Lloy Dock! Botanist, educator, author, civic leader, conservationist, activist and yes, a true tree hugger!
So take a pic of you and the sign, or her house across the street.
Marker Name: Mira Lloyd Dock
County: Dauphin
Date Dedicated: 08/30/1996
Marker Type: City
Location: North Front Street near Reily St., Harrisburg
Category: Women, Environment, Government & Politics
Website: Not listed
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