John Burroughs Seated outside Slabsides, circa 1915

John Burroughs (1837-1921) was an internationally known naturalist and writer whose nature essays were well-received in both literary and scientific circles. From his home in the Catskills of upstate New York, Burroughs wrote mostly about accessible and familiar landscapes. After 1895, he did much of his writing at Slabsides, a rustic retreat he built a mile from his home.