Tom Hulst

The Footpaths of Justice William O. Douglas: a Legacy of Place Tom Hulst

U. S. Supreme Court Justice William O. Douglas served on the Court for 36 years. He wrote more opinions and more dissents than any other Justice. Douglas was described as an invigorating presence on the Court and possessed unusual stamina, an unyielding will, and enormous courage. Douglas's achievements on and off the Court were astonishing. He was an adventurer, jurist, and environmentalist, whose writings and actions impacted the country for many years. He was also a hiker and climber. He organized hikes and other actions to protect the C&O Canal near Washington, D. C., Olympic Beach and Glacier Peak in Washington State, the Buffalo River in Arkansas, and areas along the Appalachian Trail. He was a prophet, visionary, pioneer, scout, and pathfinder. In reading The Footpaths of Justice William O. Douglas: A Legacy of Place, one accepts Douglas's invitation to hike with him, to visit a place with him and to "join him in a process of discovery and affirmation that is available to a free people in a spacious land."