Florence Hutchings was the first white child born in the Yosemite Valley. A close friend of the legendary environmentalist John Muir, she was famous for her unladylike behavior.

Florence–or Flo or even "Floy," as she was known–was born on August 23, 1864. Her parents were James and Elvira Hutchings, who were some of the first businesspeople to become successful entrepreneurs in what is now Yosemite National Park. Florence was born in Hutchings House, a two-storey hotel that her parents had bought and remodeled. She grew up in another home, a log cabin from which could be seen the famous Yosemite Falls.

Florence's parents eventually had another daughter, Gertrude, who came to be called "Cosie," and a son, William. Florence would act much more like William than Gertrude. Florence didn't like dolls so much as lizards and birds. When she was angry, she would imitate a bear growling. The noted environmentalist John Muir worked for James Hutchings for a few years, and Muir formed a bond with Florence, whom he referred to as "squirrel."

Florence was very much her own person. As she grew up, she spent more and more time in the beautiful Yosemite Valley. At home on a horse, she would often greet travelers from on horseback. One Yosemite visitor impressed by Florence was author Theresa Yelverton, who wrote a novel, Zanita that featured characters based on Florence and Muir. Florence, of course, was the inspiration for the free-spirited title character.

After a brief period living outside the Yosemite Valley, as the result of her father's moving to San Francisco for a time, Florence was again at home in the wild. When she and her father returned to Yosemite in 1878, Florence took up camping; she would spent nights alone under the stars.

Florence was 15 when she died, the victim of tragic accident. She was climbing, as she had done hundreds of times before, when she slipped and fell into a stream. She caught a cold that became a violent chill, and she died.

Muir had remained a dear friend to Florence, and he urged Yosemite officials to name a height after her. Even today, Mount Florence, near Yosemite's Glacier Point, extends 12,507 feet tall.