Minerva Hamilton Hoyt

Minerva Hamilton Hoyt (1866–1945), Solace came to Minerva in her escapes to the starry desert skies and exotic, cautious desert lizards and spikey Joshua Trees (Yucca brevifolia).

She had lost a child and a husband, and when she went into the desert to grieve, she found new life. Horrified that people were pilfering the exotic plants for their Hollywood fantasy manses, she had to make it stop. As a prominent South Pasadena socialite and activist, she dedicated herself to convincing President Franklin D. Roosevelt to save it all by creating Joshua Tree National Park. Minerva and her husband, Dr. Albert Sherman Hoyt, moved to South Pasadena in 1897. A music lover as well as avid gardener and activist, she joined in with the elite socialites of the era, becoming a president of the Los Angeles Symphony Orchestra and founding member of the Valley Hunt Club, which created the Tournament of Roses Parade. he sounded the environmental alarms and had her vision realized when Joshua Tree Desert was set aside and preserved. She lived in the city for the remainder of her life, passing away on December 15, 1945.

To honor her, a species of cactus, Mammallaria Hamiltonhoytea, and Asteroid 7321 Minervahoyt became her namesakes. Joshua Tree National Park attracts approximately 3 million visitors annually, consistently ranking as one of the top ten most-visited national parks in the country. The Hoyt family residence was (and remains) at 917 Buena Vista Street, South Pasadena.