Charles Goethe

Charles Matthias Goethe (March 28, 1875 – July 10, 1966) was an American eugenicist, entrepreneur, land developer, philanthropist, conservationist, founder of the Eugenics Society of Northern California, and a and lifelong resident of Sacramento, California.

Charles M. Goethe was born on March 28, 1875 in Sacramento California. Goethe’s grandparents had immigrated to California from Germany in the 1870s. Charles’ father was interested in agriculture and wild life. Both men also pursued careers in real estate as Charles made most of his money as a real estate broker. Charles had passed the bar exam but did not pursue a career in law.

As a child, Charles was interested in agriculture, biology, and the human body. In his diary, he kept a record of his diet and exercise, specifically noting days in which his regimen was not sufficient. Goethe’s additional childhood interest in various plants and animals evolved as he pressed and catalogued his findings. His ideas concerning nature tied into his later views on eugenics, as he connected the evolution of nature to heredity. Goethe explained in his memoir Seeking to Serve that his original interest in eugenics began as a child.

Goethe (German pronunciation: [ˈɡøːtə] and occasionally incorrectly as "Gaytee" ) wrote admiringly of California’s Forty-Niners, the State’s giant redwood trees, and loved the outdoors. Goethe worked with organizations including the Sierra Club and the Audubon Society. He and his wife have been called the "The father and mother of the Nature Guide Movement,' initiating interpretive programs with the U.S. National Park Service. The National Park Service made Goethe the “Honorary Chief Naturalist” for his work in this field. This was motivated by their experience with nature programs in Europe and desire to educate visitors in the U.S. National Parks. His motto was "Learn to Read the Trail-side as a Book." Goethe encouraged the general public to educate themselves about the evolution of nature as well, personally spending time dedicated to learning about different plants and animals. He later introduced the Boy Scouts to Sacramento, due to his interest in furthering biological education for children. As an adult, Goethe was a conservationist who worked to implement park rangers into national parks.

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