Death of Marjory Stoneman Douglas

Marjory Stoneman Douglas died on May 14, 1998, at her home in Coconut Grove, Miami, Florida, at the age of 108.[1][2][5][8][20] Her death closed a life that spanned three centuries of American history—from the closing of the frontier through the rise of the modern environmental movement. She remained mentally engaged and outspoken into very old age, continuing to defend the Everglades even as her physical strength declined.[1][9]

Douglas’s passing was widely noted in national and Florida media, which remembered her as the "Mother of the Everglades" and "the woman who saved the Everglades."[2][3][9] By the time of her death, her ideas had become deeply embedded in policy debates and public consciousness: large-scale restoration projects were underway, and her name had been given to schools, state buildings, and major environmental statutes.[3][9][14] Her home in Coconut Grove, where she wrote The Everglades: River of Grass, would later be preserved as a historic site.[20]

Historically, the date marks not only the end of her personal activism but the beginning of her posthumous legacy. Organizations she founded or inspired, such as Friends of the Everglades, continued to advocate for stronger protections, often invoking her words and example.[9][12][15] The long span of her life allowed her to witness early efforts to drain the Everglades, fight them through writing and organizing, and see conservation values gain national prominence.

For women’s history, her death highlights the endurance required of female reformers working outside formal power structures. Douglas never held major elected office, yet she profoundly shaped law, public opinion, and scientific understanding. May 14, 1998, therefore signifies the passing of one of the 20th century’s most influential environmental advocates—a woman whose combination of literary talent, civic courage, and stubborn persistence left a lasting imprint on both Florida and the nation.