Abstract: An historical review is presented of the contributions of TV. Munson to viticulture and the improvement of cultivated grapes. Munson developed more than 300 grape cultivars with the principal goal of combining the pest resistance and climatic adaptability of various native American grape species with the superior fruit quality of commercial cultivars. Several Munson cultivars achieved commercial importance in the early 1900's and a few are still grown today, most notably the rootstock 'Dog Ridge.' Munson's legacy is the genetic diversity within his cultivars; a valuable genetic resource for grape breeders.