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About Damian Bacich

Damian Bacich, Ph.D. writes about California and the West. He is also a professor, translator and historical researcher. You can learn more about Damian here.

California, Mexico and the Far East: Part 2

By Damian Bacich

The interview uncovers complexities in Pacific trade routes, challenging conventional narratives about the Spanish Empire’s trade. It focuses on San Blas, a naval base in New Spain, which caused discontent among Mexico City merchants. Dr. Duggan explains how the Spanish Crown aimed to weaken the Mexico City merchants by granting San Blas more autonomy, turning […]

Filed Under: Podcast Episodes, Spanish Exploration and Colonization

California, Mexico and the Far East: Pt. 1

By Damian Bacich

Dr. Marie Christine Duggan is a Professor of Business Management at Keene State University, which gives her a unique approach to the history of New Spain, and especially the Pacific coast. In Part 1, we talk how trade between Mexico and the Philippines impacted California’s early history.

Filed Under: Podcast Episodes, Spanish Exploration and Colonization

300,000 Bricks, pt. 2

By Damian Bacich

In this episode, I finish my conversation with Dr. Jarrell Jackman. He gives us some insight into his personal journey, the obstacles that had to be overcome and the future of Santa Barbara’s presidio.

Filed Under: Podcast Episodes

300,000 Adobe Bricks: Santa Barbara’s Royal Presidio, pt. 1

By Damian Bacich

Damian and his guest Dr. Jarrell Jackman discuss Dr. Jackman’s new book on Santa Barbara’s Royal Presidio. Jarrell was employed by the Santa Barbara Trust for Historic Preservation for 35 years, serving as Projects Administrator and CEO. He has received many honors, including recognition from the California State Parks and the California State Parks Rangers […]

Filed Under: European Settlements, Podcast Episodes, Soldiers and Presidios

Three Californianas You Should Know

By Damian Bacich

The early history of California is made up of many remarkable women. Fortunately, some of them left behind stories that give us important glimpses into life in frontier times.

Filed Under: 4th Grade, Californios, Hispanic Heritage, Mexican Rule, Women in California History Tagged With: Apolinara Lorenzana, Californios, Daily Lives (Standard 5), Josefa Carrillo, Juana Machado, San Diego, women

Mission San Francisco Solano: 10 Interesting Facts

By Damian Bacich

2023 marks the 200th anniversary of the founding of Mission San Francisco Solano. Nestled in the Valley of the Moon, in the heart of California’s wine country, the mission is an unmistakable landmark.  The simple 2,400-square-foot church stands along Sonoma’s main square, across the street from the barracks that General Mariano Guadalupe Vallejo built to house the […]

Filed Under: 4th Grade, Mexican Rule, Spanish Missions Tagged With: Gen. Mariano G. Vallejo, Mission San Francisco Solano, Sonoma

The Rise and Fall of Captain Folsom

By Damian Bacich

During his short life, William Alexander Leidesdorff accumulated great wealth. Yet, what happened to his wealth after he died is a story in itself.  The Aftermath of Leidesdorff’s Death In addition to his riches, Leidesdorff left many debts. Many of those were a result of his financing of businesses and other ventures like Fremont’s expeditions.  […]

Filed Under: 4th Grade, Black History, Gold Rush, U.S. Annexation Tagged With: Black History, Folsom, Gold Rush, Ranchos

San Francisco’s Overlooked Pioneer: William Alexander Leidesdorff

By Damian Bacich

William Alexander Leidesdorff

Although little known today, the name of William Alexander Leidesdorff is enshrined on streets in San Francisco and a town along the American River. He was also one of California’s pioneers of African descent and instrumental in bringing about the American annexation of California.

Filed Under: 4th Grade, Black History, Mexican Rule, U.S. Annexation Tagged With: Black History, Gold Rush, Leidesdorff, San Francisco

The Luiseño of Southern California

By Damian Bacich

Luiseño leaders at Pala in the 1880s

The Luiseño people are an indigenous group of coastal Southern California with a unique language and culture. The introduction of the mission introduced major changes into Luiseño life, including a new religion (Christianity) and the adoption of the farming and ranching lifestyle. Since its founding, the mission was supervised by Fr. Antonio Peyrí. Fr. Peyrí […]

Filed Under: 4th Grade, Native Americans Tagged With: Luiseño, Mission San Luis Rey, Native Americans, Southern California

Routes to Mexican California

By Damian Bacich

In the early decades of the nineteenth century, growing numbers of people came to Alta California. The routes they took and the lives they established changed the history of the region. Immigration by Sea After independence from Spain, the Mexican government relaxed trade and immigration rules. In the 1820s and 1830s, small numbers of English-speaking […]

Filed Under: 4th Grade

The Legend of Chief Solano

By Damian Bacich

“He was of gigantic stature, standing six feet seven inches–without his stockings, for he had none. And he was large all over in proportion, with the strength of several men. His name by baptism was Francisco Solano, and by that name he was best known.” – Platon Vallejo

Filed Under: California Indians, Hispanic Heritage, Native Americans Tagged With: California Indians (Standard 1), Gen. Mariano G. Vallejo, Mission San Francisco Solano, Patwin, Sonoma, Suisun

Todavía Estamos Aquí (We are Still Here)

By Damian Bacich

246 years ago a group of some two hundred people arrived at the Presidio of San Francisco after an arduous trek from Tubac in what is today southern Arizona.

Filed Under: Californios, European Settlements, Hispanic Heritage, Spanish Exploration and Colonization

How We Almost Lost El Camino Real (and the Women Who Saved It)

By Damian Bacich

Imagine California with no landmarks from before 1848, no structures dating to the Spanish and Mexican periods. How different might the state be?

Filed Under: Hispanic Heritage

“The Americanos Played for Keeps”

By Damian Bacich

The Battle of San Pascual

In his memoirs about life in rancho era California, José Jesús López describes how his father joined the “California Army.”

Filed Under: Hispanic Heritage Tagged With: Californios, Daily Lives (Standard 5), Los Angeles, Pio Pico, Primary Sources

Bad for the Lungs but Wonderful for Memories

By Damian Bacich

If doors and windows were primitive in Californio homes, you can also imagine that furniture was not much better.

Filed Under: Hispanic Heritage Tagged With: Californios, Daily Lives (Standard 5), Los Angeles, Primary Sources

Life in Rancho Era Los Angeles: Hardships and Joys

By Damian Bacich

José Jesús López grew up in the Pueblo of Los Angeles in the 1850s, in the neighborhood of *El Paredón Blanco* (today’s Boyle Heights).

Filed Under: Hispanic Heritage Tagged With: Californios, Daily Lives (Standard 5), Los Angeles, Primary Sources, Rancho Era, Ranchos

The Forgotten Lives of a California Adobe

By Damian Bacich

Preserving historical landmarks means more than just saving old buildings. It often means preserving the link to the lives lived there.

Filed Under: Californios, Field Trips, Hispanic Heritage, Mexican Rule Tagged With: Daily Lives (Standard 5)

Tiburcio Vásquez and Vaquero Vengeance

By Damian Bacich

Shortly after the end of the Mexican-American War, William Rich Hutton recalled visiting Doña Angustias de la Guerra Jimeno in Monterey…

Filed Under: Hispanic Heritage

The Castaway of Whalers Cove

By Damian Bacich

After coming to Mexican California in 1822 on a whaling ship, Englishman William Richardson decided to stay.

Filed Under: Hispanic Heritage

The Bear Flag Revolt: California’s Insurgency

By Damian Bacich

The Bear Flag Revolt is one of the central episodes in the events leading to the U.S. annexation of California.

Filed Under: Californios, Mexican Rule Tagged With: Bear Flag, Frémont, Ide, Mexican-American War, Osos, Sonoma

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I’m Dr. Damian Bacich, and I started the California Frontier Project. Learn more about me and the project here.

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