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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: Podcast, Settlement

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: Mexican California, Podcast 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 marked 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: Mexican California, 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: U.S. Expansion 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: Mexican California, Podcast, U.S. Expansion 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: Native American Life 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: California History, U.S. Expansion

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 Joining the Mission When young Sina was […]

Filed Under: Native American Life 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: Exploration, Settlement

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: Podcast

“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: California History 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: California History 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: California History 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: Mexican California 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: California History

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: California History

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: Mexican California Tagged With: Bear Flag, Frémont, Ide, Mexican-American War, Osos, Sonoma

Juan Bautista de Anza: Son of the Frontier

By Damian Bacich

Juan Bautista de Anza was a military officer, governor, explorer and diplomat. His life had an enormous impact on the history of California, Arizona, Texas and New Mexico, as well as Northern Mexico.

Filed Under: Podcast, Settlement

Native Vaqueros in Alta California

By Damian Bacich

Native Vaqueros on the California Frontier

Vaqueros were the most important workers in the mission and rancho eras. And some of the first vaqueros were Native American. Learn more about these unique figures on the California frontier. What Does “Vaquero” Mean? The word vaquero is usually translated as “cowboy” in English and literally means “someone in charge of cows.” It also […]

Filed Under: Mexican California, Missions, Native American Life, Podcast Tagged With: horses, Ranchos, soldados, Vaqueros

Rebuilding a Presidio: Interview with Jarrell Jackman

By Damian Bacich

Soldiers and presidios played a key role in establishing the Spanish presence in California, but they are still misunderstood. Jarrell Jackman has been at the forefront of preserving and documenting this crucial element of the California frontier. Jarrell C. Jackman Dr. Jarrell C. Jackman was Executive Director of the Santa Barbara Trust for Historic Preservation for […]

Filed Under: Exploration, Podcast, Settlement Tagged With: Santa Barbara

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