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Todavía Estamos Aquí (We are Still Here)
246 years ago a group of some two hundred people arrived at the Presidio of San Francisco after an arduous trek from…
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Juan Bautista de Anza: Son of the Frontier
Juan Bautista de Anza was a military officer, governor, explorer and diplomat. His life had an enormous impact on the history of…
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Land Grants in Alta California
The story of land ownership in modern California begins with the practice of Spanish land grants. Beginning in the 18th century, Spain…
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Grit and Grace on the Golden Gate: The Unforgettable Juana Briones
Juana Briones lived in Spanish, Mexican and U.S. California and she left her mark on all three. Now she is receiving the…
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The Anza Expedition of 1775-76: Members and Their Families
In January of 1776, Juan Bautista de Anza arrived in Alta California with just over 200 men, women and children from Tubac…
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Settlers on the California Frontier (Part 2): The Californios
What type of culture developed among settlers in Alta California? What did they call themselves? How did they live under Mexico and…
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Settlers on the California Frontier (Part 1)
Who settled California? What was their life like? What were the first towns?
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Soldiers and Presidios in Alta California (with video)
Who were the soldiers that came to Alta California? What was their life like? What were the presidios, and what was their…
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Podcast Episode 002 — “You Have to Carry This On”: What it Means to Be a Californio
In this episode, I speak with Greg Bernal-Mendoza Smestad, a direct descendant of the families who settled Alta California over 200 years…
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Beyond Clichés
Recently I began recording a series of interviews for a new podcast I will be launching as part of California Frontier.…
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Exploration and Settlement of California (Part 2 of 2)
For most of the 17th and 18th centuries, Spanish ships dominated the Pacific. But her rivals Russia and England were busy contesting…
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Happy Birthday San José
San José, California is the oldest city on the West Coast. In November it celebrates its birthday.
