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Podcast Episode 002 — “You Have to Carry This On”: What it Means to Be a Californio

By Damian Bacich

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 ago.  Greg talks to us about their journey, the character of those people who risked their lives to come to come north, and the legacy they passed on.

Filed Under: Daily Lives, European Settlements, Podcast Episodes, Spanish Exploration and Colonization Tagged With: Anza, Bay Area, Californios, genealogy, living history, National Park Service, San José

Saving Our Stories

By Damian Bacich

A few nights ago I attended a community meeting aimed at designating my county as a National Heritage Area. Throughout the United States, from Alaska to West Virginia, there are over 60 National Heritage Areas. Not one is in California. 

Filed Under: News Tagged With: Anza, National Park Service

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

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Latest Articles

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  • San Francisco’s Overlooked Pioneer: William Alexander Leidesdorff
  • The Luiseño of Southern California
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