In his memoirs about life in rancho era California, José Jesús López describes how his father joined the “California Army.”
Bad for the Lungs but Wonderful for Memories
If doors and windows were primitive in Californio homes, you can also imagine that furniture was not much better.
Life in Rancho Era Los Angeles: Hardships and Joys
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).
Adopted by Indians: A True Story (Review)
Author: Thomas Jefferson Mayfield Editor: Malcolm Margolin Illustrators: Hilair Chism, Rick Jones Paperback: 144 pages Publisher and Year: Heyday Books, 1997 As we perused the gift shop of a local history museum, I noticed my son was reading one of the books. Of course, if my children find a book about history that interests them, I pay […]
Life at a California Mission: A Native American Perspective
In the 1830’s, a young man named Pablo Tac wrote about his experiences growing up at Mission San Luis Rey. It is one of the only firsthand accounts written by a Native American who lived at a mission.
Choosing a Mission Site: San Miguel Arcángel
How was a mission site chosen? What factors went into the location of a mission? Who decided where to build a mission? When was Mission San Miguel Founded? Mission San Miguel Arcángel was founded on July 25, 1797 by Fr. Fermín de Lasuén and Fr. Buenaventura Sitjar. Important Steps Before establishing a Spanish mission in […]
Indian Life at the California Missions — San Carlos Borromeo
How did native people live at Mission San Carlos Borromeo? What languages did they speak? What foods did they eat? How did they dress?
Indian Life at the California Missions – San Miguel Arcangel
One of the things people often ask about is what life was like on the California missions, especially Indian life. Some of the most important accounts of California Indian life at the missions come from the Interrogatorio (Questionnaire) that the Spanish Government sent to the priests of the California Missions in 1813.