This is a two-part interview with author Jeremy Beer about his new book Beyond the Devil’s Road: Francisco Garcés and the Spanish Encounter with the American Southwest. In Part 1, we discuss the challenges and triumphs of Fray Francisco Garcés, a Franciscan friar and lesser-known but remarkable explorer, and his extensive travels across one of North […]
Uncovering Orange County’s Hidden History with Eric Plunkett (Pt. 1)
Eric Plunkett is an amazing historian whose enthusiasm for discovering the riches of California’s past is contagious. In this episode, Damian Bacich hosts a deep-dive discussion with Eric on the history of early California, especially Orange County. They touch on indigenous languages, the California grizzly bear, and their mutual interest in archival research. Eric shares […]
Three Californianas You Should Know
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.
The Legend of Chief Solano
“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 […]
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 Tubac in what is today southern Arizona.
How We Almost Lost El Camino Real (and the Women Who Saved It)
Imagine California with no landmarks from before 1848, no structures dating to the Spanish and Mexican periods. How different might the state be?
“The Americanos Played for Keeps”
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).
The Forgotten Lives of a California Adobe
Preserving historical landmarks means more than just saving old buildings. It often means preserving the link to the lives lived there.
Tiburcio Vásquez and Vaquero Vengeance
Shortly after the end of the Mexican-American War, William Rich Hutton recalled visiting Doña Angustias de la Guerra Jimeno in Monterey…
The Castaway of Whalers Cove
After coming to Mexican California in 1822 on a whaling ship, Englishman William Richardson decided to stay.
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 California, Arizona, Texas and New Mexico, as well as Northern Mexico.
Rebuilding a Presidio: Interview with Jarrell Jackman
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 […]
Ramona, the Novel that Changed California: Interview with Jonathan Alcántar
The novel Ramona by Helen Hunt Jackson sparked an interest in California’s Mission Era that attracted visitors from all over the country. But Jackson’s novel was much more than nostalgia for a bygone era — it was a cry for human rights. The story of the author, her work and how Cuba’s most famous exile […]
California Missions: 50 Interesting Facts
The California missions are home to fascinating stories and interesting facts. The following is a list 50 things you might not know about the missions– but there are many more to discover. Pirate Raid In 1818, a French privateer named Hippolyte Bouchard (known in Spanish as Hipólito Bouchard), led a series of raids along the coast of Alta California. Bouchard […]
Native Knowledge in Colonial Latin America: Interview with Ezekiel Stear (Part 2)
As the Spanish Empire become more consolidated, language and writing became more and more important — both for the Spanish government and for native peoples. In part 2 of this interview we learn how indigenous people in Colonial Spanish America preserved their knowledge in the face of restrictive government policies. Listen to Part 1 Highlights […]
Aztec Memories and the Florentine Codex: Interview with Ezekiel Stear (Part 1)
The story of the Spanish missions in California has its roots in 16th century Mexico. There, Franciscan friars and their native partners sought to record the memories of Aztec elders before their culture was changed forever. The information they collected is contained in the Florentine Codex. Ezekiel Stear Dr. Ezekiel Stear is Assistant Professor of […]
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 allowed farming and ranching by private individuals in California. In the 19th century the Mexican government continued and expanded the program. Land Laws in Spain The laws and customs about who could own […]
The Mexican-American War
The Mexican-American War (or the U.S. – Mexico War) was the conflict that took place between 1846 and 1848 and caused Mexico to lose close to half of its territory and the U.S. to acquire what is today Texas, Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, Nevada and California. The Spanish in North America and the Treaty of […]