California Frontier

It is summer and time for a short update on the show. Send a Comment. Support the show Give a one-time donation Learn more about the California Frontier Project: Website YouTube Instagram Facebook Contact: damian@californiafrontier.net

The Bear Flag Revolt is one of the central episodes in the events leading to the U.S. annexation of California. In June of 1846, a group of Americans took over the Mexican Pueblo of Sonoma and declared a new “California Republic.” This is the story of their uprising. Episode transcript: https://www.californiafrontier.net/bear-flag-revolt/ Recommended Reading: Book: Neal Harlow,  California Conquer...

Send a Comment. Support the show Give a one-time donation Learn more about the California Frontier Project: Website YouTube Instagram Facebook Contact: damian@californiafrontier.net

Send a Comment. Support the show Give a one-time donation Learn more about the California Frontier Project: Website YouTube Instagram Facebook Contact: damian@californiafrontier.net

In part 2 of this interview, we delve further into the hidden astronomical alignments of many California mission churches. The orientations allowed sunlight to illuminate altars, tabernacles, and statues of saints on specific liturgical dates like the solstices, equinoxes, and religious feasts.  Dr. Rubén G. Mendoza explains the advanced knowledge of astronomy, calendars, and celestial mechanics t...

In Part 1 of this interview, I talk with trailblazing archaeologist Dr. Rubén Mendoza . Recounting his unexpected path from a curious young boy to a renowned scholar, Mendoza shares his pioneering work decoding the California missions' architectural secrets. His discoveries point to an incredible cosmic architecture. The missions were constructed with startling precision to capture rays of su...

Towering over people at 6'7", the imposing figure of Chief Francisco Solano loomed large in early 19th-century California. Born a Suisun native named Sina, he received the name Francisco Solano at his Mission Dolores baptism in 1810. Solano rose to become a formidable military leader, commanding thousands of indigenous warriors for the Mexican authorities. His skill in battle and diploma...

This episode is dedicated the remarkable life of Mariano Guadalupe Vallejo , a central figure in the pivotal era of California's origins.  Born into a military family in 1808 Monterey, Vallejo's thirst for knowledge and quick wit allowed him to receive a prestigious education from the governor himself. Vallejo rapidly ascended the military ranks, becoming the powerful commander who estab...

Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo is best known for being the first European to successfully navigate the Pacific coast of what is today California to points north of the San Francisco Bay. During the voyage, he and his men disembarked at several points and made direct contact with the Native American inhabitants of the coast and Channel Islands. His and his men's account of their voyage was also the f...

In this episode, I give my take on the California Missions Foundation conference that took place on April 12-14.  It was the first in-person conference since 2020, making it an important occasion to reconnect with California history in a special way. The California Missions Foundation does a huge amount to preserve the physical reminders of California's early past, particularly the missions,...

In Part 2 of my conversation with Dr. Jason Sexton , we delve into Kevin's attempt to understand the "California experience." Kevin Starr tried to chronicle California's history in a nuanced yet idealistic way, which connected him to earlier California historians such as Josiah Royce. According to Jason, Starr was an open-minded, generous figure who sought to bring people toget...

This is the first part of a lively conversation with Dr. Jason Sexton, editor of a book on the renowned California historian Kevin Starr (1940-2017) . Sexton describes Starr as California’s most ambitious interpreter. Starr’s 8-volume history, spanning the state’s origins to the 2000s, is the most complete work on California in print. Kevin Starr grew up in an orphanage and San Francisco’s housing...

Imagine California today without any remnants of its Spanish and Mexican past. That almost happened until a group of determined women took action to preserve the state's Hispanic heritage. At the turn of the 20th century, the historic El Camino Real trail connecting the California missions was crumbling into disrepair and faced being lost forever. Enter Anna Pitcher, a civic leader who launch...

The California missions ended after Mexico became independent of Spain. The newly independent Mexican government eventually passed laws that called for an end to the mission system through “secularization.”  The laws mandated the missions to be turned over to the Native American converts and converted into secular towns, with the land divided among Indian families. However, much of the mission lan...

The episode chronicles the story of Fr. José Altimira, a Spanish Franciscan missionary in early 19th century California. Altimira pushed to establish a new mission north of San Francisco Bay, clashing with his Franciscan superiors; he explored the Sonoma Valley and established a new mission in 1823 with support from Mexican civil authorities. Though the mission was allowed to continue, Altimira&ap...

In this episode, we look at the history of Native American Vaqueros .  Vaqueros were skilled horsemen who managed cattle and horses. Their tradition probably originates in the horse culture that arrived in Spain from North Africa in the 8th century AD and is widespread in Latin America.  The mission era brought ranching life to Alta California and created the unique figure of the California vaquer...

In this episode, we look at Native American life at Mission San Miguel Arcángel through the eyes of the padres who oversaw the mission.  Mission San Miguel is located in central California, almost equally distant from San Francisco to the north and Los Angeles to the south. In 1813, the Spanish Government sent a questionnaire to the priests of the California Missions to learn about the life of the...

In this episode, we delve into the lives of three remarkable women from early San Diego whose stories offer profound insights into the tumultuous times of California's frontier era. Drawing from the rich narratives preserved in Testimonios: Early California Through the Eyes of Women, 1815-1848 by Rose Marie Beebe and Robert Senkewicz, we explore the diverse paths of Josefa Carrillo de Fitch,...

This episode features an intriguing conversation with Jorge Del Castillo as he shares his experiences following the Juan Bautista de Anza National Historic Trail. This historic trail was a route used by Spanish settlers in the 18th century to reach Northern California from New Spain (Mexico). Jorge describes his journey, detailing various memorable sites, and shares his love for the history of Cal...

This is a special episode from the California Frontier Show archives. 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 who risked their lives to come north, and the legacy they passed on. When Spanish explorers came to Alta California in 1769,...

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. Further Reading: William Alexander Leidesdorff – First Black Millionaire, American Consul and California Pioneer by G...

This is a special episode from the California Frontier Show archives. A growing number of people of all ages are taking up the challenge of walking the entire California mission trail. For many, it is an adventure, a spiritual pilgrimage, a scenic tour, a way to get to know themselves, or all of the above. So today, I'm going into the archives and presenting the first podcast episode I ever d...

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, New Mexico, and Northern Mexico. To learn more: Book: Carlos R. Herrera. Juan Bautista de Anza: The King’s Governor in New Mexico . Book: Vladimir Guerrero. The Anza Trail and the Settling of California . Anza Trail Guide : This guide to the J...

In this episode of the California Frontier Podcast, Damian interviews Trudi Angell, producer of the documentary film La Récua (The Mule Pack Train). La Récua follows the story of Darío Higuera, a 70-year-old Baja California ranchero, who dreams of recreating an early-20th-century mule train transporting traditional goods from Comondú to La Paz in southern Baja California. Accompanied by his son, 8...

In part two of this interview with author Eric Plunkett, we get into some real stories of people who lived through some of the enormous changes of the early years. Eric emphasizes the importance of translating and making primary sources from Spanish colonial California available, as they provide deeper and more authentic insights into the […] The post Stories of Early Orange County: Eric Plunkett,...