California Frontier - A History Podcast Damian Bacich, Ph.D.

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 diplomacy was invaluable to General Mariano Vallejo in establishing control over Native groups in Northern Californi...

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 established a pueblo and presidio in Sonoma - the northernmost reaches of the territory. Vallejo's exploits i...

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 first written description of the West Coast of North America and its peoples. Episode web page: https:/...

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, ranchos, and presidios. It also supports scholarship into California's native, mission, and rancho...

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 together through his writings that celebrate ordinary Californians. His Catholic faith shaped this vision of California, and...

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 projects. As a young man, he studied at the University of San Francisco before serving in the U.S. ...