Shows / California Frontier
California Frontier
Prof. Damian Bacich shares the history you didn't learn in school. Each episode is a deep dive into the fascinating early history of California and the West. Listen to stories and interviews with scholars, experts, and people who are passionate about a time when California was the frontier of empire and imagination.
Episodes
- California Frontier
100: Earthquakes, Pirates and the Later Years of San Juan Capistrano with author Eric Plunkett
In part two of this interview, Eric Plunkett describes how Mission San Juan Capistrano’s history unfolds through upheaval and endurance: early conflict and a…
- California Frontier
099: Early Days of Mission San Juan Capistrano with author Eric Plunkett
Historian Eric Plunkett joins Damian Bacich to explore the early history of Mission San Juan Capistrano, focusing on the Acjachemen people and the Indigenous…
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098: Outlaw Joaquín Murrieta with author John Boessenecker
The real story of California bandido Joaquin Murrieta is darker—and far more complicated—than the legend. Historian and New York Times bestselling author John…
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097: Bastion by the Bay with author Dr. John Langelier
This is the second interview in a series marking the 250th anniversary of the Presidio of San Francisco. Damian Bacich sits down with historian Dr. John…
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096: San Francisco Presidio with Archaeologist Kari Jones and Historian Rob Thomson Part 2
The story of the Presidio didn't end with Spain or Mexico—it was only beginning. In the second half of my conversation with Rob Thomson, Federal Preservation…
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095: San Francisco Presidio with Archaeologist Kari Jones and Historian Rob Thomson Part 1
How did a lonely Spanish outpost become one of America's most remarkable historic places? In this episode, I sit down with Rob Thomson, Federal Preservation…
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094: The Wine Tasting That Put California on the Map with Kevin Ferguson, Part 2.
In Part 2 of this conversation, Damian Bacich talks with wine historian Kevin Ferguson, descendant of the Gemello Winery family, about the dramatic rise of…
- California Frontier
093: The Wine Tasting That Put California on the Map with Kevin Ferguson, Part 1.
In the first part of my conversation with author Kevin Ferguson, we explore the rich history of California wine, tracing its roots from Italian immigrants…
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092: Black Pioneers of Spanish California with Dr. Cameron Jones Part 2
In part 2 of our interview, we explore the transformative period of US occupation and the subsequent transition to statehood, focusing on the California…
- California Frontier
091: Black Pioneers of Spanish California with Dr. Cameron Jones Part 1
Historian Cameron Jones joins Damian Bacich for a fascinating conversation about the overlooked African presence in early California. Drawing on mission…
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090: The Mission Walker Part 2 with author Edie Littlefield Sundby
In the second half of this interview with Edie Littlefield Sundby (The Mission Walker), she explains why she extended the California Mission Trail beyond San…
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089: The Mission Walker with author Edie Littlefield Sundby Part 1
Today's guest is Edie Littlefield Sundby, author of the memoir The Mission Walker, about becoming the first person to walk the full Camino Real of both…
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088: The Portolá Expedition and the Discovery of the San Francisco Bay
In 1769, Spain feared it was about to lose the Pacific coast. Russian traders were moving south from Alaska, British naval power was rising, and Spain had no…
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087: Exploring Baja California with Author David Kier Part 2
In part two of this interview, Damian Bacich continues his conversation with David Kier, who shares stories from his travels to the Baja California missions…
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086: The Missions of Baja California with Author David Kier Part 1
In this episode, host Damian Bacich talks with David Kier about his lifelong interest in Baja California and its missions. Kier explains how family trips he…
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085: A Gold Rush Family Saga with author Craig S. Harwood
Today, I'm honored to speak with Craig S. Harwood, author of Bridget's Gambit, a captivating saga of family enterprise during the California Gold Rush. This…
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084: San Diego's Lost City with Author Richard Carrico Part 2
In Part 2 of my interview with archaeologist Richard Carrico, our conversation delves into the significant archaeological findings at the Presidio, revealing…
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083: San Diego's Lost City with Author Richard Carrico Part 1
In this conversation, I interview archaeologist Richard Carrico, an expert on the Presidio of San Diego, discussing its historical significance, the need for…
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082: California's Forgotten Soldiers: The Californio Lancers Part 2
In this episode, we delve into the second half of an interview with Tom Prezelski, author of Californio Lancers: The First Battalion of Native Cavalry in the…
- California Frontier
081: California's Forgotten Soldiers: The Californio Lancers Part 1
In this episode, I talk with author Tom Prezelski about his book The Californio Lancers: The 1st Battalion of Native Cavalry in the Far West, 1863–1866…
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080: Soldiers' Wives on the California Frontier Part 2 | April Farnham, Ethnohistorian
Join us as we conclude our interview with ethnohistorian April Farnham, delving into the lives and contributions of mixed Spanish and indigenous families in…
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079: Soldiers' Wives in Early California Part 1 | April Farnham, Ethnohistorian
In this episode, I interview April Farham, who shares her fascinating work on the lives of early California settlers, specifically indigenous and Mestiza…
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078: True Visual History of California Part 3 | David W. Rickman, Illustrator and Historian
Exploring Historical Illustrations and California's Cultural Heritage with David W. Rickman Watch to the full YouTube video In the final installment of this…
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077: True Visual History of California Part 2 | David W. Rickman, Illustrator and Historian
In the second part of our interview with illustrator and historian David W. Rickman, we delve into his research methodologies and his quest to accurately…
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076: True Visual History of California Part 1 | David W. Rickman, Illustrator and Historian
Join us for Part 1 of an interview with artist and historian David W. Rickman, renowned for his illustrations of California history and the Spanish…
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075: Life in the Gold Fields | Tales of Mexican California Part 4
Antonio Coronel’s Gold Rush Tales in Mexican California In the final installment of 'The Tales of Mexican California,' we follow Antonio Coronel's vivid…
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074: Pirates in California? | Michael Hardwick Part 2
In the second part of my interview with Michael Hardwick, we hear about Hippolyte Bouchard, a pirate who raided California's coast, and learn about the history…
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073: Presidios and Soldados in California Part 1 | Author Michael Hardwick
In this episode, I delve into the often overlooked history of the Spanish Presidios in California with expert Michael Hardwick, author of Spanish Arms and…
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072: The Revolt of Los Angeles: Tales of Mexican California Part 3
Join me for another excerpt from Antonio Franco Coronel's memoirs, Tales of Mexican California. In this episode, we hear about the events of 1846, when the US…
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071: Tales of Mexican California Part 2: Antonio Coronel's Memoirs
Tales of Mexican California: Antonio Coronel's Memoirs - Part 2 To hear Part 1, go to Episode 065. In this episode of the California Frontier Podcast, Damian…
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070: The Journey of the Stones | Fr. Paul Mark Schwan (Part 2)
In the second half of my interview with Father Paul Mark Swan, Abbot of the Abbey of New Clairvaux, we find out about the journey of a medieval Spanish…
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069: Medieval Heritage in the Heart of California | Abbot Paul Mark Schwan (Part 1)
Part 1 of this interview explores the rich history of the Abbey of New Clairvaux, a Roman Catholic monastery in Vina, California. The abbey is rooted in the…
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068: How the Civil War Transformed California | Author James Tejani
In Part 2 of my conversation with author James Tejani, we delve into the Civil War's role in shaping California's economic and political landscape. The…
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067: Remaking Southern California with author James Tejani
In Part 1, we sit down with author James Tejani to discuss his book, A Machine to Move Ocean and Earth: The Making of the Port of Los Angeles and America. The…
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066: Thank You!
A quick message of thanks at the end of 2024 from the California Frontier Project. Send a Comment. Support the show Give a one-time donation Learn more about…
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065: Tales of Mexican California Pt. 1
In the first episode of this series, we explore the memoirs of Antonio Franco Coronel, a significant figure in Southern California's Mexican past. Coronel…
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064: A Franciscan in Troubled Times Part 3
In this episode, we conclude the story of Fr. José María del Real. We cover the U.S. annexation and occupation of California and the tensions between new…
- California Frontier
063: A Franciscan in Troubled Times Part 2
In this episode, we delve further into the life and challenges faced by Fr. José María Suárez del Real, the last Franciscan missionary at Mission Santa Clara…
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062: A Franciscan in Troubled Times Part 1
In this episode, we delve into the life and legacy of Father José María Suárez del Real, a Mexican Franciscan missionary in 1840s California. Through anecdotes…
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061: The Attack on Mission San Diego: Interview with Richard Carrico (Part 2)
In Part 2 of our conversation, we delve into the 1775 sacking of Mission San Diego de Alcalá, a pivotal event in California's history. Richard's detailed…
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060: Reservation Archaeology with Richard Carrico (Part 1)
In Part 1 of this interview, I speak with archeologist Richard Carrico, a prominent expert on the Native peoples of California, especially those in the San…
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059: Strangers in a New Land: Two Foreigners Who Shaped Early California
This solo episode explores how two ambitious foreigners, one a Scotsman and the other an American, navigated life in Mexican California during the 1830s and…
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058: California's Untold Maritime History (Part 2) with author Eric Plunkett
In Part 2 of my interview with Eric Plunkett about early explorations of California, we begin with the shipwreck of the San Agustin in 1595 at Drake's Bay…
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057: California's Untold Maritime History (Part 1) with author Eric Plunkett
Join host Damian Bacich and guest Eric Plunkett as they dive into the fascinating early maritime history of California. Plunkett reveals surprising details…
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056: Secrets of Mission San Luis Rey Part 2 with Art Historian Helena Hazleton
In Part 2 of my interview with Helena Hazleton, Museum Director at Mission San Luis Rey de Francia, we discuss its later history and some features that make it…
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055: Secrets of Mission San Luis Rey Part 1 with Art Historian Helena Hazleton
In this episode, I interview art historian Helena Hazleton, Director of the Museum at Mission San Luis Rey de Francia in Oceanside, California. In this…
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054: What's Up with the California Frontier Project?
We've published 50 episodes and it is time to check in about where the California Frontier Project is going. Send a Comment. Support the show Give a one-time…
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053: Beyond the Devil's Road Part 2: Dr. Jeremy Beer
In Part 2 of this interview, author Jeremy Beer discusses his new book Beyond the Devil's Road: Francisco Garcés and the Spanish Encounter with the American…
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052: Beyond the Devil's Road Part 1: Interview with author Dr. Jeremy Beer
This is Part 1 of an interview with author Jeremy Beer about his new book Beyond the Devil's Road: Francisco Garcés and the Spanish Encounter with the American…
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051: California in 1834 Part 3: Wine and Weddings
This is the third and final installment exploring the recollections of Carlos N. Híjar, who came to Alta California from Mexico in 1834 at age eight. Key…
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050: Alta California in 1834 Part 2: Song and Dance
In this episode, we continue exploring the memoirs of Carlos N. Híjar, who came to Alta California as a young boy in 1834. The episode focuses on daily life in…
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049: Alta California in 1834 Part 1: Bear and Bull Fights
The episode focuses on the recollections of Carlos N. Híjar, who arrived in Alta California in 1834 as a child. Híjar's memoir provides insights into daily…
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048: The Mexican-American War: An Overview
This episode explores the complex history of the Mexican-American War and its lasting impact on North America. In it, we cover: Spanish presence in North…
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047: The Chumash Uprising Part 2: Interview with Dr. John Johnson
In the second part of our interview, Dr. John Johnson, former Curator of Anthropology at the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History, delves deeper into the…
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046: The Chumash Uprising Part 1: Interview with Dr. John R. Johnson
In Part 1 of this fascinating interview, Dr. John Johnson, former Curator of Anthropology at the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History, provides an in-depth…
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045: Californios and Ethnicity with Archaeologist Jennifer Lucido
In today's interview, I am talking with archaeologist Jennifer Lucido. Jennifer has worked at several important historical sites in the Monterey area and has…
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044: A brief update from the California Frontier Show
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…
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043: California's Insurgency: The Bear Flag Revolt
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…
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042: Native American Ranchos in Alta California
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- California Frontier
041: Early California's Settlers
Send a Comment. Support the show Give a one-time donation Learn more about the California Frontier Project: Website YouTube Instagram Facebook Contact…