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
040: Secrets of Mission Architecture (Part 2): Dr. Rubén G. Mendoza
In part 2 of this interview, we delve further into the hidden astronomical alignments of many California mission churches. The orientations allowed sunlight to…
- California Frontier
039: Secrets of Mission Architecture: Dr. Rubén Mendoza (Part 1)
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…
- California Frontier
038: A Warrior's Journey: The Legend of Chief Solano
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…
- California Frontier
037: General of the Northern Frontier: Mariano Guadalupe Vallejo
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…
- California Frontier
036: The Enigmatic Explorer Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo
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…
- California Frontier
035: An Inside Look at the California Missions Conference
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…
- California Frontier
034: Kevin Starr's Vision: Interview with Jason Sexton, Pt. 2
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 Frontier
033: History and California's Redemption: Interview with author Jason Sexton, Pt. 1
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…
- California Frontier
032: How We Almost Lost El Camino Real (and the Women Who Saved It)
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…
- California Frontier
031: How did the California Missions End?
The California missions ended after Mexico became independent of Spain. The newly independent Mexican government eventually passed laws that called for an end…
- California Frontier
030: Fr. José Altimira, Sonoma and the End of the Mission Chain
The episode chronicles the story of Fr. José Altimira, a Spanish Franciscan missionary in early 19th century California. Altimira pushed to establish a new…
- California Frontier
029: Native American Vaqueros on the California Frontier
In this episode, we look at the history of Native American Vaqueros. Vaqueros were skilled horsemen who managed cattle and horses. Their tradition probably…
- California Frontier
028: Native Life at Mission San Miguel
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…
- California Frontier
027: Remarkable Women of Old San Diego
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 Frontier
026: Traversing Time: The Odyssey of the Juan Bautista de Anza Trail
This episode features an intriguing conversation with Jorge Del Castillo as he shares his experiences following the Juan Bautista de Anza National Historic…
- California Frontier
025: What it Means to Be a Californio: Author and Descendant Greg Bernal-Mendoza Smestad
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…
- California Frontier
024: San Francisco’s Overlooked Pioneer - William Leidesdorff
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…
- California Frontier
023: Visiting All 21 California Missions: Author Maggie Espinoza
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 Frontier
022: 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…
- California Frontier
021: An Epic Journey Through Time: Documentary Producer Trudi Angell
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…
- California Frontier
020: Stories of Early Orange County: Eric Plunkett, Part 2
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…
- California Frontier
019: 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…
- California Frontier
018: Early California and the Far East 3: Author Dr. Christine Marie Duggan
In the third part of my conversation with Marie Christine Duggan, we discuss the life and experiences of Juan Francisco de la Bodega y Cuadra, a naval officer…
- California Frontier
017: Early California and the Far East 2: Author Dr. Christine Marie Duggan
The interview uncovers complexities in Pacific trade routes, challenging conventional narratives about the Spanish Empire’s trade. It focuses on San Blas, a…
- California Frontier
016 :Early California and the Far East 1 with author Dr. Christine Marie Duggan
Dr. Marie Christine Duggan is a Professor of Business Management at Keene State University, which gives her a unique approach to the history of New Spain, and…
- California Frontier
015: 300,000 Bricks, pt. 2
In this episode, I finish my conversation with Dr. Jarrell Jackman. He gives us some insight into his personal journey, the obstacles that had to be overcome…
- California Frontier
014: 300,000 Adobe Bricks: Santa Barbara’s Royal Presidio, pt. 1
Damian and his guest Dr. Jarrell Jackman discuss Dr. Jackman’s new book on Santa Barbara’s Royal Presidio. Jarrell was employed by the Santa Barbara Trust for…
- California Frontier
013: 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…
- California Frontier
012: 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…
- California Frontier
011: The Spanish Legacy in California and the Mexican War for Independence
This is a special episode of the California Frontier podcast. The shoe is on the other foot this time, and I am the one being interviewed. My host is Jordan…
- California Frontier
010: The Lone Woman of San Nicolas Island: Interview with Elisabeth Rareshide
The story of the Lone Woman of San Nicolas Island was made famous by Scott O’Dell’s novel The Island of the Blue Dolphins. In this episode of the podcast, we…
- California Frontier
009: The Levitating Cross at Monterey and the Beginnings of California
The California frontier is full of reports of the marvelous or miraculous events that defy scientific explanation. Historian Skyler Reidy has been…
- California Frontier
008: 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…
- California Frontier
007: 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…
- California Frontier
006: “Follow the Money”: Interview with Marie Christine Duggan (Part 2)
In this second part of the interview we learn about what studying economic history can reveal about the past. In particular, we learn about California’s early…
- California Frontier
005: Missions and Misconceptions: Interview with Marie Christine Duggan (Part 1)
The story of the Spanish missions in California isn’t always what it seems. By delving into Mexico’s National Archives, Dr. Marie Christine Duggan uncovered…
- California Frontier
004: 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…
- California Frontier
003: Early Sea Exploration of California
Why did Spanish Explorers Come to California? Spanish mariners began exploring the Pacific coast of North America in the early 16th century in hopes of finding…
- California Frontier
002: How did California Get its Name? You Might be Surprised
The name “California” comes from a 16th century Spanish novel that involves a warrior queen named Calafia. But the name also has much deeper roots that connect…
- California Frontier
001: California Frontier Podcast: Welcome to Season 2
The California Frontier Podcast is back! Our first season was short -- interviews with journalist and travel writer Maggie Espinosa about her pilgrimage to all…
- California Frontier
The California Frontier Podcast – Introduction
Introducing the California Frontier Podcast, dedicated to the people and stories of the California mission and rancho eras. For some months now I have been…