HISTORY & ACTIVITIES
Preserving the Hispanic Heritage of Alta California
History
In December 1968, a small group of descendants of Spanish Alta Californians formed Los Californianos in anticipation of the bicentennial year of the discovery of San Francisco Bay in 1769 by the expedition led by Don Gaspar de Portolá.
Los Californianos was created for the purpose of preserving the heritage of Alta California’s early Hispanic Californians (also called Californios or Californianos). As individuals and as an organization, we conduct research on genealogy and civil, religious, military, and cultural activities in Alta California. We strive to ensure that an accurate and authentic oral, written, and pictorial interpretation of the history of Spanish and Mexican Alta California is provided to the public, especially to our fourth-grade students who study that period of history as part of their curriculum.
Activities
We host educational and entertaining programs of cultural and historical interest at various sites throughout California. These meetings are usually held on the weekend of the fourth Sunday in January, April, and October, starting on Friday afternoon and ending midday on Sunday. Saturday's schedule may include guided tours to local historic sites, including adobes, missions, and other significant locations. Our Saturday evening dinner and Sunday morning brunch include historical or genealogical presentations by noted historians, authors, genealogists, and curators. Throughout the weekend, a lot of socialization and sharing of individual research takes place among attendees.
To aid in genealogy research, we bring our Traveling Genealogy Library to most of our meetings for use by our members and the public on Friday and Saturday. Our library contains a collection of historical, cultural, and genealogical records, charts, and information. Included are the works of Bancroft, Mutnick, Gallagher, and Ponsford, in addition to member pedigree charts and family histories.
We encourage members of the public to participate in our meetings and use our library (for a nominal fee). You may join us at our meals and presentations by paid reservation.
Each June we host a special celebration at the Presidio of San Francisco, in partnership with the US National Park Service and the Presidio Trust. We honor our ancestors who arrived with the Second Anza Expedition in 1776 at what would become the City and County of San Francisco. Both the morning ceremony and the luncheon we host afterwards are open to the public (paid reservations required for the luncheon).
Publications
Each quarter we publish Noticias para Los Californianos (News for Los Californianos), a newsletter for our members. In addition to updates on our organization and announcements on our activities, we feature articles on the history and heritage of Alta California, and the genealogy of our ancestors.
Periodically, we publish Antepasados (Ancestors), a longer scholarly work. To date we have published 14 volumes. Current copies of both Noticias para Los Californianos and Antepasados are provided at no cost to our members, and are also available for everyone to read in our Traveling Genealogy Library.
Preserving the Hispanic Heritage of Alta California
History
In December 1968, a small group of descendants of Spanish Alta Californians formed Los Californianos in anticipation of the bicentennial year of the discovery of San Francisco Bay in 1769 by the expedition led by Don Gaspar de Portolá.
Los Californianos was created for the purpose of preserving the heritage of Alta California’s early Hispanic Californians (also called Californios or Californianos). As individuals and as an organization, we conduct research on genealogy and civil, religious, military, and cultural activities in Alta California. We strive to ensure that an accurate and authentic oral, written, and pictorial interpretation of the history of Spanish and Mexican Alta California is provided to the public, especially to our fourth-grade students who study that period of history as part of their curriculum.
Activities
We host educational and entertaining programs of cultural and historical interest at various sites throughout California. These meetings are usually held on the weekend of the fourth Sunday in January, April, and October, starting on Friday afternoon and ending midday on Sunday. Saturday's schedule may include guided tours to local historic sites, including adobes, missions, and other significant locations. Our Saturday evening dinner and Sunday morning brunch include historical or genealogical presentations by noted historians, authors, genealogists, and curators. Throughout the weekend, a lot of socialization and sharing of individual research takes place among attendees.
To aid in genealogy research, we bring our Traveling Genealogy Library to most of our meetings for use by our members and the public on Friday and Saturday. Our library contains a collection of historical, cultural, and genealogical records, charts, and information. Included are the works of Bancroft, Mutnick, Gallagher, and Ponsford, in addition to member pedigree charts and family histories.
We encourage members of the public to participate in our meetings and use our library (for a nominal fee). You may join us at our meals and presentations by paid reservation.
Each June we host a special celebration at the Presidio of San Francisco, in partnership with the US National Park Service and the Presidio Trust. We honor our ancestors who arrived with the Second Anza Expedition in 1776 at what would become the City and County of San Francisco. Both the morning ceremony and the luncheon we host afterwards are open to the public (paid reservations required for the luncheon).
Publications
Each quarter we publish Noticias para Los Californianos (News for Los Californianos), a newsletter for our members. In addition to updates on our organization and announcements on our activities, we feature articles on the history and heritage of Alta California, and the genealogy of our ancestors.
Periodically, we publish Antepasados (Ancestors), a longer scholarly work. To date we have published 14 volumes. Current copies of both Noticias para Los Californianos and Antepasados are provided at no cost to our members, and are also available for everyone to read in our Traveling Genealogy Library.
Cactus from Rancho Los Peñasquitos, San Diego,
the first Mexican land grant in San Diego County.
It may be Espostoa lanata.
Photo courtesy of George Gray
the first Mexican land grant in San Diego County.
It may be Espostoa lanata.
Photo courtesy of George Gray