Speaker's Series
Hosted at the RB History Museum located at the Bernardo Winery
13330 Paseo del Verano Norte
San Diego, California 92128
Recent Speakers

June 11, 2022
11:00 am
From Measures to Missiles
Vincent Rossi
Historian and Author
Mr Rossi will discuss his latest book that outlines a complicated history reflecting the intersection of science, national security and politics. And by politics that means not only governmental politics but also inter-service, inter-departmental and interpersonal politics as well, told by the people who were on the ground, making it happen. From 1951 to 1971, a United States Government laboratory was in operation at Corona, California, During that period some of the most brilliant scientists and engineers in the nation engaged in groundbreaking work in service to the national defense. That work included the creation of the first guided missiles in the U. S. arsenal.
This talk is the story of that lab.
For more information call 858-775-5788

Brewers, Bootleggers and Bosses: Women in San Diego Brewing History
Judith Downie
Retired Special Collections and History Librarian at Cal State San Marcos
Among the special collections Downie oversaw before her recent retirement was a new research collection, Brewchive ®, founded in 2017 and dedicated to preserving the history of craft brewing in San Diego. San Diego County has been proclaimed the craft brewing capital of the United States, as a result of a wave of breweries established in the 1980s. But the industry has a history going back as far as the 1860s, a history in which women played an essential role.
For more information call 858-775-5788

The Floating City at Sea
Jean Harris
A veteran navy officer and longtime docent at the U.S.S. Midway Museum, describes how an aircraft carrier has to function like a city of 4,500 people while on sea duty.
For more information call 858-775-5788

Rancho Guajome and its Cast of Characters
Ron Quirk
Ron Quirk is a veteran parks guide who served as a park ranger at Mount Rainier and Grand Teton National Parks before becoming a ranger at Rancho Guajome, where he has served for over ten years. He also raises apples in Julian and is a member of the Julian and Vista historical societies.
For more information call 858-775-5788

San Diego’s Forgotten Empire: The Legacy of John Diedrich Spreckels
Sandra Bonura, Author
Dr. Bonura is a native San Diegan. She last spoke at our Speakers series in June of 2017. She is an author that prides herself on telling stories about her native San Diego’s history. In February she will talk about her book about one of San Diego’s founders John D Speckels who was a major developer of downtown.
For more information call 858-775-5788

Presented February 8
Native Sons of the Golden West
Luke Bramon, Leader of the local chapter of the Native Sons of the Golden West.
His talk focused on how the chapter works to preserve county historic sites.
For more information call 858-775-5788

Presented January 11
See Video on YouTube
The Story of Wilderness Gardens County Park
Jake Enriquez, Regional Manager of the San Diego County Department of Parks and Recreation
Wilderness Gardens is the oldest Parks and Recreation open space preserve in our county. In addition to being a hiking and birdwatchers paradise, it is home to the ruins of what was the first and for many years the only grist mill in the county. Jake will offer a closer look at this history and how this scenic and historic site came to be part of the county parks system
For more information call 858-775-5788

Presented October 12
Rediscovering the Historic Mira Mar Restaurant and Hotel
Annemarie Cox, Archeologist
Veteran archaeologist and anthropologist Annemarie Cox told us how archaeologists do their work in the field and in the laboratory. Her presentation included photos and 3D images of artifacts recovered during the Mira Mar Hotel project.
The Mira Mar Restaurant in Oceanside was originally built in 1887 as the Couts family home. First converted to a restaurant in the 1930s, it expanded over the decades to include a hotel, coffee shop and nautical-themed bar. It was a popular stop with locals and travelers along the coast road between San Diego and Los Angeles.
For more information call 858-775-5788

Presented September 14
The History of Indian Gaming
Ethan Banagas, Instructor Cuyamaca College
Ethan Banegas is a history instructor at Cuyamaca College and coordinator of their Kumeyaay Studies Program.
“San Diego County has the largest concentration of Indian casinos in the United States,” Banegas says. “Gaming has allowed Indian tribes to pursue greater self-determination, meaning that Indian tribal governments can conduct their own affairs.”
Banegas will describe the political climate that allowed the courts to favor Indian gaming. He will also describe the shared history of the Barona, Sycuan and Viejas casinos.
For more information call 858-775-5788

Presented August 10
The La Jolla Atlas and Map Musuem
Richard Cloward, Museum Director
Mr Cloward discussed the Museum’s goal which is to create an awareness and appreciation for the geography, history, politics, and artistic beauty of antique collectible maps and atlases. You will find a new appreciation for these splendid works of intellect and creativity which inform us so richly about the history of our world and those who explored and mapped it.
For more information call 858-775-5788

Presented June 8
10,000 Years: Prehistory of the San Diego Region
Cindy Stankowski
Cindy Stankowski is the Executive Director of the San Diego Archaeological Center, a museum and curation facility for artifacts recovered from sites throughout San Diego County.
Many people think that the history of San Diego County began in 1769 when the missionaries arrived,” Stankowski says.
“She stated, people have lived in the region for over 10,000 years and left behind artifacts that tell the story of their lives. I especially appreciate archaeology for informing us about the past and the people who lived before we were here. Artifacts tell the story of people who are underrepresented in oral and written history.”
For more information call 858-775-5788

Presented May 18
Video Not Available
The Mexican War – How it Shaped Two Nations
Blaine Davies
California and the southwest United States became U.S. territory following the Mexican War. Our speaker Blaine Davies explores the causes, the battles, and the aftermath of the Mexican War. Blaine Davies holds a master’s degree in history from Boise State University.
For more information call 858-775-5788

Presented April 13
The Kings Highway
Max Kurillo
California’s El Camino Real and Its Historic Bells traces the history, development and preservation of this historic West Coast transportation corridor. Max Kurillo is a San Diego based historian with a passion for the Spanish missions of California. He has written several books on the topic.
For more information call 858-775-5788

Presented March 11
Rancho Bernardo Study of Healthy Aging
Linda McAvoy and Gail McLaughlin
Electronic archiving of the Rancho Bernardo Study of healthy aging, a cohort study that has followed individuals over more than 40 years, from middle-age to late old age, obtaining a rich set of health, behavioral and cognitive data, will ensure that this unique scientific resource remains available for current and Electronic archiving of the Rancho Bernardo Study of healthy aging, a cohort study that has followed individuals over more than 40 years, from middle-age to late old age, obtaining a rich set of health, behavioral and cognitive data, will ensure that this unique scientific resource remains available for current and future audiences.
For more information call 858-775-5788
Presented February 9
The History of the Bernardo Winery
Ross Rizzo Jr.
Our February speaker, Ross Rizzo Jr. – is President and Winemaker of the Bernardo Winery. He talked about the History of the Bernardo Winery which has been owned by the Rizzo family since 1927.
For more information call 858-775-5788
Presented January 12
Prayer and Politics: The Hawaiian Revolution
Dr. Sandra Bonura
Dr. Bonura gave a presentation about “Prayer and Politics: The Hawaiian Revolution and the American Teachers Caught in the Middle.”
Ms. Bonura lives in Southern California and teaches in higher education. She is deeply interested in education, history and Hawaiʻi. She is a lecturer on the importance of using a multitude of primary sources to gain perspectives on historical events. She provided a unique viewpoint in a documentary about Queen Lili`uokalani and her involvement in the education of Hawaiian children in the 19th century.
For more information call 858 775-5788
Past Programs from Previous Years
Click on a Month Below to View Video on YouTube
2018
September – Louis Rose, San Diego’s First Jewish Settler
Donald Harrison
July- What Rock Art Tells Us About San Diego’s Original Residents
Greg Erikson
June- Old Town San Diego: Living History
Greg Giacopuzzi
May- 1915 Point Loma Road Race
D.A. (Mac) MacPherson
April- History of San Diego Trolleys
Douglas Mengers
January- USS Midway Museum
Steve Walker and Brian Butler
2017
October – The Poway Midland Railroad
Chuck Cross
September – The History of Water Development in San Diego
Garry Butterfield
August – Local History Stories for Children
Marilyn McPhie
July – Palomar: Bridge to the Stars
Mark Carlson
May – SD County Agricultural History
Eric Larsen
February – Times were tough but pioneers were tougher.
Marilyn McPhie
January – Flights to Oblivion, Flights to Fame, The New York to Paris Race
Mark Carlson
2016
November – A History of Wine and Wine Making in San Diego County
Richard Carrico
October – From Daguerrotype To Digital Images – How to Preserve, Protect and Share Your Photographs
Susan Hill
September – The Bounty of Poway’s Farms
Mary Shepardson
July – Los Californianos is dedicated to preserving the heritage of early Hispanic Californios in Alta California
George Grey
April – San Diego County’s gem mining activities
Jeff Swanger
January – San Diego Toy and Doll Museum
Rex Ballard
2015
October – Hiking around San Diego
Tom Leech
September – Contributions Made by the Women of Vista
Jack Larimer
Director of the Vista Historical Society Museum.
July – Evaluation, valuation and care of precious works of art and artifacts.
Jennifer Garey
Museum Director
June – Background of the Escondido History Center
Wendy Barker
Executive Director, Escondido History Center
May – Significance of Native American placenames in our region.
Richard Carrico
April – Origins of the San Diego County fair, which has been in existence since 1880.
Linda Zweig
March – Story of Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton.
Faye Jonason
Museum Division Officer MCB Camp Pendleton.
January – The story of the Californios
Bonnie Martland