185 - Podcast Updates and Dr. Iris Engstrand

Today I'm doing something a little different. I'm re-releasing a conversation I recorded back in 2021 with Dr. Iris Engstrand, one of the great historians of California, who passed away on September 12th at the age of 91.

Iris was a native Californian, born in Los Angeles in 1935. She earned her bachelor's, master's, and doctorate in history at the University of Southern California, where she wrote her dissertation on the scientific side of Spanish exploration in New Spain in the late 1700s. That subject, the scientists, naturalists, and explorers who came north under the Spanish flag, stayed at the heart of her work for the rest of her life.

Before she became a university professor, she taught high school in Huntington Beach and worked translating Spanish manuscripts for the Los Angeles County Museum. In 1968 she joined the faculty of the San Diego College for Men, which a few years later became part of the University of San Diego. She taught there for nearly five decades, until her retirement in 2017, and became widely regarded as the foremost authority on the history of San Diego.

Over her career she wrote around 25 books and dozens of papers, including San Diego: California's Cornerstone, a study of the pioneer William Wolfskill, and a translation of José Mariano Moziño's account of Nootka Sound. She co-edited the Journal of San Diego History, served as president of the Western History Association, and received awards of merit from both the San Diego and California Historical Societies. In 2007, the government of Spain honored her with the Order of Isabella the Catholic for her contributions to Spanish history.

Just as important as the books, though, were the generations of students she taught and the countless researchers, museum staff, and fellow historians she mentored and encouraged. I was lucky to spend an hour with her, and I think you'll hear in this conversation the depth of her knowledge and the genuine delight she took in sharing it. It's an honor to bring her voice back to the feed.

Before we get to the interview, I have some news about the future of this show. Starting November 1st, the History of California Podcast is getting a major update. You'll see more content, both here on the podcast feed and over on the Substack. We're expanding our presence on social media, and for the first time, video versions of the episodes will be available. I also want to hear more from you: subscribers will be able to send in their own questions for upcoming guests, so you can help shape the conversations. On top of that, there's a newly updated website and more to come. I'm really excited about this next chapter, and I hope you'll come along for it.

And now, my 2021 conversation with Dr. Iris Engstrand.