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Retelling forgotten stories from San Francisco's golden past, 1776 - 1906, based on newspapers, books, and personal accounts, of the time. San Francisco enthusiasts, California gold rush fans, and garden variety history geeks can discover this boom and bust city, built on the discovery of gold. Ho boys ho! For Californio! *I do my best to accurately reflect the facts, and sources, in my episodes.*
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S3 Ep6 Part 2 of Interview with Edwin Bryant
32:54
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Today, we do not cover Edwin Bryant's best 1848-selling book but I do have a friendly conversation, with Mr. Bryant. Please sit back and enjoy the rest of my talk with Edwin Bryant. monkeyblocksf@gmail.com (email me directly) monkeyblocksf.buzzsprout.com (for transcripts and cited sources) buymeacoffee.com/monkeyblocksf (support the podcast) twitte…
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S3 Ep5 Interview With Edwin Bryant, 1848 Best Selling Author
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Today, I virtually interview Edwin Bryant, the author of the 1848 best seller, “What I Saw in California, Journal of a Tour, 1846- 1847”. Through the magic of AI generated voices, I simulate a virtual conversation with Edwin Bryant; a journalist, turned overland traveler, turned the second American Alcalde of Yerba Buena, and then finally, a bestse…
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S3 Ep4 Where Juana Lived - Jonathan Lammers Interview
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33:50
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Today’s episode is an interview with a new listener and accidental friend of Monkey Block’s Facebook Page that led to IMs on Facebook, a rabbit hole on Juana Briones, and then to an online interview. monkeyblocksf@gmail.com (email me directly) monkeyblocksf.buzzsprout.com (for transcripts and cited sources) buymeacoffee.com/monkeyblocksf (support t…
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S3 Ep3 Hudson Bay Co. in Yerba Buena and William Glen Rae 1845
31:39
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The story of the Hudson Bay Company, in Yerba Buena, has been reduced to a few sentences that are very Hudson Bay Company-centric. “That place was miserable, and we didn’t make any money, so we left.” It always felt like the guy who says, “Yeah, well, I didn’t want that job, anyway.” Today’s episode is peripherally about the English Hudson Bay Comp…
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I have found myself drawn to a specific piece of land that figuratively and literally became central to the Pueblo de Yerba Buena. Why was it left empty? And, considering it shows up on every Yerba Buena and early San Francisco map, why is it hard to find early information on it? monkeyblocksf@gmail.com (email me directly) monkeyblocksf.buzzsprout.…
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If the Battle of Yerba Buena doesn’t sound familiar, there’s a good reason for that. The events, just before and after ‘The Battle of Yerba Buena’, tell the story. There are two events, in my opinion, that make up the ‘Battle of Yerba Buena’. If you enjoyed this episode, and my original research, you can make a one-time donation at www.buymeacoffee…
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Today we are celebrating our second year in review. If you’ve been on this journey with me the two years, thank you for making it to this milestone. And, a journey is exactly what this has been. Last year, we traveled from 1837, and we got stuck in 1846. monkeyblocksf@gmail.com (email me directly) monkeyblocksf.buzzsprout.com (for transcripts and c…
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S2 Ep13 Letters From California - The Farthest West June 1846
27:37
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Letters from California Three letters, were anonymously mailed from the Pueblo de Yerba Buena, dated between June 10th and June 29th 1846. The letters were, and probably still are, quite the mystery, not only because no one definitively knows who wrote them, but for the depth of military knowledge the writer had about the happenings in Alta Califor…
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S2 E12 Bear Flag Part 3 Sonoma Insurrection June 1846
36:44
36:44
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In this episode, we continue with the Bear Flag Revolt, with lots of perspectives and parallel subplots. In this episode, we re-live one part of a bigger story, that starts the revolt. Out of context, this is sheer comedy. In context, the aftermath, which I won’t have time to get into, today, lacks humor, and leaves people in both the Mexican and A…
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S2 E11 Bear Flag Part 2 Fremont Affair Jan - March 1846
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42:09
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Today’s episode is on ‘The Pathfinder’ John Charles Fre’mont and a conflict he found himself in, four months before the start of the Bear Flag Revolt. The differing takes, and spun storylines made today’s topic especially hard to ‘eliminate legend or call it out’, so it is a longer than usual episode. If you enjoyed this episode, and my original re…
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S2 E10 SFHS Presentation on Smuggling in Yerba Buena
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This is a recording of my live talk at the San Francisco Historical Society, on September 9, 2022. You can watch the live talk and see the accompanying slides here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=boQslzG2XcQ&t=1867s monkeyblocksf@gmail.com (email me directly) monkeyblocksf.buzzsprout.com (for transcripts and cited sources) buymeacoffee.com/monkeyb…
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S2 E9 Bear Flag Revolt Preceding Events 1846
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27:30
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The Bear Flag Revolt is a pivotal point in California’s history, and the events that led up to the actual revolt are … just as complex as the actual event. Today we take a look at a few preceding storylines leading to the Bear Flag Revolt, give some backstory, some subplots, describe a few main characters, in not enough time to tell them all. There…
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S2 E8 John Sutter Part 2 Arrives in California 1837 - forward
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31:49
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In the last episode, we covered the early United States related history of John Sutter. Today, I pick up where I left off in John Sutter’s timeline. This episode will be longer than my usual episodes, and, frankly, took more research than my other episodes, to ensure I had a solidified story to tell, but, it’s John Sutter … so, it’s hard to tell wh…
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S2 E7 John Sutter Part 1 1803 - 1837 Before California
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Today’s episode is about the complicated life of Johann Augustus Suter, better known as John Sutter. There is more to this man’s story than I anticipated, and, I went into this knowing there would be a lot to tell. I underestimated how much backstory there was before Sutter arrives in California. If you enjoyed this episode, and my original researc…
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S2 E6 Walking With Spirits, Interview with Mick's Bootique SF Ghost Tours
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While my intro states I extract legends and tell the real stories, today’s episode is a mix of legends and real stories. Today, I am interviewing a connection made via this podcast. Today’s guest does San Francisco history ghost tours, focused on, surprise, surprise, early San Francisco history. At first blush, it doesn’t seem like a ghost tour and…
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S2 E5 Accidental Annexation of California 1842
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October 1842, Commodore Thomas Ap Catesby Jones believes he is about to place his name in the records of American expansionist history, stating Mexico made a declaration of war against the United States, He plans to seize every California port from Yerba Buena to San Diego, before Mexico can enact their plan to sell California to England, to pay of…
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S2 Episode 4, Monkey Block Year in Review
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I launched my podcast, last year, 2021, on January 30. Over the past year, I’ve shared some fun stories about early San Francisco, changed my perspective of lots of things, and met new people, all while gathering information for my podcast. I am happy to say I have a one year anniversary. This episode is a reflection of Monkey Block’s first year, a…
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S2 Episode 3, Yerba Buena's Original Shoreline and Development
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25:45
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In previous episodes, I’ve mentioned the importance of Alta California’s Yerba Buena Cove to the overall commerce in the District of San Francisco, consisting of the local rancheros, the Mission, and other local inhabitants. This cove was advantageous, for being a year-round, protected spot for mooring, much better than the originally established P…
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S2 Episode 2 Part 2 William Heath Davis Part 2 1838 - 1846
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25:56
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I’m diving into Davis’ story because it directly captures Yerba Buena and early San Francisco history, with an insiders look at how one, socially, and financially privileged, foreigner, experienced Yerba Buena, among other … socially and financially privileged foreigners and Californios. If you enjoyed this episode, and my original research, you ca…
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S2 Episode 1 Part 1 William Heath Davis Part 1 1822 - 1838
24:25
24:25
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There are only a few foreigners who lived in Yerba Buena, Alta California, long enough to see the province go from Spanish, to Mexican, to American rule. A person who lived through all that, would have a unique perspective of early Yerba Buena, and California history. William Heath Davis, is the most famous Yerba Buena/San Francisco resident, you’v…
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S1 Episode 7 The Last of Yerba Buena 1844 - early 1846
20:37
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The largest misconception I had, coming into this, was that nothing of importance happened in Yerba Buena, until the United States arrived. That’s literally what I was taught in my college California History class, and a common theme you’ll find online. How did we collectively get to that idea, believing that Yerba Buena had nothing to offer? Yerba…
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Today, I explain how Monkey Block came to be, and how the serendipity of the seawall stepped in. I interview the head bartender/part owner of the High Horse, at 582 Washington Street, San Francisco, and ask him about his connection to the seawall, and San Francisco history. This seawall has an unpredictable story to tell. If you enjoyed this episod…
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S1 Episode 5 Thompson's Cove and Yerba Buena's First Civic Improvement 1840s
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24:41
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San Francisco history enthusiasts like me, already know about Clark’s Point. But, how many people know about Thompson’s Cove? And, what about Yerba Buena's first civic improvement? monkeyblocksf@gmail.com (email me directly) monkeyblocksf.buzzsprout.com (for transcripts and cited sources) buymeacoffee.com/monkeyblocksf (support the podcast) twitter…
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S1 Episode 4, The Third Map of Yerba Buena, Juana Briones 1836 - 1846
28:31
28:31
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Today’s episode is based on what was meant to just be one paragraph, as I continued with the history of Yerba Buena, and the portion of the seawall from the last episode. However, I ran into a reeeally interesting tale, in Yerba Buena’s early history- a person whose story is worth telling. But, for reasons, some history never gets told. There’s an …
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S1 Episode 3 Yerba Buena's Hide and Tallow Trading Period, and the Original Shoreline 1822 - 1836
23:46
23:46
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Today’s episode is a little different. It’s partially based on serendipity, in addition to my normal detective work. I focus on the early activity at the (still) unnamed Yerba Buena cove and the hide and tallow trading in the still named Mission San Francisco District. If you enjoyed this episode, and my original research, you can make a one-time d…
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S1 Episode 2 Part 2, Mission Secularization & Rancho Days San Francisco 1830s - 1840s
22:36
22:36
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We have the victors who usually write history, and the oppressed, who don’t have a lot of say in how their history gets captured. What’s interesting, is that sometimes the victor becomes the oppressed, and a new victor gets named. If you enjoyed this episode, and my original research, you can make a one-time donation at www.buymeacoffee.com/monkeyb…
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S1 Episode 2, Part 1 Mission Life for the Muwekma Ohlone, at Mission San Francisco de Asis 1776 - 1836
22:51
22:51
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Sometimes, history gets buried, as our views on social topics change, and certain events become less favorable to the victor. If you were raised in California, you had the 4th, 5th, and 6th grade California history lessons. What do you recall about early California history, and the Missions? Who decides how events get captured? Why do some events g…
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S1 Episode 1 Naming San Francisco 1776 - 1847
25:36
25:36
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Yerba Buena to San Francisco Today’s episode, how did San Francisco get its name? I’m born and raised in the immediate San Francisco Area, and I’ve grown up hearing ‘San Francisco was originally called Yerba Buena’. But, is that true? Let’s start my research journey, with San Francisco, before the United States official claim to the area. If you en…
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