Radio Curious visits with the last Mexican Governor of California, Pio Pico, as portrayed by historian Roberto Garza. Pico fled California during the American takeover, but returned and later served on the Los Angeles City Council.
Barry Vogel, Attorney and Counselor, is the Host and Producer of Radio Curious. Christina Aanestad is the Assistant Producer.
Radio Curious goes back into California history about 165 years, and visits with the last Mexican governor of California, Pio Pico. Born at the San Gabriel Mission in 1801, Pico was of Spanish, Italian, Indian and African ancestry. Both as a politician and as an entrepreneur, he espoused the views of many native-born âCalifornariosâ over distant seats of government.
As the last Mexican Governor of California, he presided over the secularization of the missions, and turned over their vast land holdings to private hands. Although he fled California during the American takeover, Pio Pico returned to build the first major hotel in Los Angeles. Later, he served on the Los Angeles City Council.
I met with Pio Pico, as portrayed by Roberto Garza, in February of 1998. When Pio Pico and I met in the person of Roberto Garza we began when I asked him to tell us about his life.
The book Pio Pico recommends is âPio Pico, A Historical Narrative,â by Pio Pico. Roberto Graza recommends âPio Pico Miscellany,â by Martin Cole and âThe Decline of the Californios: A Social History of the Spanish-Speaking Californians, 1846-1890,â by Leonard Pitt.
Radio Curious is a half-hour, weekly, long-form interview program, now in it's 25th year. We interview people on a curiously wide variety of topics about life and ideas. Our website is www.radiocurious.org. If your station airs Radio Curious please let us know curious@radiocurious.org, we will add you to our list of syndicate stations. We also welcome questions, feedback and program ideas. Radio Curious 280 N. Oak St. Ukiah, Ca 95482. (707) 462-6541.
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