“Joseph Chiles: Forgotten Trailblazer” with Rick Chiles

He’s the man who knew everyone, and no one knows now. He emerges as a footnote or a passing reference in most of the major works on the western movement to California and his life intertwined with many of the best known pioneers—Kit Carson, John C. Fremont, Mariano Vallejo, and John Bidwell–to cross the plains and get involved in the making of this part of California. The focus of western history has changed in recent decades from examining the lives of individuals to the identification of their place in the bigger picture–trends, interactions and the significance of early arrivals. And yet there should be something to learn from examining the details of an individual whose life was truly extraordinary—who crossed the plains seven times between 1841 and 1854, who built a ranch and the first northern California grist mill on a land grant not far from Napa, whose mercantile activities during the gold rush made him a tidy fortune, who bought and lost one of the celebrated Land Commission cases, who was instrumental in the founding of the town of Davis, and whose varying fortunes, and those of his relatives, give us a portrait  of the early decades of California.

Napa County Historical Society is pleased to announce this virtual presentation by Rick Chiles on his book, Joseph Chiles: Forgotten Trailblazer. Rick Chiles will share thoughts on the man and where he fits into the formative decades of northern California for about 45 minutes, and then open the discussion to questions.

This virtual presentation will be held over Zoom. Capacity is limited to 100 participants. Zoom link will be available in Virtual Ticket PDF download following checkout and will be emailed to all attendees prior to the presentation.

Please contact us with any questions about registration at (707)224-1739 or info@napahistory.org