San Juan Bautista Historical Society

10/15/2026

As a pioneering voice in Chicano theater, Luis Valdez played a pivotal role in bringing Mexican American stories and experiences to American stages and

10/14/2026

The 19th Annual San Juan Bautista GHOST WALK is coming soon and is expected to sell out so secure your tickets soon!
Learn more at The Rotary Club of San Juan Bautista.👻

10/10/2026

Don't miss this excellent documentary on filmmaker and playwright Luis Valdez, the Chicano culture, El Teatro Campesino. Stream on YouTube until 11/4/2026: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LMtZIdhURxs&t=149s

Winner of the Audience Award, U.S. Documentary, and the Festival Favorite Award at this year’s Sundance Film Festival, watch "American Pachuco: The Legend of Luis Valdez" TONIGHT on PBS.

10/08/2026

Pinnacles National Park is about an hour's drive from SJB. Since the parking lots fill early, enjoy an evening in San Juan Bautista, and get an early start the next day!

Only have one day? Pinnacles National Park packs so much into a single trip from the Bay Area!

Full guide 👇
https://www.travelrealizations.com/postcards-from-pinnacles-national-park/

Towering volcanic spires, cool talus caves, the High Peaks Trail and a quiet reservoir. Keep your eyes on the sky for soaring California condors too!

My post shares what you can see in Pinnacles National Park in a day.

Save this for a cool fall day trip!

10/08/2026

Our pristine and historic viewshed...

Fall is beginning to make its mark at San Antonio Ranch. The golden hills, green oak woodlands, and iconic rock formations create a landscape that feels distinctly San Benito County. Places like this remind us why protecting open space and our region’s working landscapes matters. We’re proud to be working toward the conservation of San Antonio Ranch and keeping this special landscape connected for generations to come.

10/07/2026

A treasured donation from one of San Juan’s native sons. We love it!

10/06/2026

We need help identifying this lovely lady featured in a painting held in the Luck Museum archives. AI suggests "The individual depicted in this historic pastel and charcoal portrait cannot be definitively named from global public image databases alone. This artwork appears to be a privately held, family-heirloom portrait depicting a prominent local woman from a notable early San Juan Bautista family (such as Anzar, Breen, Castro, Flint, or Zanetta) dating roughly between 1890 and 1920 based on her hairstyle, clothing, and the style of the organic nugget/stone necklace she is wearing."

10/03/2026

What a great turnout at today's Open House -- many familiar faces as well as new ones -- old faces and young ones too! Interested and interesting folks. A Hollister man said his grandfather used to drive a mule team and wagon in the Pageant Play Parades (1930s) and asked if we might have any photos. I knew we had a lot of negatives but pulled out the Pageant folder hoping for some prints. Incredibly, the first 2 photos were of a mule team and a covered wagon, so I showed the gentleman who identified his grandfather! A win/win for both of us. Thanks to all who stopped in! Any guesses as to who the mule team driver was?