When in the early 1870s historian Hubert Howe Bancroft sent interviewers out to gather oral histories from the pre-statehood gentry of California, he didn’t count on one thing: the women. When the men weren’t available, the interviewers collected the stories of the women of the household—sometimes almost as an afterthought. These interviews were eventually archived at the University of California, though many were all but forgotten. Testimonios presents thirteen women’s firsthand accounts from the days when California was part of Spain and Mexico. Having lived through the gold rush and seen their country change so drastically, these women understood the need to tell the full story of the people and the places that were their California.

When this book was first published as a bestseller in 1960, reviewers noted that the 400-year history of Ranchero Dos Pueblos mirrored in microcosm the history of California itself. Dos Pueblos bears one of California’s oldest place-name, christened by Cabrillo during his voyage of discovery in 1542. Dubbed a “royal rancho” by historians because it was a gift of King Carlos III of Spain, Dos Pueblos was intended to support Mission Santa Barbara during the presidio period following Santa Barbara’s founding in 1782. The first private owner, Irish-born Nicholas A. Den, a medical man, was awarded ownership of the ranch in 1842 by Mexican governor Juan B. Alvarado. When Col. John C. Fremont came over the mountain to seize Santa Barbara for the U.S. during the Mexican War, he emerged onto Dos Pueblos Ranch. During the Gold Rush of ‘49, Den made his fortune selling Dos Pueblos beef to mining camps. Following Den’s death in 1862 the ranch was subdivided among his widow and numerous children. Before and after the turn of the century Royal Ranch was the scene of many diverse activities. One of its later owners bred racehorses. Another converted Dos Pueblos into the world’s largest orchid farm. A major oil company established off-shore petroleum production from pumps operated on the ranch. At the present time the historic spread specializes in such exotic crops as macadamia, cherimoyas and avocados.

From the 1890s through the 1920s, the postcard was an extraordinarily popular means of communication, and many of the postcards produced during this "golden age" can today be considered works of art. Postcard photographers traveled the length and breadth of the nation snapping photographs of busy street scenes, documenting local landmarks, and assembling crowds of local children only too happy to pose for a picture. These images, printed as postcards and sold in general stores across the country, survive as telling reminders of an important era in America's history. This fascinating history of Santa Barbara, California, showcases more than 200 of the best vintage postcards available.