In the early 19th century California was part of Mexico. It was then known as Alta California, and included the present US states of California, Nevada and Utah, and parts of Arizona, Wyoming, Colorado and New Mexico. Alta California settlers, Los Pobladores, were predominantly a mix of Spaniards, Indians, and Africans, with Spanish as the dominant language. After the 1848 Mexico-U.S. war, Spanish language and culture were gradually displaced by the English language and culture of Americans coming from the West, and the voices of Los Pobladores were minimized, but never extinguished.

In La Casa de Adobe: Stories and Songs from Alta California, Dr. Gloria Arjona explores the history of Spanish and Mexican California, through stories, photography, and songs. The songs presented in this program are largely based on the work of American journalist and collector, Charles Fletcher Lummis, who compiled old Spanish songs in the early 20th century.

For adults and teens