Sandy Lydon, a distinguished historian, author and lecturer, will be the main speaker at the Saturday, August 5,  monthly docent meeting and his speech is literally not to be missed: You must attend to hear it because no videotape will be available later.

Lydon will speak on the subject of "Rediscovering the Chinese at Point Lobos: Some Strategies for Bringing Their Stories to Life."  This should be a boon to anyone who does regular shifts at Whalers Cabin. Lydon is the author of the award-winning book  “Chinese Gold: The History of the Chinese in the Monterey Bay Region” published in 1985. He began researching the history of Point Lobos in 1973 while working on that book.

In 1985 he began a partnership with Kurt Loesch to produce a book on the cultural history of Point Lobos.  Kurt was the “legs” of the project, using his  powers of persuasion to gather everything written or photographed of the human history of the point, while Lydon drafted the text and did field research in China, Japan and the Azores. Kurt died in 2013 but Lydon has vowed to see their project through to publication. 

Because his speech will share original material in advance of the new book's publication, his presentation cannot be shared online just yet. All cameras must be off, including personal devices. Old-fashioned note-taking, however, is encouraged.

Lydon grew up in Hollister, graduated from UC Davis, and earned degrees from Sacramento State University and the East-West Center, Honolulu. specializing in East Asian History. He joined the faculty at Cabrillo College in 1968 where he taught Asian and Asian-American history as well as local and regional.  

He has been a consultant for the Monterey Bay Aquarium, California State Parks, the Smithsonian and the documentary maker, Ken Burns.

This will be Lydon’s first presentation to the Point Lobos Docents in over a decade, and he will provide attendees with some ways that they might tell the story of the Chinese at Point Lobos and neighboring areas.

Julia Fields, our very own Restoration Ecologist, will explain her role in the restoration of the plant communities within PLSNR for our short program.  She will give an overview of upcoming natural resource projects including what we hope to accomplish over the next year and how docents can get involved.