In the early years of the California History Institute, no theme was designated. Faculty and students from Pacific and other universities met to share papers and ideas about the state’s development. The first thematic conference was in 1951, billed as “A Golden Century Crowns Pacific.” The next year, the conference focused on “The Heritage of California and the School Room.” Other themes permeate the record of the 1950s, including “First Crops of the San Joaquin” in 1959. By the mid-1960s, a specific theme was chosen by the program committee to promote both an understanding of California and the discipline of history. In 1964, the conference focused on “The Lessons of History,” followed by “The Trends of History” in 1965, and “The Biographical Approach to History” in 1966.
     National attention on the Civil Rights Movement resulted in a conference on “Ethic Contributions to California History and Culture” in 1967. The following year, during the turmoil of the conflict in Vietnam, the focus turned to “World History,” but regionalism returned as the main purpose in 1971 with “California Biography.” Thereafter, topics included “Man and Nature in California: A Historical and Literary Perspective” (1972); “California’s Pioneers, Pathfinders and Poets” (1973); “Indians and Other Immigrants” (1974); “The California Story: Social and Cultural Heritage” (1975); “California: The Jack London Years, 1870-1916” (1976);“Maritime California” (1977); and “California’s Grape and Wine Industry” (1979).
     Acquisition of the John Muir Papers changed the Institute in the 1980s. Every five to six years, Pacific hosts a conference in honor of the legacy of the founder of the American Conservation Movement and the state’s most important historic figure, soon to grace the U. S. Mint’s California quarter. The first “John Muir Conference” was held in 1980. Conferences held since are listed below:

1981      California’s Educational Heritage
1982      California’s Water Industry
1983      The Great Depression in California
1984      Women in California
1985      John Muir
1986      California in National Politics
1987      Hispanics in California History
1988      The Film Industry in California
1989      Japanese-Americans in California
1990      John Muir
1991      California’s Gold Rush
1992      California Immigrants: People, Plants, and Animals
1993      Law and Disorder in California History
1994      The Pacific Rim
1995      California Transportation
1996      John Muir in Historical Perspective
1997      California and Pacific Northwestern Literature
1998      Pacific Centuries
1999      Explorers and Fur Traders in California History
2000      Religion and Education in California
2001      John Muir: Family and Friends
2002      Artists’ Impressions of the California Landscape
2003      No conference
2004      Spanish and Mexican California: History & Cultural Legacies

     We have moved to a bi-annual conference cycle and will host the next California History Institute in 2006 with the theme of John Muir in Global Perspective.

Compiled by W. R. Swagerty, Director, John Muir Center, with assistance from AnnElise Golden, Department of Special Collections, and Pearl Piper, who was present at the creation of the Institute in 1948, and who has assisted in all conferences since.