Program Description

Californio descendant Herb Rowland invites audiences on a vivid, deeply personal journey starting in the eighteenth century of California history. The talk opens with his fourth-great-grandfather, Juan Pacheco, and the De Anza expedition, then turns to his second-great-grandfather, Ignacio—who famously declined a square league of prime grape-growing land in what is now Sonoma County, choosing instead a larger grant in Marin.

Rowland explores what Ignacio built in Marin and what life was like during the brief era of the Dons. Woven throughout are unforgettable family stories, including the mystery of Camilo Ynitia’s gold, the disgrace of John C. Frémont, and the notorious Pacheco–Black feud, memorable for its darkly humorous subtitle, “how to steal a fortune in a bowel movement.”

The talk concludes with a compelling look at how Marin has transformed from the 1840s to today, offering insight into land, legacy, and the forces that reshaped California.All are invited to continue the story at the Marin History Museum, where the history of the Californios comes alive with a new exhibit, Rancho Roots: The Californio Legacy in Marin

Speaker Bio(s)

Herb Rowland is a fifth-generation Novato native and a respected steward of Marin County’s agricultural and historical legacy. He is the great-great-great-grandson of Ignacio Pacheco, one of Novato’s earliest settlers, and a longtime caretaker of the historic Pacheco Ranch—one of Marin’s oldest continuously operated family properties, remaining in family ownership for nearly two centuries.

Herb and his wife, Debbie, operate Pacheco Ranch Winery, a small, locally rooted vineyard located within Novato city limits. Through this work, Herb continues his family’s long tradition of farming and land stewardship while highlighting the role agriculture has played in shaping Marin County’s identity.