Living History
Living History Volunteers wear 1800s period attire and end engage in meaning conversations that encourage park visitors to connect with the customs, occupations, and lifestyles of the people who lived in the park during the early periods of San Diego’s history. Loaned period attire, education on the history of San Diego, and program specific trainings are provided through the volunteer in parks program.
Living History Volunteer Opportunities Include:
Museum Docent
Museum docents wear 1800s period attire, facilitate living history demonstrations, and engage visitors in meaningful conversations as they explore museums like La Casa de Estudillo and the Seeley Stable. Museum docents receive program specific training and continual education to ensure all information shared with the public is accurate.
School Program
School program volunteers play an integral role within the K-12 School Program. School program volunteers assist with our California Time Travelers Program and use outdoor classroom management skills improve the fieldtrip experience and guide groups of students between the various staff led activity sites. Volunteers must be available Tuesdays and Wednesdays to participate in this opportunity.
Adobe Making
Within the view of the public eye, volunteers use engineering skills to help demonstrate original techniques used to create adobe blocks from the materials provided by the environment. Please keep in mind that this opportunity involves physical labor. In addition to creating a historically accurate structure within the Seeley Yard, volunteers connect with visitors and explaining the history of the architecture in the 1820s.
Spinning
Utilizing traditional techniques and materials, volunteers can demonstrate the process of converting plant and animal fibers into threads that will be eventually spun into fabric. By sharing the stories of the early San Diego residents who spun, wove, and sewed fiber into textiles used in their homes and their communities, volunteers have the opportunity to connect with and educate visitors of the lifestyles of San Diego's earliest residents.
Quilters
Quilting volunteers utilize fabric that has been spun or manufactured and combine fabrics by hand sewing and "quilting" the layers together. Quilters invite the public to learn about fiber arts and demonstrate traditional sewing techniques. Some of the patterns and fabrics that have been quilted by our volunteers, are actual historic pieces started by San Diegos earliest residents.
Blacksmithing / Woodworking
Blacksmith and Woodshop volunteers utilize the park’s forge, tools, and woodshop supplies, in order to create an engaging and interactive learning experience that encourage guests to connect with the customs, occupations, and lifestyles that were critical to the development of early San Diego. Additional Qualifications: Completion of approved blacksmithing courses before the start date or prior blacksmithing skills or experience approved by head blacksmith. The cost of the blacksmithing course is not covered by the park.
If you are interested in being added to the current Volunteer Blacksmithing waitlist, please sign up for the museum docent opportunity. Current Blacksmith applicants who are also active museum docents, will receive priority when the opportunity is open.
