Members of the public are invited to attend the Olivas Adobe Historical Interpreters (OAHI) general meeting at 5:30 pm on Wednesday, July 6, at the Olivas Adobe, 4200 Olivas Park Drive in Ventura, to hear about OAHI activities, and the “Native California Cavalry and its activities and impact during and after the Civil War” by the featured speaker, Museum of Ventura County Director of Education & Outreach Megan Gately.
“Hear about local Union soldiers and their triumphs and tragedies during the mid-1800s. Learn about the California Column, the Civil War’s most Western battle and the shock waves from the East Coast felt out here in the West,” says Ms. Gately. Along with stories from the Civil War, she will present artifacts from the museum’s collections. A social hour with snacks begins at 5:30 pm with the presentation at 6 pm.
Megan Gately has a bachelor’s degree in Education and History from the University of Arizona, and a master’s degree in Educational Leadership & Policy from Arizona State University. She has worked extensively with historians and educators at the Arizona Historical Society and the Minnesota Historical Society. She also served as the founding director of education and outreach at the Museum of the Horse Soldier in Tucson, AZ. Megan has returned to her native Southern California—she is originally from Solvang and went high school in Thousand Oaks—to continue her career in museum education at the Museum of Ventura County, which is celebrating 103 years serving the community.
“The OAHI offers weekend training programs to become a docent at the Olivas Adobe, dress in period costumes and share the multi-cultural history of this landmark site through school field trips, weekend tours and special events,” says OAHI President Rose Burtchby.
