Remembering Dr. Jack S. Williams

Rest in Peace Dr. Jack S. Williams. Jack was an inspiration for me, an archeologist and scholar of Northern New Spain and foremostly the frontier institution of the presidio.   

I first met Jack in the 90s when he was the lead archeologist excavating the north wing of the 1769 San Diego Presidio, located just adjacent to where the Serra Museum is today in Old Town. My dad found an ad in the San Diego Union Tribune for a summer camp when I was in middle school to help the  archeologists and volunteers dig the soldier family quarters. I was hooked on the history of the South West and Mexico ever since revealing to the light of day artifacts for the first time in centuries and continued  on volunteering.

He also led and participated  in excavations at Tubac and Terrenate presidios in Arizona as well as the San Luis Rey mission in California.

Much later, we were co-administators of a great Facebook group on called Northern New Spain, so if this subject interests you, feel free to join.

On a bright note, before he passed, Jack and I would meet every week and were able to record several episodes of  a podcast on the history of the borderlands where he shared his vast knowledge on these topics. We hope to debut Jack's programs later this year.

He will be greatly missed. Descanse en paz.

A model of the Presidio San Agustín del Tucson made by Jack himself is displayed at the Presidio museum.