where i  was from, along the american river at sailor bar

i grew up in the sacramento valley along the american river, and took in the love of landscape and history shared by my parents.  i now live on an island in the salish sea, and i write and teach about the history and nature of california, the environs of tacoma,  the north american west, and the pacific world.

i 've written and edited three books on nature and culture in california, the north american west and the united states, and i view writing history as a creative act that connects me and readers in the present to people whose stories, experiences, ideas, and the changes they lived through have a stake in who we are, the places we inhabit, and our future in the making. somehow designated a distinguished professor of history at the university of puget sound, i have the great pleasure of working with wonderful students and teaching courses on monuments and memory in u.s. history, american revolutions,, the history of the west and pacific north west worlds, u.s. empire, environmental history,  Indigenous history as well as our capstone course in history. 

a long time ago, i earned my degrees from reed college and the university of california at irvine, which are both special places for learning and knowledge.  i endeavor to pass it on.  'creating    understanding' :  that reflects the work, aspirations, and commitments of my  family— me, iris, adam, and sonja together.

curriculum vitae

An interview with environmental historian Adam Sowards, for his wonderful newsletter, Taking Bearings, which explores "place, history, and writing, or as I've come to think of it: nature, time, and stories." 

"Bridging Nature and Culture, Past and Present"

A short piece on Indigenous history, eugenics, and the legacy and imprint of "mountain man" and murderer Jedediah Smith, whose name is attached by bequest of the eugenicist to the beloved bike trail along  the river:

Sacramento News and Review 

email: dsackman@pugetsound.edu