Richard Di Giacomo

Richard Di Giacomo graduated from SJSU with a B.A. in Ancient and Medieval history, a B.A. in Social Science and an M.A. in American History. He has taught in private and public schools for more than 25 years. He is the author of several books, including Historical Gems of the San Francisco Bay Area and Ohlone Teacher’s Resource. 

The San Francisco Bay Area is loaded with fascinating and unique historical sites that represent a broad range of historical events and eras. A resident of the Bay Area or a tourist in town for a few days can see a wide range of historical sites all within a day’s drive of San Francisco. This book may also be useful for a teacher or parent who is looking for an educational field trip which ties in with the child’s curriculum in a history, literature, or science class. Others may find it interesting to learn more about the Native Americans or pioneer settlers in a local community. So, whether you are just curious about what is inside that old historical house in your neighborhood, want to know how a specific historical event played out in your area, or are just looking for an interesting day trip, this book has something for you.

Di Giacomo goes beyond the traditional city, county, state, and national museums and historic sites that feature famous people, historic homes and events. He also covers museums devoted to agriculture, business, Hispanic California, immigration, military posts, mining, Native Americans, transportation, sports, as well as science and technology. More than 220 historical sites are listed.

Richard Di Giacomo graduated from San Jose State University with a BA in Ancient and Medieval history, a BA in Social Science, and an MA in American History. He has been a teacher for more than 20 years. He has taught in a variety of schools from private and continuation schools to public high schools. He has taught at-risk and limited-English students as well as honors and college preparatory classes. The subjects he has taught include US and World History, Government, Economics, Bible and Ethics, History of the Cold War, and Contemporary World History.

He has been a reviewer and contributor to textbooks, and has been a frequent presenter at social studies conferences on the use of simulations, videos, and computers in education.