John Broesamle: An Ojai Life in Full

John Broesamle, professor, author, historian, ardent conservationist and Ojai Living Treasure, has passed away, leaving behind an enduring legacy of open space and environmental awareness. His awakening happened early in his life when he watched the farm fields of Long Beach give way to the cookie-cutter developments of post-War II southern California. He did not want that to happen to Ojai. Born in 1941, John received his BA from the University of the Pacific and his Master's and Ph.D. from Columbia University. John was a professor of history at California State University, Northridge from 1968 to 2000, where he received the university's Distinguished Teaching Award. He is the author of "Reform and Reaction in 20th Century American Politics" as well as other works. John was President of the Ojai Valley Land Conservancy from 1997 to 2000. He was also founder of the Ojai Valley Defense Fund. John joined the podcast in October 2020 to discuss a wide range of issues, including his current book project on the WPA and Yosemite National Park. We talked about his abiding love for Ojai, history, his family and Franklin Delano Roosevelt.