Leading the Next Generation of Historians – Brad Jorgensen

Think that history is just for old folks reminiscing? Not to Brad Jorgensen. The 27-year-old Castaic resident was about to start his last year of college at CSUN in 2023, destined for a Bachelor’s degree in History with an emphasis on California, when he became an intern with the Santa Clarita Valley Historical Society. He jumped at the opportunity to indulge his passion for historic preservation and expand his outreach experience, becoming one of the Society’s most popular ambassadors.
He is a member of the Santa Clarita Valley’s 40 Under Forty Class of 2025 and was recently selected to join the Governing Board of the Historical Society, bringing a youthful perspective to the group’s decision-making.
A familiar face at History Center events such as the Cowboy Festival, Powwow, and Polar Express Experience, he recently appeared as the ghost of Tom Frew in a video about the History Center. Brad is exceptionally proud to have been on the crew that opened the Saugus Train Station Museum last July.
His summer job puts him right in the middle of both the great outdoors and history, returning for a second year as a ranger in Tuolomne Meadows of Yosemite National Park. Prior to his first stint at Yosemite, he worked as a park aide at La Purisima Mission State Park, using some of the basic archiving and museum skills he gained during his internship at the History Center.
“It’s important that we have young representatives to share our message of preservation and awareness, so we can pass the torch to the next generation. History makes our community unique, and we have so much to share, we were thrilled that Brad was willing to invest his time and talents to become part of our board of directors,” said Alan Pollack, the president of the SCV Historical Society. “His interest and enthusiasm are contagious; you can’t help but get excited when he’s talking about some historic event or artifact.”
What people clamor to explore when he is working a booth is his traveling “history box” of vintage items and photo albums of local sites. Everything in the box – things like glass insulators, railroad spikes, a variety of rocks – can be touched and examined closely, often prompting questions or stories that Jorgensen relishes.
“I love to show people new things, the seemingly mundane things like the origins of a street name, a story about an old oak tree…storytelling is an art and getting to share that intangible form of expression with others lights up my heart,” he said. “The wonder and interest I see in people’s faces as they learn about their town and its stories never gets old.”
When he’s not traveling (his social media feed is full of nature’s “moments of Zen”), he is working on a secondary education teaching credential – perfect for someone driven by a passion to share information about our colorful past.
“Understanding is the first step toward advocacy,” he said. “One of my favorite activities is to just listen…history encompasses all people and all people deserve to have their stories told and remembered. This community comes together to salvage and celebrate the remnants of our past in amazing and unexpected ways. It is not only my passion, but my pleasure to be a part of that.”
The Santa Clarita History Center now has three tourable museum spaces and participates in various outreach events – and they are looking for new docents, potential board members, and event volunteers.
Interested? Email crock@scvhs.org for an application.

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