William Goodwin Dana had plans for his Rancho enterprise that went beyond cattle ranching. He was an entrepreneur, ready for business. How did he acquire these skills as a businessman? It is the contention of this presentation that it came from his experiences in Asia, working for his uncle and engaged in trade dealings in his stays at Canton, China, and Calcutta, India. He not only acquired knowledge of trade as a young man, but his exposure to cultures and peoples far different than the milieu he left behind in New England brought him personal growth and the adaptability he needed in his newly adopted home of Alta California.

Why was he chosen to go to Asia? What did he see there? Whom did he encounter there? What was his life like in Asia? Board member and docent, Alan Daurio, will talk about this transformation from William G. Dana to Don Guillermo Dana, Don of Rancho Nipomo, on Sunday, July 28th at 2 PM at the Dana Adobe Cultural Center in Nipomo. The talk is $5 per person and free for DANA members and children.