I S L A N D I C O N : D R . R AY B R A N N D E S
Island Icon: Dr. Ray Brandes
R
ay Brandes was an influential San Diego historian who, over his 30-plus year career, surveyed historic buildings that covered every corner of the county, from Rancho Santa Fe and El Cajon to downtown San Diego and Coronado. Born on January 2, 1924, in Coronado, Ray attended Coronado schools and graduated from CHS in 1941. In his early years, his family lived in Barrio Logan and Old Town. He was proud of his Mexican heritage as a descendant of the Machado family, founders of Old Town. During World War II, Ray was an Army technician, serving six years with the 95th and 35th Infantry Divisions, including combat in five European countries. Following his discharge as Master Sergeant, he worked for the U.S. National Park Service in Globe, Ariz., where his archaeological survey of the San Carlos Indian Reservation uncovered one of the earliest ball courts of the Hohokam people – dated to 700-1200 AD. In 1958, at age 33, Ray enrolled at the University of Arizona, obtaining his B.A. and Ph.D. in seven years with degrees in historic site archaeology and Western American history. He became Arizona’s second state historian and Assistant Director of the Arizona Historical Society.
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