Mad River Frank,
I carelessly said I would be a living docent as a Californio, thinking I could just buy a Vaquero Jacket and use my Ruger Old Armys ... was I wrong!
Now, $1400 later for a volunteer position, I now have an 1851 Colt, California Slim Jim holster on a period Chuck Burrows black powder belt, a beltline 5 1/2" bladed Belduque, a pair of Calveras and matching Vaquero Jacket. I have a 10" blade damascene Belduque being made for me to tuck into the Botas de Alas that Chuck Burrows is making for me. For now I will be wearing an old pair of cowboy boots, but if this position works out, I may be looking for the over-the-ankle-boots that Californios wore. But for now, all that I am waiting for is the red brocade tie to match the red waist sash that I already own ... the Botas and Belduque will be this spring, and when the Californio boots will be made is anybodies guess ....
But what I am looking for is a particular person that actually lived in the Sacramento area ... someone who might have had a rancho at one time but lost it, and has become a foreman/jefe to another ranchero. That way I could introduce myself as a particular person from the area, and explain that I had ridden in from the rancho to check on an important shipment that was expected, staying in character as I gave my tour.
I have had a state park person do this for a tour of the Ehrlman Estate in western Lake Tahoe, giving the whole tour of the house and estate as the actual butler from the 1920's (dressed as the majordomo would have). He treated us as Great Gatsby-era arriving guests, and it made the tour make far more sense than if it had been just a guy in a park ranger uniform.