Richard Brodhead (“Dick”) Hastings (1930–2014)

Richard Hastings at Bodie State Historic Park. Photographed by Lee Motz, May 1999. Photograph courtesy of California State Parks.

Born in Los Angeles on October 20, 1930, and subsequently raised in Twentynine Palms, California, Richard's early experience in the family lumber business no doubt contributed to his interest in the built environment. Richard received his B.A. from Cal State Northridge and his initial archaeological experiences were in southern California, during which time he also worked in an architecture office where he both refined his knowledge of building design and also honed an architect's ability with drawing and photography that stood him in good stead in his later archaeological work. Richard had many stories of his early years in southern California where he rubbed shoulders with various members of the archaeological community. Clearly, from his stories, he also enjoyed the beach scene of the early 1960s.

Richard was called to military service and spent several years in the Air Force, mainly assigned to bases in the Midwest, particularly in Oklahoma. He later moved to Davis where he enrolled in the graduate program in the Department of Anthropology and later was awarded an M.A. at UC Davis in 1968 for his thesis on Old Sacramento archaeology. The latter half of the 1960s saw a great deal of archaeology in conjunction with the construction of I-5 and the renewal of the Old Town district of Sacramento. About this time, he became one of the early members of the Central California Archaeological Foundation, which came into being in order to meet the need for contracting archaeologists to accomplish work for national and state parks in California.

In the early 1970s, Richard and wife Audrey, with their daughters Hilary and Jocelyn, went to Israel where he worked on an archaeological project at Tel Gezer and lived in Jerusalem. In later years, he often told fond stories of this remarkable experience.

This work led him first to employment with the California Department of Parks and Recreation (at that time known as Beaches and Parks); however, he saw opportunities in the fledgling historical program of the City of Sacramento and became a city planner in 1975. He oversaw a survey of historic buildings that became the city's Register of Historic Places. He was appointed the executive director of the Urban Design/Preservation Board, which reviewed applications for projects that affected historic structures. Richard truly loved historic buildings and was frequently found leading tours of the remarkable legacy of Victorian structures still to be found in Sacramento.

Following a 20-year career with the city, Richard retired, only to renew his connections with California State Parks as a Retired Annuitant working on a variety of archaeological projects and historical building studies all over the state. Some notable projects during this time were in Old Town San Diego, Las Cruces Adobe, Coloma, Morro Bay, the Ghost Town of Bodie, Olompali, and perhaps most notably, the Stanford Mansion in Sacramento.

Richard Hastings loved humor and a good laugh, so he made friends readily and got on well not only with his fellow archaeologists but also with the visiting public. Richard could, and would, engage people in conversation and become the ambassador of the project. His extensive background in architecture as well as archaeology resulted in his insightful observations on artifacts related to buildings and their construction. He was endlessly fascinated by the world around him and would enthusiastically share these observations. Apart from his interest in archaeology and historical structures, Richard was enamored of bicycling and spent a great deal of time with the Sacramento Wheelmen on various cross-country jaunts where he often donned his chef's hat to provide wonderful provender. In his final years, ill health encroached on his lifestyle, although he bore his tribulations well. His death on July 14, 2014, brought an end to his physical discomforts. He will be missed by his many colleagues and friends.