1510
Spain, ---Garci Rodriguez de Montalvo published Las Segas de Esplandian, a romance tale of a remote land west of the Indies known as California.
1521
Western Hemisphere, ---The Spanish crown conquered Mexico City and began colonization of southwestern North America.
1533
Pacific Ocean, ---Fortún Jiménez discovered the Baja California coast.
1539
Chiapas, ---Bishop Artega requested that Rome should send priests for missionary work.
1540
Rome, --- Ignatius of Loyola and a few close followers found the Society of Jesus and shortly after a university at Messina, Sicily.
1542
Pacific Ocean, ---Juan Cabrillo discovered S. Diego Bay, S. Catalina, the Channel Islands and S. Monica Bay.
1579
Pacific Ocean, ---Francis Drake claims Nova Albion (California) for England.
1602
Pacific Ocean, ---Merchant Sebastian Vizcaino visited California.
1640
New Vizcaya, --- Jesuit fathers petition Rome to send missionaries for work in the Baja California region.
1641
Madrid, --- Recopilación de leyes de los reynos de las Indias (Laws of the Indies) was published that designated The Roman Catholic Church as the official religion of the Spanish kingdom.
1700
Tucson, ---Jesuit friars established mission.
1758
Rome, --- Society of Jesus elected as general Lorenzo Ricci, S.J. of Florence.
1767
Madrid, ---the Society of Jesus was expelled from the realm of the King of Spain.
Mexico City, ---Gaspar de Portola appointed first Spanish governor of the Californias.
1768
Mexico City, ---Spanish military ordered four expeditions to California.
1769
July
Pacific Ocean and Sonoran desert, ---the expeditions reached S. Diego Bay.
August
Yaangna (modern Los Angeles), ---Governor Portola’s expedition camped near a large river along the northern coast of California.
1771
Yaangna, ---a few miles east of the village Franciscan Father Junipero Serra established El Santo Arcángel San Gabriel de los Temblores.
1775
Juan Bautista de Anza and soldiers including Santiago de la Cruz Pico leave Tubac in the Sonoran desert to explore the California region.
1776
Americans won independence from England.
1777
Monterey, ---Governor de Neve moved the capital of Las Californias from Loreto.
1779
Monterey, ---De Neve issued a Reglamento, the first civil code of California and planned for a civil outpost near Mission San Gabriel in support of the Spanish North American missions.
1781
The first pobladores reached Mission San Gabriel.
September
4th
Forty-four pobladores found El Pueblo de Nuestra Senora de la Reina de los Angeles del Rio Porciuncula.
Comisionado Jose Vicente Feliz became Los Angeles’ first public official
1784
A chapel was constructed near Buena Vista Street and Bellevue Avenue.
Ranchos Dominguez, Nieto and Verdugo were granted to faithful soldiers of the pueblo.
1786
Governor Pedro Fages appointed native American Jose Vanegas, the pueblo’s alcalde.
1788
Francisco Reyes granted permission to graze in the valley up river from the pueblo.
1789
Jose Sinova became Alcalde of the Pueblo de los Angeles.
1790
Los Angeles population reached 139.
Francisco Reyes became Alcalde.
July
Mariano Verdugo became Alcalde.
1792
Jose Vanegas became Alcalde.
1793
Francisco Reyes became Alcalde.
1795
Governor Diego de Borica introduced grapes and olives.
1796
Governor Borica sent two-hundred head of sheep to the pueblo.
Jose Vanegas became Alcalde.
1797
Manuel Arellaneo became Alcalde.
Mission San Fernando founded near Don Francisco’s Reyes Rancho, now included the ranchos Las Virgenes, Simi, San Francisquito, Tujunga, Caulos, Agua Amargo, Triunfo, Las Calabasas, el Escorpian and los Encinos.
1798
Guillermo Soto became Alcalde.
1799
Francisco Serrano became Alcalde.
1800
In England--- Thomas Wedgwood created sun picture photography.
Los Angeles human population reached 315, sheep 1700.
Joaquin Higuera became Alcalde.
1801
Future governor Pio Pico born at Mission San Gabriel.
1802
Mariano Verdugo became Alcalde.
1805
Los Angeles began trade with American John Shaler from New England.
1806
The Los Angeles Militia formed.
1809
Guillermo Soto became Alcalde.
1810
Mexico City, --- Antonio de Padua María Severino López de Santa Anna y Pérez de Lebrón joined the colonial Army of Spain.
Los Angeles population equaled 354.
Native Americans staged rebellion at Mission San Gabriel.
Francisco Avila became Alcalde.
1811
In Nueva Espana, provincial revolutions began.
Spanish supply ships ceased visiting Los Angeles and foreign trade began.
Manuel Gutierrez became Alcalde.
1812
Guillermo Soto became Alcalde.
1814
Plaza and church planning began.
1815
Ground breaking of the Nuestra Senora la Reina de Los Angeles plaza church.
River flooded the pueblo.
1816
France, ---Niépce brothers created photographic paper negatives.
Antonio Maria Lugo became Alacalde.
1817
A school at Maximo Pina’s home began privately in the pueblo.
Jose Polanco became Alcalde.
1818
Georgia, --- Future Los Angeles realtor, nurse and philanthropist, Bridget (Biddy Mason) born a slave in Hancock County.
Don Francisco built his Avila adobe house on the plaza.
American John Chapman immigrates to the pueblo.
1819
Anastasio Avila became Alcalde.
Following the death of father José María, Andrés and Pío Pico moved near the presidio at San Diego and began earning a living as small merchants.
1820
The population of the pueblo reached 770.
1821
Manuel Gutierrez became Alcalde.
Pio Pico opens bar and leather shop on the plaza.
1822
William Gale representing Bryant and Sturgis of Boston initiate trade for hides and tallow.
April
11th
Settlers of the pueblo take oath to Mexico.
1823
Dedication of the Nuestra Senora la Reina de Los Angeles plaza church.
1824
Mexico City, --- Colonization Law allowed non-Catholics to settle in Mexico.
San Diego, --- The Pico brothers built a private home for their mother outside the walls of the presideo becoming the nucleus of the pueblo at San Diego.
Guillermo Soto became Alcalde.
Encarnacion Urquides became Alcalde.
1825
Future California governor Pio Pico recorded in his diary that a violent winter storm altered the course of the Los Angeles River away from Santa Monica Bay and instead directly south to Long Beach leaving behind a low swampy badlands, --- the Ballona wetlands would then extend across the city plain to the western beach.
A priest was sent to live permanently at the Nuestra Senora la Reina de Los Angeles church on the plaza.
Jose Maria Avila became Alcalde.
1826
American trappers enter Los Angeles.
Jose Antonio Carillo became Alcalde.
Claudio Lopez became Alcalde.
1827
Guillermo Soto became Alcalde.
1828
Americans Abel Stearn and George Rice established a general store in Los Angeles.
American John Groningen purchased the native village of Yaanga and expleed the residents, a first urban redevelopment.
Jose Antonio Carillo became Alcalde.
1829
Charleston, South Carolina, ---future California governor John C. Frémont entered the College of Charleston.
Guillermo Soto became Alcalde.
1830
Population equals 1200.
Tiburcio Tapia became Alcalde.
1831
Manuel Victoria began military coup and imprisoned the Americans.
Revolutionaries deposed Victoria.
.
Don Pio Pico took oath as governor pro tempore of Alta California at Our Lady Queen of the Angeles Church on the Plaza.
Vicente Sanchez became Alcalde.
1832
Manuel Dominguez became Alcalde.
1833
Vicente Moraga begins a new school.
Jose Antonio Carillo became Alcalde.
1834
Mexico City, --- General Santa Anna, the “Napoleon of the West” became President.
Jose Perez became Alcalde.
1835
Mexican Congress ordered Ciudad de los Angeles to replace Monterey as the regional capital for the territory of the United States of Mexico. The arribenos demand General Castro retain power at the Presideo of Monterey.
Francisco Alvarado became Alcalde.
1836
Texas, --- American settlers declare independence from Mexico.
Juan Alvarado unseated Governor Carillo and declares California independence.
Manuel Requena became Alcalde.
US sailor Richard Henry Dana, Jr. visits and writes Two Years Before the Mast.
The native village of Yaanga, Rancheria de Poblanos, moved to Commercial and Alameda streets.
1837
Jose Sepulveda became Alcalde.
1838
Washington, DC, --- future California governor John C. Frémont appointed second lieutenant in the Corps of Topographical Engineers and begins career as the “Pathfinder” of the American West.
A vigilante committee formed up.
Don Ignacio Coronel began a school in his townhouse on plaza.
Luis Arena became Alcalde.
1839
Los Angeles became the seat of the prefecture for the Southern district of California.
First vaccinations.
Tapia and Sepulveda became Alcaldes.
Don Vicente Lugo constructed the first two-story building that later became the home of the St. Vincent’s College which subsequently evolved into Loyola Marymount University.
1840
Washington, DC, ---At Georgetown Seminary future Angeleno authoress Jessie Ann Benton began work as a French and Spanish language translator of government documents in association with her father, Missouri Senator Thomas Hart Benton.
Pope Gregory XVI appointed Mexican Franciscan Francisco Friar Moreno Bishop of Both Californias.
1841
Palomares and Alvarado became Justices of the Peace.
1842
Washington, DC, ---At Georgetown Seminary future Angeleno authoress Jessie Ann Benton began work as a French and Spanish language translator of government documents in association with her father, Missouri Senator Thomas Hart Benton. Jessie Ann Benton Fremont also began chronicling the experiences of husband John Charles Fremont’s exploration of the American West with his friend Kit Carson. Her father Senator Benton championed US expansionism of the West and pushed appropriations through the US Congress authorizing a survey of the Oregon Trail.
Dominguez and Sepulveda became Justices of the Peace.
Gold discovered in Placerita Canyon.
October
US flag mistakenly raised over Monterey.
Governor Micheltorrena was sent to expel the Americans and restore Mexican rule.
1843
Dominguez and Antonio Coronel became Justices of the Peace.
January
18th
Governor Micheltorena hosted US Commodore Jones at La Casa de Alto.
1844
Washington, DC, --- Senator Benton pushed appropriations through the US Congress authorizing a survey of the Oregon Territory. Captain John Drake Sloat was appointed commander of the US Pacific Squadron.
Governor Micheltorena established a new school in Los Angeles
Manuel Requena and Tapia became Alcaldes.
Pio Pico member of California Assembly.
1845
Washington, DC, --- Washington, DC, --- Senator Benton pushed appropriations through the US Congress authorizing a survey of the Great Basin, the Sierra Nevada mountains and California. Captain John Drake Sloat was appointed commander of the US Pacific Squadron and ordered to land in Alta California.
Texas, ---the republic is annexed by the United States.
Micheltorena removed as governor of Alta California.
Vicente Sanchez and Juan Capistrano Sepulveda became Alcaldes.
March
Pico took oath as governor pro tempore of Alta California at Our Lady Queen of the Angels Church on the Plaza and declared Los Angeles now the capital of Alta California.
June
St. Louis, --- John Fremont and Kit Carson began third expedition of the West.
After complaints of bathing in the Zanja Madre, the native village Rancheria de Poblanos was moved to Boyle Heights.
December
Sacramento Valley, --- Fremont and Carson promised American settlers protection in the event of a war with Mexico. Fremont appointed lieutenant colonel of the California Battalion.
1846
Juan Gallardo and Jose Loreto Sepulveda became Alcaldes.
Northern Californians Juan Alvarado and Jose Castro defeat Governor Micheltorena at Cahuenga Pass.
March
Fremont leaves California.
May
13th
Washington, --- Congress declared war on the United States of Mexico.
June
15th
Sonoma, --- Californians seized the Mexican garrison and declared independence from Mexico.
23rd
Sonoma, --- US Army Major John Fremont arrived and raised the US flag. .
July
Pío Pico removed as governor of Alta California.
7th
Mexico City, --- Congress declared was on the United States of America.
Monterey, --- Commodore John Drake Sloat raised the US flag over the Mexican Customs House and became the first Military Governor of US California.
9th
Yerba Buena (San Francisco), --- Commodore John Drake Sloat took occupation.
23rd
Monterey, --- On the command ship USS Congress Commodore Robert Field Stockton relieved John Drake Sloat and became the 2nd Military Governor of US California. The US California fleet consisted of an additional three frigates, one Ship of the line and four sloops.
August
6th
Commodore Stockton anchored off San Pedro.
Governor Pico and General Castro left California for Mexico City to lobby for defense and supplies.
11th
Commodore Stockton and Frémont marched on Los Angeles.
13th
Stockton and Fremont entered the Plaza with brass band playing Hail “Columbia” and “Yankee Doodle”. Shortly after, Kit Carson was dispatched to Washington to inform federal officials of the conquest of California.
September
US Marine Lt. Archibald Gillespie ordered martial law in the pueblo.
22nd
Pueblo revolt led by Capt. José María Flores, Jose Antonio Carillo and Andres Pico force marched American military to San Pedro and the next merchant ship leaving port.
October
8th
Mexicans fired cannon at American Navy’s approach at Dominguez Rancho.
December
6th
Stockton learns of General Stephen Kearny’s defeat at the Battle of San Pasqual near San Diego.
25th
Captain Frémont captured Presideo Santa Barbara.
29th
Stockton, Kearny and Carson reform and left San Diego to retake Los Angeles.
1847
Jose Salazar and Enrique Avila became Alcaldes.
January
8th
Fremont entered Los Angeles from the north.
Stockton garrisoned the Avila adobe.
Flores surrendered the Plaza.
13th
Pio Pico surrendered Alta California to the United States at Campo de Cahuenga.
16th
Stockton appointed John Charles Frémont 3rd military governor of California.
August
Fort Leavenworth, Kansas Territory, --- Frémont arrested for court martial trial in Washington. Frémont retired and purchased Rancho Las Mariposas in the Sierras.
1848
Coloma, ---Gold discovered in the American River.
Ygnacio Palomares and Jose Loreto Sepulveda became Alcaldes.
Don Antonio opened an English-speaking theater in an addition built at the Coronel townhouse.
Stephen Clark Foster became Mayor of the US territorial town of Los Angeles.
February
2nd
The Treaty of Guadalupe Hildago ceded California to the United States and outlawed peonage in California.
October
St. Louis, --- Frémont begins fourth expedition to survey a rail route to San Francisco.
1849
Bézeirs, France, --- Father Jean Gailhac and Appolonie Pelissere Cure found the Institute of the Religious of the Sacred Heart of Mary.
San Jose, ---the state capital is established and Peter Burnett appointed first civil governor.
Iron working and wagon-making industries began.
City water department begins.
Lt. Edward O. C. Ord completed survey of Los Angeles.
February
December
Abel Stearns elected Alcalde of Ciudad de los Angeles.
1850
Washington, DC, --- California is admitted to the United States.
San Bernadino, --- The Mormon Robert Smith household including slave Bridget (Biddy Mason move from Salt Lake City.
Pio Pico purchased the Paseo de Bartolo Rancho, Mission San Fernando and Rancho Santa Margarita y Las Flores.
Bella Union Hotel opened.
Drug store opened.
US post office opened.
Methodist minister Reverend John W. Brier conducted Protestant services but was discouraged with lawlessness and moved north.
Volunteer police force formed.
Los Angeles County formed and incorporated Los Angeles as a city.
The Los Angeles City Council is formed.
Jose Sadoc Alemany replaced Bishop Moreno.
Reverend J. W. Douglas began school in the home of William Wolfskill.
July
1st
Alpheus P. Hodges elected mayor.
1851
Santa Clara, California, ---the Society of Jesus opened Santa Clara College and began college preparatory high school instruction.
50 newcomers settled in El Monte.
Phineas Banning established a stage-line southern California network
La Estrella bi-lingual newspaper began publication.
Los Angeles Police formed by City Council.
Ordinance appropriated funds for education.
Reverend Henry Weeks opened a new school.
January
Eight Jewish shopkeepers were recognized in the federal census.
March
Picpus Fathers began a boarding and day school near the Plaza but soon was defunct.
May
7th
Benjamin D. Wilson became major.
August
Wolfskill schoolteacher Reverend J. W. Douglas resigned and moved to San Francisco to edit a new religious journal, The Pacific.
1852
London, --- microfilm photography demonstrated.
Santa Clara, California, ---Santa Clara College began collegiate rank instruction.
John G. Nichols was elected mayor.
A property tax established a Los Angeles public school system and a Board of Education.
A. S. Breed opened an English school
Rev. Anacletus Lestrade SS.CC, granted ten lots for a seminary.
The Los Angeles City Council school visitation committee, John G. Downey and Ygnacio del Valle reported thirty-five students under instruction with Rev. Lestrade and Ygnacio Coronel.
J. D. Hunter founded a brick factory.
October
Don Sepulveda’s imported Black Swan beat Pio Pico’s California-bred Sarco in a nine-mile horse race.
1853
Rome, --- California population increase caused Pope Pius IX t split the Californias diocese and create a diocese of Monterey to supervise the southern California “cow” counties. Tadeo Amat, Rector of St. Joseph’s Seminary in Philadelphia named Bishop of Monterey.
Oakland, --- Contra Costa Academy opened.
Antonio Coronel became mayor.
Schumacher brewery opened.
Sisters of Charity opened hospital on Main Street
County jail opened.
Mathew Keller planted orange grove.
Calle de los Negros became center of urban crime in the West.
Los Angeles Rangers form a volunteer police force.
Masonic lodge founded.
February
Northern Methodist Reverend Adam Bland sent to begin a new church.
July
Mrs. Bland began school in the former El Dorado saloon.
August
The Los Angeles Ranger Company public safety committee began campaign against Murietta.
November
Texas Baptists found church in Lexington (modern El Monte).
1854
Newspaper Southern California began publication.
The itinerant ranch and herding business increased violence on the Plaza.
Northern Methodist Reverend J. McHenry Caldwell (Dickinson ’53) replaced Reverend Bland.
May
Steven C. Foster (Yale ’40) became mayor, moved to build two public schoolhouses and appointed school officials.
July
The Hebrew Benevolent Society was formed.
September
Joseph Newmark and family arrived from San Francisco including two Chinese servants, Ah Luce and Ah Fou.
15th
Methodist camp meetings held at the Sheldon farm in Lexington.
October
Presbyterian Reverend James Woods arrived on the Plaza.
1855
Contra Costa County, --- a College of California is chartered.
Schoolhouse Number One opened at Spring and Second Streets.
March
Presbyterian Reverend James Woods constituted a congregation .
April
LA City Council approved conveyance of three acres to the Hebrew Benevolent Society.
May
California legislature prohibited public financing of sectarian schools and reduced instruction in Spanish.
Fall
Presbyterian Reverend Thomas K. Davis replaced Reverend Woods.
December
Bishop Tadeo Amat finally arrived and welcomed into town after a fund-raising tour of Europe and an enlistment of a company of priests, seminarians and Daughters of Charity of St. Vincent de Paul.
1856
Judge Benjamin Haynes granted Biddy Mason and other San Bernadino slaves freedom.
Louis Vignes began an escuela católica In his home.
The Picpus Fathers may have restarted a boarding and day school near the Plaza but soon was defunct.
January
Sisters of Charity arrive from Emmitsburg, Maryland and open the school orphanage, Institución Caritiva in Benjamin Wilson’s home on the Plaza.
1857
Rev. Blas Raho, CM proposed to reopen a bilingual school.
1858
A library association opened a reading room at Court and Spring Streets.
1859
Baptist Reverend John Freeman began weekly services in the pueblo at Schoolhouse Number One.
French emigres came to power as Damien Marchessault became mayor.
France established consul general Jacob A. Moerenhoat.
Former governor of Mexican California Pío Pico opened the Pico Hotel.
May
Presbyterian Reverend William E. Boardman replaced Reverend Davis and instituted a First Protestant Society of the City of Los Angeles. Reverend Boardman was appointed superintendent of public schools.
1860
St. Louis, ---ten-day stage service was established to the city.
San Francisco, --- the telegraph network connected to the city.
Chinese population of Los Angeles was 16.
Reverend Boardman was reappointed city school superintendent.
French Benevolent Society formed.
Henry Mellus elected mayor.
1861
Western Union completed a North American transcontinental telegraph networked wire system.
Reverend Boardman was reappointed school superintendent.
A freight schooner arrived in San Pedro.
April
A Presbyterian congregation and others laid cornerstone for a new church on the northwest edge of the city.
1862
London, --- celluloid film technology demonstrated.
Drought.
Smallpox.
B’nai B’rith congregation formed downtown and Rabbi A. W. Edelman conducted Jewish services.
January
Rev. Boardman Joined Masonic Lodge 42.
February
Reverend Boardman and family returned to the East.
1863
February
Drought.
The Presbyterian Church was sold at Sheriff’s auction for non-payment of taxes.
1864
Drought
