Timeline of San Diego


The following is a timeline of the history of San Diego, California, United States.

Before the 19th century

Spanish colonization (1769-1821)

19th century

Mexican period (1821–1848)

Late 19th Century (1850s–1890s)

  • 1848 – Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo transfers San Diego and mostly all of Alta California to the United States of America as part of the Mexican Cession territory, international border drawn closer to San Diego at a parallel "one Spanish league" south of the southernmost point of San Diego Bay.
  • 1850
  • * California is admitted to the United States; San Diego becomes seat of San Diego County; San Diego is granted a city charter by the California legislature. San Diego officially becomes an incorporated city.
  • * William Heath Davis proposes "New San Diego" by the bay front, builds a pier and lays out streets, but proposed development is unsuccessful
  • 1851
  • *Herald newspaper begins publication.
  • *San Diego Tax Rebellion of 1851 begins, led by Cupeño and Kumeyaay natives after San Diego County charges local natives to pay up an annual $600 in property taxes. Western theatre of the Yuma War opens up in San Diego County.
  • *The Movement for State Division of California convenes in San Diego to discuss the secession of Southern California from the rest of California, as the proposed state of Colorado.
  • 1852
  • * Antonio Garra is tried and executed in San Diego. San Diego Tax Rebellion and the Yuma War in San Diego County ends.
  • *City goes bankrupt; city charter repealed by legislature; city placed under control of a board of trustees
  • * U.S. Army sets aside southern part of Point Loma for military uses, later developed into Fort Rosecrans
  • 1853 – San Bernardino County breaks off from San Diego County.
  • 1855 – [Old Point Loma, San Diego|Point Loma Lighthouse|Point Loma Lighthouse] built.
  • 1857 – The San Antonio–San Diego Mail Line is established, and is acquired by the Butterfield Overland Mail in 1860.
  • 1858 – October: Hurricane.
  • 1859 – San Diego County votes to secede from California to form the Territory of Colorado, voting 207–24 in favor of secession
  • 1861 – The San Antonio–San Diego Mail Line is discontinued due to the American Civil War and the Apache Wars. All interstate commercial mail lines after the civil war would then come through Los Angeles by stage line or San Francisco by steamship until the completion of the San Diego and Arizona Railway in 1919.
  • 1862 – 6.0 magnitude Earthquake
  • 1866 – Louis Rose lays out town of Roseville, later incorporated into San Diego
  • 1867
  • * Alonzo Horton promotes move to "New Town", site of current Downtown.
  • * Population: 12.
  • 1868
  • *City reserves of land as City Park, now Balboa Park
  • *San Diego Union newspaper begins publication.
  • 1870
  • * Chamber of Commerce established.
  • * Horton House hotel in business.
  • 1871 – City and County records are moved from Old Town to New Town, establishing New Town as the city's hub
  • 1872 – San Diego incorporated.
  • 1875 – Ulysses S. Grant sets aside reservation land for several Kumeyaay bands. Second round of reservations established in 1893.
  • 1880 – Population: 2,637; county 8,018.
  • 1881 – The Sun newspaper begins publication.
  • 1882 –
  • * San Diego Free Public Library established.
  • * Russ High School opens; first high school in the city.
  • * YMCA established.
  • 1883-1886 - John J. Montgomery makes successful flights with manned gliders at Otay Mesa, the first controlled flights in a heavier-than-air flying machine in America.
  • 1885 – Santa Fe railway begins operating.
  • 1886 – Horse-drawn streetcar line established downtown.
  • 1887
  • * Ocean Beach founded.
  • * San Diego Daily Bee newspaper begins publication.
  • * National City & Otay Rail Road begins operating.
  • * Electric streetcar line established between Downtown and Old Town.
  • * National City is incorporated.
  • 1888
  • * Oceanside and Escondido are incorporated.
  • * Sweetwater Dam completed.
  • 1889
  • * City rechartered; mayor-council form of government adopted.
  • * Beth Israel synagogue built.
  • 1890
  • * Population: 16,159.
  • * Coronado is incorporated.
  • 1892 – San Diego Electric Railway begins operating.
  • 1893 – Riverside County breaks off from San Diego County.
  • 1895 – Evening Tribune newspaper begins publication.
  • 1897 – San Diego State Normal School established.
  • 1898 – Lomaland established by the Theosophical Society in Point Loma.
  • 1899 - The San Diego County Bar Association, a non-profit organisation, was formed.
  • 1900 - Population: 17,700.

20th century

1900s–1940s

1950s–1990s

21st century

Published in the 19th century

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Published in the 20th century

  • *,,,
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Published in the 21st century

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