Timeline of San Jose, California

Prior to 19th century

1777 – Spanish pueblo San Jose de Guadalupe founded.

1797 – San Jose mission founded.

19th century

1803 – San Jose de Guadalupe church built.

1822 – Mexicans in power.

1840 – Population: 750 (approximate).

1846 – Town occupied by U.S. forces.

1849 – December: Town becomes capital of the new state of California.

1850

City chartered.

Josiah Belden becomes mayor.

San Francisco-San Jose stagecoach begins operating.

1851

San Jose Weekly Visitor newspaper begins publication.

College of Notre Dame established.

1852 – San Jose Foundry in business.

1853 – Hook and Ladder Company No.1 organized.

1855 – San Jose Telegraph newspaper begins publication.

1856 – Young Men's Literary Association organized.

1857 – Minn's Evening School established.

1861 – San Jose Daily Mercury newspaper begins publication.

1864 – San Francisco-San Jose Railway in operation.

1865 – St. Joseph High School established.

1866 – Santa Clara Argus newspaper begins publication.

1867 – San Jose YMCA established.

1868 – St. Joseph's Church built (approximate date).

1870

California State Normal School relocated to San Jose.

Chinatown fire.

Population: 9,089; county 26,246.

1871 – University of the Pacific relocated to San Jose vicinity.

1875 – San Jose Law Library, San Jose Fruit Packing Company, and California Pioneers of Santa Clara County established.

1878 – Home of Benevolence founded.

1879 – Daily Morning Times begins publication.

1886 – Board of Trade organized.

1888 – Lick Observatory established atop Mount Hamilton.

1889

City Hall built.

O'Connor Hospital and Hotel Vendome established.

1890 – Population: 18,060.

1891 – Heald College established.

1892 – First Unitarian Church of San Jose built.

1892 - We and Our Neighbors Society (women's club) founded.

1894 – Associated Charities of San Jose established.

1895 – Post Office built.

1897 – Good Government League organized.

1900s-1950s

1900 – Population: 21,500.

1902 – Naglee Park development begins (approximate date).

1903

Grauman's Theatre and San Jose Public Library building open.

Bean Spray Company relocates to San Jose.

1905 – Balloon, dirigible, and aeroplane exhibitions.

1906 – April 18: San Francisco earthquake.

1909

KQW radio begins broadcasting.

Santa Clara Valley Fruit Growers Association organized.

1911 – East San Jose becomes part of San Jose.

1921 – San Jose Junior College founded.

1926 – Bank of Italy Building constructed.

1927 – Fox California Theatre built.

1933

November 26: Hart killers lynched in St. James Park.

Spartan Stadium opens.

1936 – Willow Glen becomes part of San Jose.

1937 – San Jose Civic Orchestra formed.

1943 – IBM west coast headquarters established.

1949

San Jose Municipal Airport begins operating.

Burbank Theatre, Garden Theatre, and Mayfair cinema open.

Historical Museum of San José established.

1950s – Community Service Organization activity begins in East San Jose.

1952 – Population: 95,280.

1957 – San Jose Peace & Justice Center founded.

1959 – Santa Clara County United Fund established.

1960s-1990s

1960 – Population: 204,196.

1961

Happy Hollow Zoo opens.

IBM Shoebox invented.

1964 – San Jose Century 21 cinema built.

1967 - Junior League of San Jose and Center for Employment Training established.

1968 – Alviso becomes part of city.

1969 – Century Theatre cinema opens.

1970

Regional Metropolitan Transportation Commission established.

Population: 447,025.

1971

Norman Mineta becomes mayor.

San José Historical Museum Association and Sourisseau Academy for State and Local History established.

1972 – Food Machinery Corporation headquarters relocates from San Jose to Chicago.

1973 – Willow Glen Neighborhood Association formed.

1974 – Santa Clara County Transportation Agency, San Jose Earthquakes soccer club, and Second Harvest Food Bank established.

1975

Evergreen Valley College active.

Janet Gray Hayes becomes mayor.

1977 – San Jose Museum of Quilts & Textiles founded.

1980 – Rotary Club of San Jose and San Jose Repertory Theatre founded.

1981 – Roman Catholic Diocese of San Jose established.

1982 – Adobe in business.

1983

1983 San Jose School District California bankruptcy

Tom McEnery becomes mayor.

1985 – Market Post Tower built.

1986

First Community Housing and San Jose Cleveland Ballet founded.

IBM Almaden Research Center opens.

1987

Japanese American Museum of San Jose, Chinese Historical and Cultural Project, and Los Fundadores y Amigos de Alta California established.

Fairmont Hotel built.

1988 – Fairmont Plaza built.

1989 – Loma Prieta earthquake.

1990

Tech Museum of Innovation and San Jose International Airport's new terminal open.

Population: 782,248.

1991

Tathagata Meditation Center, Santa Clara Valley MultiService Center, and Filipino American National Historical Society chapter founded.

Susan Hammer becomes mayor.

San Jose Sharks begin play.

1992

Saba Islamic Center active.

Chinmaya Mission San Jose founded.

1993 – Plaza Park renamed Plaza de César Chávez.

1994

City government-public computer-enabled communication ("Virtual Valley") in operation.

San Jose Clash soccer team formed.

1995

AuctionWeb (eBay) in business.

Zoe Lofgren becomes U.S. representative for California's 16th congressional district.

1998

City website online (approximate date).

History San José nonprofit incorporated.

1999 – Ron Gonzales becomes mayor.

21st century

2000 – Population: 894,943.

2001

Bay Area CyberRays soccer team, and Silicon Valley De-Bug collective established.

Mike Honda becomes U.S. representative for California's 15th congressional district.

2002 – Symphony Silicon Valley founded.

2003 – Sobrato Office Tower built.

2005 – San Jose City Hall rebuilt.

2006 – June: Mayor Gonzales arrested.

2007 – Chuck Reed becomes mayor.

2008 – The 88 building constructed.

2010

Three Sixty Residences built.

Population: 945,942.

2011 – October: Occupy San José begins.

2013 – Population: 998,537.

2014

Population tops 1,000,000.

December: Homeless camp cleared.