Timeline of Fresno, California facts for kids

Fresno, California, is a big city in the middle of California. It has a rich history that started in the 1800s. This timeline will show you some of the most important moments in Fresno's past, from its early days as a small settlement to the busy city it is today. You'll learn about how it grew, what important buildings were built, and how its population changed over time.

Fresno's Early Days: The 1800s

• 1856 – Fresno County was created. The first main town, called the "county seat," was Millerton.
• 1865 – A man named William Helm brought his family and sheep to the valley.
• 1870 – The Weekly Expositor newspaper started publishing.
• 1872 – The Central Pacific Railroad Company built the Fresno train station. This was a big step for the town.
• 1874 – Fresno grew a lot, so the county seat moved from Millerton to Fresno.
• 1875
  • The first Fresno County Courthouse was built.
  • The Central California Colony was started. This helped many new families move to the area.
• 1876 – The Fresno Morning Republican newspaper began.
• 1877 – The Fresno Volunteer Fire Department was created to help keep the town safe.
• 1881 – William Helm bought a large block of land in the city.
• 1882 – St. John Church was built.
• 1884 – The first Big Fresno Fair took place. It's still a popular event today!
• 1885 – Fresno officially became a city. This is called "incorporated."
• 1889 – The Meux Home, a beautiful house, was built.
• 1890
  • The Barton opera house opened, offering entertainment.
  • Fresno's population grew to more than 10,000 people.
• 1892 – Street cars, a type of public transport, were introduced.
• 1893 – The Fresno Free Public Library opened, giving people access to books.
• 1894
  • The Fresno Parlor Lecture Club was formed for discussions.
  • The Fresno Water Tower was built.
• 1899 – The Santa Fe Passenger Depot train station opened.
• 1900 – The population reached 12,470 people.

Fresno in the 1900s

Early 1900s: Growth and New Beginnings

• 1901
  • The Fresno City Railway started running.
  • The Fresno Buddhist Temple was founded.
• 1904
  • The Gottschalks department store opened.
  • The first butcher shop was opened by Andrew David Green.
• 1906 – The amazing Forestiere Underground Gardens started being built.
• 1908 – The Asparēz Armenian/English newspaper began publishing.
• 1909 – The Raisin Day festival started, celebrating Fresno's famous raisins.
• 1910 – Fresno Junior College opened its doors for students.
• 1911
  • The Fresno State Normal School was founded. This school later became Fresno State.
  • The Sunnyside Country Club opened.
• 1913 – The Commercial Club was organized.
• 1914 – Holy Trinity Church was built.
• 1918
  • The Sun-Maid raisin factory began operating.
  • The Bank of Italy building was constructed.
• 1919 – The Fresno Historical Society and Temple Beth Israel were founded.
• 1921 – Fresno State College was officially established.
• 1922
  • KMJ 580AM Radio began broadcasting.
  • The Fresno Bee newspaper started publishing.
• 1923
  • The Fort Washington Country Club was established.
  • The San Joaquin Light and Power Corporation Building was built.
• 1925 – The Security Pacific Bank Building was constructed.
• 1926 – The Fresno State Stadium was dedicated.
• 1928 – The Pantages Theater opened, a grand place for shows.
• 1929
  • The Roeding Park Zoo opened, bringing animals to Fresno.
  • Z. S. Leymel became the mayor of Fresno.
  • Chandler Airport opened as the main airport.
• 1932 – The Fresno Memorial Auditorium was built.
• 1935 – A social group called the Academy was formed.
• 1939 – The Tower Theatre opened.
• 1942 – The U.S. Air Force Hammer Airfield was used.
• 1944 – Pacific Bible Institute was founded.
• 1946 – The Sierra Sky Park Airport, a community for people with planes, was started.
• 1947 – The Hammer Field National Guard training area and Fresno Air Terminal were established. The Air Terminal became the main airport.
• 1948 – The Azteca Theater was built.

Mid to Late 1900s: Modern Fresno Takes Shape

• 1954 – The Peoples Church and the Fresno Philharmonic orchestra were founded.
• 1955 – Bernice F. Sisk became a U.S. representative for California.
• 1960 – The Mexican American Political Association was founded.
• 1961 – The City of Fresno took over the city bus service.
• 1962 – The Farm Workers Association held its first meeting in Fresno.
• 1964 – The Fulton Mall was dedicated.
• 1966
  • The Fresno Convention Center complex was built.
  • The Fresno County Courthouse was rebuilt.
• 1967 – The Catholic Diocese of Fresno was established.
• 1968 – Woodward Park opened in north Fresno.
• 1969 – The Kiddie Kinema movie theatre opened.
• 1970
  • The Fashion Fair Mall opened for shoppers.
  • Fresno's population grew to 167,927 people.
• 1973 – The Good Company Players theater group was founded.
• 1977 – KMTF television began broadcasting.
• 1983 – The Fresno Metronews newspaper began publishing.
• 1984
  • The Nanaksar Gurdwara, a Sikh temple, was founded.
  • The Fresno Metropolitan Museum was established.
• 1989
  • The Fresno Municipal Sanitary Landfill closed.
  • Karen Humphrey became mayor.
• 1990
  • Vida en el Valle, a Spanish/English newspaper, began publishing.
  • The population reached 354,202 people.
• 1992 – The Hmong Times newspaper started.
• 1993
  • Hmong Today, a television program, began broadcasting.
  • The San Joaquin Valley Heritage & Genealogy Center was established.
  • Jim Patterson became mayor.
• 1996 – Tahoe Joe's restaurant opened.
• 1997
  • The Community Food Bank became active, helping those in need.
  • The River Park shopping center opened.
• 1998
  • The city's official website went online.
  • The Fresno Grizzlies baseball team was formed.
  • The Fresno Stadium 22 cinema opened.
• 2000
  • University High School was established.
  • The Mormon Fresno California Temple was dedicated.

Fresno in the 21st Century

• 2001 – Alan Autry became Mayor of Fresno.
• 2002 – Grizzlies Stadium opened, home to the Fresno Grizzlies baseball team.
• 2003
  • The Save Mart Center arena opened.
  • The Ani-Jam anime convention began.
• 2005
  • The Woodward Shakespeare Festival and Artists' Repertory Theatre were founded.
  • Jim Costa became a U.S. representative for California.
  • The Coyle United States Courthouse was built.
• 2008 – The Neighborhood Thrift shop opened.
• 2009 – Ashley Swearengin became mayor.
• 2010
  • The Fresno Metropolitan Museum closed.
  • Fresno's population reached 494,665 people.
• 2013
  • A poet laureate was chosen for the city.
  • Bitwise Industries launched, bringing a technology community to Fresno.
• 2014 – The Fresno General Plan was adopted. This plan helps guide the city's growth.
• 2015
  • Governor Jerry Brown attended a special ceremony for the California High-Speed Rail project in downtown Fresno.
  • Fresno declared a drought due to very low rainfall. Water saving efforts began.
• 2017 – There were some shootings in Fresno.
• 2020 – The population reached 542,161 people.
• 2021 – Former Police Chief Jerry Dyer became Fresno's 26th mayor.