Timeline of San Jose, California facts for kids

San Jose, California, is a big city with a long and interesting history! It's located in the beautiful Santa Clara Valley. This timeline will take you on a journey through the most important moments in San Jose's past, from its early days as a Spanish settlement to the modern city it is today.

Early Days: Before the 1800s

• 1777 – San Jose began as a small Spanish farming community called San Jose de Guadalupe. It was the first civilian settlement in California.
• 1797 – A religious center, the San Jose mission, was started nearby.

The 1800s: Growth and Change

• 1803 – A church, San Jose de Guadalupe church, was built for the community.
• 1822 – The area came under Mexican rule.
• 1840 – About 750 people lived in San Jose.
• 1846 – American forces took control of the town.
• 1849 – In December, San Jose became the very first capital of the new state of California!
• 1850
  • San Jose officially became a city.
  • Josiah Belden became the first mayor.
  • A stagecoach service began, connecting San Jose to San Francisco.
• 1851
  • The city's first newspaper, the San Jose Weekly Visitor, started.
  • The College of Notre Dame was established.
• 1853 – The first fire department, Hook and Ladder Company No.1, was formed to protect the city.
• 1861 – The San Jose Daily Mercury newspaper began publishing.
• 1864 – A railway line opened, making travel between San Francisco and San Jose much faster.
• 1868 – St. Joseph's Church was built.
• 1870
  • The California State Normal School, a teacher training college, moved to San Jose.
  • A fire damaged the Chinatown area.
  • The population grew to over 9,000 people.
• 1871 – The University of the Pacific moved its campus close to San Jose.
• 1875 – The San Jose Fruit Packing Company was started, showing the importance of farming in the area.
• 1888 – The famous Lick Observatory was built on top of Mount Hamilton, allowing people to study the stars.
• 1889
  • A new City Hall was built.
  • O'Connor Hospital opened to provide healthcare.
• 1890 – The population reached over 18,000.
• 1892 – The First Unitarian Church of San Jose was built.
• 1895 – A new Post Office was constructed.

The 1900s: Modern Times Begin

Early 1900s to Mid-1900s

• 1900 – The population grew to 21,500.
• 1903
  • The San Jose Public Library building opened, giving people access to books.
  • The Bean Spray Company, a major farming equipment maker, moved to San Jose.
• 1906 – April 18: The big 1906 San Francisco earthquake caused damage in San Jose too.
• 1909 – KQW radio began broadcasting, one of the first radio stations in the area.
• 1911 – East San Jose became part of the city.
• 1921 – San Jose Junior College was founded, offering higher education.
• 1926 – The tall Bank of Italy Building was constructed.
• 1927 – The Fox California Theatre, a grand movie palace, was built.
• 1933 – Spartan Stadium opened, becoming a major sports venue.
• 1936 – The Willow Glen area joined San Jose.
• 1937 – The San Jose Civic Orchestra was formed, bringing music to the city.
• 1943 – IBM, a huge technology company, set up its west coast headquarters here.
• 1949
  • The San Jose Municipal Airport started operating, making air travel easier.
  • The Historical Museum of San José was established to preserve the city's past.
• 1952 – The population jumped to over 95,000 people.

Late 1900s: The Tech Boom

• 1960 – The population more than doubled to over 204,000!
• 1961
  • Happy Hollow Zoo opened, a fun place for families.
  • The IBM Shoebox was invented here, an early voice recognition device.
• 1968 – Alviso became part of the city.
• 1970 – The population reached over 447,000.
• 1971 – Norman Mineta became mayor.
• 1974 – The San Jose Earthquakes soccer club was founded.
• 1975 – Janet Gray Hayes became mayor, the first woman to hold the position.
• 1977 – The San Jose Museum of Quilts & Textiles was founded.
• 1980 – The San Jose Repertory Theatre was founded, offering live plays.
• 1982 – Adobe, a major software company, started its business.
• 1983 – Tom McEnery became mayor.
• 1986 – The IBM Almaden Research Center opened, a big research facility.
• 1987 – The Japanese American Museum of San Jose was established.
• 1989 – The Loma Prieta earthquake shook the area.
• 1990
  • The Tech Museum of Innovation and a new terminal at San Jose International Airport opened.
  • The population grew to over 782,000.
• 1991 – Susan Hammer became mayor.
  • The San Jose Sharks ice hockey team began playing.
• 1993 – Plaza Park was renamed Plaza de César Chávez.
• 1994 – The San Jose Clash soccer team was formed.
• 1995 – AuctionWeb (which later became eBay), a famous online marketplace, started its business here.
• 1999 – Ron Gonzales became mayor.

The 2000s: A New Millennium

• 2001 – The Bay Area CyberRays soccer team was established.
• 2002 – Symphony Silicon Valley was founded.
• 2005 – The new San Jose City Hall building opened downtown.
• 2007 – Chuck Reed became mayor.
• 2010 – The population reached over 945,000.
• 2011 – October: The Occupy San José protest began.
• 2013 – The population was almost 1 million!
• 2014
  • The population officially topped 1,000,000 people.
  • A large homeless camp was cleared.
• 2021 – The 2021 San Jose shooting occurred.