This is a comprehensive view of the entire history of the community of Davis. For historical highlights, visit the Davis Timeline.
Early Years
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Major Milestones
1817 - First Puttoy Patwin at Mission Dolores with Ululatos from present Vacaville area
1833-34 - 29 Puttoy survivors of 1833 malaria epidemic baptized at Mission S.F. Solano
1842 - J.M. Vaca and J.F. Peña establish Rancho Los Puttos (Vacaville almost to South Davis)
1853 - Joseph B. Chiles and others purchase doubtfully-titled Rancho Laguna de Santos Calle from M. Vaca and subdivide it. Jerome C. Davis establishes a stock ranch at what would become 1st and A Streets.
1855 - Joshua B. Tufts settles on south side of Putah Creek, 1 mile SW of present downtown Davis.
1856 - U.S. Land Commission rejects Rancho Laguna de Santos Calle claim, resulting in clouded titles in area until 1864 congressional "Act to Quiet Titles"
1860s - Solano House, adjoining the Tufts home south of Putah Creek, is the hotel, stage stop, and post office for the local vicinity.
1861 - "Flood of the century" hits in winter and completely devastates the area, ruining farmlands, and leaving most of the Putah Creek vicinity completely underwater. Tule House is destroyed.
1866 - William Dresbach essentially founds Davis by moving into the leased Jerome C. Davis house in the area of the anticipated railroad junction
1868 - Section of transcontinental railroad reaches Davis Junction
1884 - First telephone installed in town
1892 - A magnitude 6.6 earthquake shatters Winters
1897 - Davisville Almond Growers Association is founded; their revolutionary cooperative effort served as a model for the development of agriculture nationwide and helped attract the University Farm
1907 - Davisville post office shortens town name to simply Davis 1907 - The Davis Lumber Company (now known as Davis Ace Hardware) begins operation
1908 - Davis campus first conceived as the "University Farm School", the agricultural arm of UC Berkeley.
1911 - Three-mile alcohol ban imposed 1911 - First public library building established on the 100 block of F Street 1911 - El Rodeo, the UC Davis yearbook begins publication under the original title Agricola.
1912 - Bowers Addition and Bowers Acres begin development
1913 - Southern Pacific Railroad replaces the original 1868 Victorian style Davis station with a Mission Revival structure, replicated in the current renovation
1915 - The California Aggie founded
1916 - Davis Arch built
1916 - Yolo Causeway opens
1916 - Fire of 1916 burns down a large section of the west side of G Street
1917 - March - City officially incorporates as Davis
1917 - Richards Underpass constructed
1919 - Municipal water system begins with a $75,000 bond issue
1920 - Sewer system installed, and city garbage collection begins
1923 - First streets are paved with crushed rock.
1926 - Davis Community Church constructed
1927 - Davis High School built on Russell Boulevard (now the Davis City Offices).
- Davis Boy Scout Cabin is built at 1st & E Street by Scouts and community volunteers.
1931 - St. James Catholic Church dedicated at 5th & C St. (now houses the Newman Center)
1934 - Cal Aggie Women's Association founded
1935 - Central Park becomes the first city park
1938 - City Hall and Fire Station completed
1939 - Direct-dial telephone service becomes available in Davis.
1943 - Japanese Internment approved by the Davis City Council.
1947 - Hibbert Lumber opens.
1948 - Putah Creek's north fork is permanently diverted to the south fork to prevent seasonal flooding
1959 - UC Davis becomes an independent campus from UC Berkeley
1968/69 school year - Switchboard service project started at UCD
1969 - Educational Opportunity Program founded. 1969 - Davis Student Co-Op founded.
—- - Women's Center becomes an official part of UCD
1972 - Davis Food Co-op seed is planted by Ann Evans and others at On Campus Co-ops 1972 - Pierce Co-Op established.
1975 - Davis Farmers Market is born with the assistance of Ann Evans
1975 - Judy Corbett and Michael Corbett create Village Homes
1976 - Student Judicial Affairs replaces the Welfare Council at UC Davis. The end of the UC Davis Honor Code
1979 - Three-mile alcohol ban lifted
1984 - The Pamela Maus Contest in Creative Writing founded. 1984 - Housing Co-op Dos Pinos approved by the City Council.
1985 - Davis Community Television founded.
1986 - Save Open Space with former Mayor Maynard Skinner sponsors Measure S with support from newly elected Michael Corbett
1989 - The Regal Cinemas Davis Holiday 6 opens downtown- at the time it was owned by Phil Harris, in 2004 it was taken over by the Regal Entertainment Group
1990-09-30 - Sacramento Savings is robbed.
1991 - Ahwahnee Principles for local planning published. 1991 - Alphabet Moon opens.
1992 - The North Entry Parking Structure opens as the first parking structure on campus
1994 - Cal Aggie Cycling Team wins the National Collegiate Road Cycling Championship
1998 - Ordinance 1966, the Light Ordinance is enacted. 1998-02-12 - US Bank is robbed.
Unable to include Davis Timeline/Nav
Resources: Old North Davis: Guide to Walking a Traditional Neighborhood, by John Lofland
2000
Fall
- Liquid Hotplates, an a capella group, founded.
- The Campus Crusade for Chaos and Confusion was convened.
| 1999 | |
| 2001 | |
2001
Jump to Navigation
- Harper Jr. High opened.
- Virginia Hinshaw becomes Provost of UC Davis
Media
- One Drop founded
- Jewish Quarterly founded by Lee Weissman
Tragic Events
- Andrew Wieman found stabbed to death in his Kappa Sigma room.
April
- 15: Kelly van Boxtel buys Tots Trade Center from Debra Minnema Dingman
- 17: US Bank is robbed.
- 23: US Bank is robbed. Again. Same guy.
May
- Murder Burger is renamed Redrum Burger
June
- 4: Yolo Federal Credit Union is robbed.
September
- 11: The World Trade Towers are destroyed, the Pentagon partially destroyed and a plane goes down in a Pennsylvania field. The ramifications of a few hours this morning will greatly affect the next decade, including for those living in Davis. The DELTA Group at UC Davis later will help analyze the WTC debris.
- 17: The bar portion of Sophia's Thai Kitchen opens.
Unknown
- Western Collegiate Cycling Conference won by Cal Aggie Cycling Team.
- Cal Aggie Cycling Team wins the National Collegiate Road Cycling Championship
- Straw bale bench is built.
| 2000 | |
| 2002 | |
2002
Jump to Navigation
- City of Davis purchases Boy Scout Cabin, kicks out Boy Scouts
- The Sneeze starts publication.
- Teknolust, a feature film written and directed by UC Davis faculty member Lynn Hershman-Leeson is released.
- Friends of the University Airport formed to protect the University Airport.
May
- Roy Brophy and Alice Gonzales, both former UC Regents, are recipients of the UC Davis Medal on May 20th.
August
- The Driven to Davis mural is painted.
| 2001 | |
| 2003 | |
2003
Jump to Navigation
Alluvium, a work of art in Walnut Park, is created, The Sneeze ceases publishing and Write Club is founded. The Wells Fargo Controversy begins.
October
- Bowley Hall, part of the UC Davis University Extension Center, is completed.
| 2002 | |
| 2004 | |
2004
Jump to Navigation
January
- The Spokes, a female a capella group, forms out of female members of Liquid Hotplates.
March
- ASUCD Senate buys the Aggie Pack Firetruck.
June
- The site that would become Davis Wiki is first installed on Philip Neustrom's laptop on the 24th.
August
- Harper Junior High School opened up.
October
- Activities and Recreation Center, commonly known as ARC, opens up on campus.
November
- New trashcans issued to the population by Davis Waste Removal. Unity through refuse receptacles!
- The Campaigning in Dorms Controversy breaks.
- United States Election
- The Lexington serves as a polling place
| 2003 | |
| 2005 | |
2005
Jump to Navigation
- This year's City politics
- A Hurricane Katrina Fundraiser was suggested
- First UC Davis Fire Department Pancake Breakfast held.
- McConeghy Ranch is the first open space purchased through funds authorized by the passing of the 2000 Measure O.
April
- Tots Trade Center was closed because the owner of the building at 322 C Street wanted to sell the building.
- Debra Minnema Dingman opened Just Kidding.
July
- Joan Randall is the first Yolo County resident diagnosed with West Nile Virus.
September
- 29: First Northern Bank is robbed.
October
- 4: USE Credit Union is robbed.
December
- Stephen Robinson, astronaut, receives the UC Davis Medal on December 4th.
| 2004 | |
| 2006 | |
2006
Jump to Timeline Navigation
- El Rodeo ceases publication.
- Spring: Volunteers group together to renovate the Central Park Gardens.
January
- 6: the The Jagged Tree falls.
- Anderson Court Apartments, The Drake, and The Lexington are sold to Hallmark Properties.
March
- 9: Mayor Ruth Asmundson declares March 9th Caliph Assagai Day.
April
May
- 12-14: Whole Earth Festival 2006
- 12-14: Cal Aggie Cycling Team wins the National Collegiate Road Cycling Championship
- 16: University of California Oil Forum
- May 27-June 4: Community Food Drive
June
- Work begins on the $1.2 million Hutchison Drive Bike Lanes upgrade.
- 6: June 2006 Primary Election - including 2006 City Council Election and Measure G
- 26: The Best Uses of Schools Advisory Task Force recommends the closure of Valley Oak Elementary School due to falling enrollment.
July
- 8: First Deadly Davis Dash held.
August
- 8 & 9: After much debate and controversy, Davis was aerially sprayed for mosquitoes. See West Nile Virus.
- 13: Davis Kids Triathlon
- 29: Fred T. Korematsu Elementary School opens for its first class.
September
- 7: The Conaway Preservation group and Yolo County reach a settlement on the Conaway Ranch.
- 16: Second Deadly Davis Dash held.
- 17: USE Credit Union is robbed.
November
- 7: November 2006 Election
- Measure H — Annexation of West Sacramento, Woodland, Davis and surrounding areas into SMUD's service area.
- Measure I — Replacement of PG&E as electric company by SMUD in West Sacramento, Woodland, Davis, and surrounding areas.
- Measure K — Target Measure
- Measure L — A non-binding, advisory measure for the City to adopt Choice Voting.
- 21: Davis sues City of Dixon over Dixon Downs.
| 2005 | |
| 2007 | |
2007
Jump to Timeline Navigation
January
- 23: Gearhead Records and Stuff opens.
February
- 1: ATM Applause Flashmob occurs.
- 20: Stage 2 of the 2007 Amgen Tour of California comes through town.
- 22: The Best Uses of Schools Advisory Task Force votes 6 to 1 in favor of closing Valley Oak Elementary School
- 26: Stone's Cafe & Catering opens for business.
- Both Cafe Romas announce they are closing. On February 28th, Cafe Roma by campus closed its doors. The last day was a Customer Appreciation Day, where they gave away free coffee and everything else.
- Java California bought out by new management.
March
- 3: The World's Largest Bicycle Parade record attempt takes place.
- 10: Wells Fargo is robbed.
- 20: The Board of Education votes 3-2 in favor of a complex resolution that calls for both the closure of Valley Oak Elementary School in the fall of 2008 (unless voters approve a special parcel tax on the November 2007 ballot) and the full opening of the Fred T. Korematsu Elementary School as a K-6 school in the fall of 2008.
April
- 1: The local Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints reorganizes along demographic, instead of geographic, lines.
- 1: 2007's April Fool's Day on the Wiki occurs.
- 9: PhilipNeustrom reaches 10,000 edits on the DavisWiki.
- 9: Davis Electric Cars opens, becoming the first all electric car dealer in Davis.
- 14: Picnic Day
- 14: Green Car Gala
- 28 & 29: Western Collegiate Cycling Conference won by Cal Aggie Cycling Team.
May
- Bike Commute Month
- 1: UCD May 1, 2007: Day of Action. Over 20 people arrested in act of civil disobedience with blocking of an intersection.
- 9: John Barovetto Park opens to the public.
- 14-18: Give3
- 17: The Davis Wiki was awarded an Thong H. Huynh Award for Excellence in Community Involvement by the Davis Human Relations Commission! Go Davis Wiki!
- 17: Celebrate Davis
- 18: The Bathtub Experiment
- 22: Sex Fest 2007
- 23: Students Organizing For Change held a rally in which Mrak Hall was locked down and 15 people arrested.
- 26: Teriyaki Express closed.
- 27 and 28: Convivium
June
July
- Indyna Bistro opens July, 2007. An Indian restaurant that replaced New Delhi Chaat Cafe.
- 6: Sushi Unlimited July 6th, 2007. A sushi restaurant that replaced Mirai.
August
- 11: Nina's Studio (beauty salon) opens.
September
- The Davis Bike Loop is formally marked on the pavement
October
- 6: First Annual Davis Jazz Artists Festival
November
- 6: November 2007 Election is held, passing two measures and electing two new school board members.
- 28: The Mythbusters television cast and crew are spotted at the Yolo County Airport filming an episode.
December
- 12: Mythbusters episode airs, featuring Skydance Skydiving and the Yolo County Airport.
| 2006 | |
| 2008 | |
2008
Jump to Timeline Navigation
January
- 4: Power outage from winter storm affects much of Davis, lasting 3 days in some parts of the city.
February
- 14: The tree at Mansion Square falls.
- 19: The Amgen Tour of California passes through Downtown Davis around noon.
March
- Principles of One Community signed
- 5: A bomb scare in the UC Davis Tercero Residence Halls leads to a one-night evacuation of Thille Hall.
May
June
- 12: The last day of school ever is held at Valley Oak Elementary School
- Late: Smoke from many fires fills the entire Sacramento Valley forcing the cancellation of many outdoor events.
October
- Undergraduate Research Center opened.
November
Politics
- The fate of Wildhorse Ranch to be decided by an (as yet unlettered) Measure
| 2007 | |
| 2009 | |
