| The History of Davis | |||||||||
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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
