Monthly Archives: May 2019

California History Timeline, May 31 to June 7

May 31 

Junipero Serra

Junipero Serra

Exploration in 1770
Father JuniperoSerra reached Monterey. Gaspar de Portolà, who organized this expedition by land and sea, lead the first overland exploration of Alta California. Serra traveled aboard the supply ship San Antonio.

Post Offices in 1856
Milpitas post office opened. It’s said that when the U.S. Postal Service wanted to locate the post office in Frederick Creighton’s store, some wanted to name it Penitencia. Others said that sounded like “penitentiary” so it was named for Rancho Milpitas.

Milpitas.

Milpitas.

Parks in 1899
David Curry and Jenny Etta Foster, later known as Mother Curry, opened a tented camp at Yosemite. They advertised “a good bed and clean napkin with every meal” for $2 a day (equivalent to $57 in today’s dollars). The camp became Curry Village in 1970.

Camp Curry (1931).

Camp Curry (1931).

Transportation in 1928 
The first flight across the Pacific took off from Oakland. Charles “Smithy” Kingsford-Smith and his crew landed the southern Cross in Brisbane, Australia nine days later after stopping in Hawaii and Fiji.

Charles E. Kingsford-Smith with Southern Cross (1928).

Charles Kingsford-Smith’s Southern Cross (1928).

Movies in 1929 
Mickey Mouse spoke for the first time in a cartoon called “The Karnival Kid.”

Eastwood in 1930
Clint Eastwood, actor and director, was born in San Francisco. He became famous for his “Dollars Trilogy” (1964-1966) and “Dirty Harry” films (1971-1988).

Race Relations in 1943
Twelve sailors and soldiers clashed violently with Mexican American youths near downtown Los Angeles. Seaman Second Class Joe Dacy Coleman, U.S.N. was badly wounded. It was the start of the Zoot Suit Riots.

Golden Gate Park Road Race.

Golden Gate Park Road Race.

Sports in 1952
The first Golden Gate Park Road Race was held with some 60 cars competing. The final race was in 1954.

Sports in 1964
The San Francisco Giants beat the New York Mets, 8-6, in a 23-inning game that lasted 7 hours, 32 minutes. It was the second game of the longest doubleheader in Major League history. Together they lasted 9 hours, 52 minutes.

Environment in 1996
California authorities advised the 900 people of Chualar in Monterey County to not use tap water. Nitrates from agricultural fertilizers and pesticides made it unsafe to drink.

Chualar.

Chualar.

Leary in 1996
Timothy Leary, psychologist and advocate for LSD and other psychedelic drugs, died in Beverly Hills at age 75. Some of his ashes were launched into space with those of Gene Roddenberry, “Star Trek” creator, and 28 others.

Timothy Leary.

Timothy Leary.

Transportation in 1999
Mike Moshier, 51-year-old founder of Millennium Jet Inc. in Santa Clara, reportedly developed the SoloTrek XFV. It was a single passenger flying vehicle, that could fly at 80 mph for up to 90 minutes as high as 10,000 feet on a single tank of 87-octane gas.

Government in 2007
San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom proposed a $6.06 billion budget for the 2007-2008 fiscal year, a 5.4% increase over the previous year.

Parks in 2008
Playland-Not-at-the-Beach museum opened in El Cerrrito. It featured relics from Playland-at-the-Beach in San Francisco, bulldozed in 1972, including a rare Laughing Sal.

Laughing Sal.

Laughing Sal.

Google.

Google.

Business in 2010
Google, of Mountain View, reportedly phased out internal use of Microsoft’s Windows operating system because of security concerns.

Flight in 2012
SpaceX Dragon capsule, developed in Hawthorne, splashed down in the Pacific. That concluded the first private delivery to the International Space Station.

June 1

Transportation in 1858
California Central Railroad groundbreaking took place in Sacramento. By October 13, 1861 the railroad connected Lincoln to the Sacramento Valley Railroad at Folsom Junction.

Map showing the location of Sacramento Valley Railroad, Cal. Sacramento, Septr., 1854; T.D. Judah, Chief Engineer

Map showing the location of Sacramento Valley Railroad, Cal. Sacramento, September, 1854; T.D. Judah, Chief Engineer

Lick Observatory.

Lick Observatory.

Earthquakes in 1888 
Seismograph observatories opened at Berkeley and Lick Observatory. Lick Observatory, on Mount Hamilton east of San Jose, is the world’s first permanently occupied mountain-top observatory.

Monroe in 1926
Marilyn Monroe, legendary actress and sex symbol, was born in Los Angeles. Her birth name, Norma Jean Mortenson, was changed to Norma Jean Baker before she became Marilyn Monroe. “I don’t mind living in a man’s world as long as I can be a woman in it.”

Marilyn Monroe (1962).

Marilyn Monroe (1962).

Delta King.

Delta King.

Transportation in 1927
The Delta King steamboat made its debut voyage from San Francisco to Sacramento. The Delta Queen, its twin, followed the next day. The 81-mile trip took nearly all night.

Radio in 1936
Lux Radio Theater moved to Hollywood from New York City. Programming changed to adaptations of films rather than plays. Its first was “The Legionnaire and the Lady,” with Marlene Dietrich and Clark Gable, based on the film “Morocco.” It aired shows until June 7, 1955.

Lux Radio Theater.

Lux Radio Theater.

KMEX-TV (1962).

KMEX-TV (1962).

Television in 1953 
KMJ, now KSEE TV channel 24, began broadcasting in Fresno. It was the first television station in the market.

Sports in 1975 
Nolan Ryan, California Angel, pitched his fourth of seven no-hitters to beat the Baltimore Orioles, 1-0.

Television in 1990
E! Entertainment Television, headquartered in Los Angeles, launched. Changing the name from Movietime emphasized coverage of celebrities, popular films, television and music, Hollywood gossip and fashion.

E! Entertainment Television.

E! Entertainment Television.

Sports in 1997
Wilton Guerrero, Los Angeles Dodger utility player, broke his bat, revealing it was corked. He was immediately ejected, suspended eight games and fined $1,000.

Ketcham in 2001
Hank Ketcham, cartoonist, died in Pebble Beach at age 81. He created “Dennis the Menace” cartoon strip, today distributed to some 1,000 newspapers in 48 countries, in 19 languages. 

Dennis the Menace.

Dennis the Menace.

Genentech.

Genentech.

Science in 2003
Genentech, in South San Francisco, reported its drug Avastin lengthened survival time for colon cancer patients. 

Science in 2003
U.C. Berkeley researchers revealed a new laboratory method for manufacturing the anti-malarial drug, artemisinin.

Laguna Beach landslide (2005).

Laguna Beach landslide (2005).

Environment in 2005
A landslide destroyed 17 multimillion-dollar houses and damaged nearly 11 others in Laguna Beach.

 

Fires in 2008 
Fire at the Universal Studios Hollywood back lot destroyed famous movie sets, such as the clock tower from “Back to the Future” and the “King Kong” exhibit on the studio tour.

Exploding clock tower. Back to the Future (1985).

Exploding clock tower. Back to the Future (1985).

Seal of San Francisco.

Seal of San Francisco.

Government in 2009
San Francisco Mayor Newsom unveiled a $6.6 billion budget for 2009-2010. He also urged Santa Clara voters to reject a $937 million stadium project for the San Francisco 49ers.

Government in 2011 
San Francisco Mayor Lee rolled out his first budget, a $6.8 billion spending plan for the fiscal year 2011-2012.

Ryan McGowan.

Ryan McGowan.

Crime in 2012
Federal prosecutors announced charges against two Sacramento County sheriff’s deputies, Ryan McGowan, age 31, and Thomas Lu, age 42, accused of illegally selling dozens of weapons.

June 2

Transportation in 1873 
Construction began on Clay Street in San Francisco for the world’s first cable railroad. The line was completed and ready for a trial run on August 2, 1873.

Early San Francisco Cable Car on Clay Street, 1878. Photos: San Francisco History Center, SF Public Library.

Early San Francisco Cable Car on Clay Street, 1878. Photos: San Francisco History Center, SF Public Library.

Black Bart

Black Bart

Crime in 1876
Charles Earl Bowles, English born gentleman bandit known as Black Bart, held up Wells Fargo Stagecoaches 28 times. The third robbery was in Siskiyou County, five miles north of Cottonwood.

 

 

Dance in 1933
San Francisco Ballet debuted at War Memorial Opera House. It is one of the oldest, most distinguished ballet companies in America. 

James “Sunny Jim” (1931).

James “Sunny Jim” (1931).

Rolph in 1934
James “Sunny Jim” Rolph, San Francisco mayor (1912-1931) and California Governor (1931-1934), died in San Francisco at age 64. He lived at the same Mission District home throughout his life.

Kellerman in 1936
Sally Kellerman, actress, activist, author, producer, singer and voice-over artist, was born in Long Beach. Most recently she provides voice talent to “The High Fructose Adventures of Annoying Orange” (2013).

Charles Haid.

Charles Haid.

Haid in 1943
Charles Haid, actor and director, was born in San Francisco. He is best known for his roles in police dramas, like “Hill Street Blues” (1981-1987) and “NYPD Blue” (1994).

Literature in 1959
Allen Ginsberg wrote his poem “Lysergic Acid” in San Francisco. He had recently experienced LSD for the first time. It was at the first international conference on LSD therapy at the Palo Alto Mental Research Institute, financed by the U.S. Army and the CIA to study the effects of psychotropic drugs on human behavior.

Hutton in 1979
Jim Hutton, film and television actor, died in Los Angeles at age 45.  He is best remembered for his role as Ellery Queen (1975-1976) in the series of the same name. He is the father of actor Timothy Hutton.

Education in 1988
St. Ignatius College Preparatory School in San Francisco announced plans to accept young women beginning in the Fall of 1999.

St. Ignatius College Preparatory.

St. Ignatius College Preparatory.

Los Angeles Dodgers.

Los Angeles Dodgers.

Sports in 1989
The Houston Astros beat the Los Angeles Dodgers in 22 innings, 5-4. It was one of the longest games in team history.

Government in 1992
Dianne Feinstein and Barbara Boxer were nominated to U.S. Senate seats, making California the first state to have two women in the U.S. Senate.

Dianne Feinstein and Barbara Boxer.

Dianne Feinstein and Barbara Boxer.

Government in 1998
Proposition 227 won with 61% support. That effectively ended California’s 30 years of bilingual education by requiring that all children be taught in English. 

Sun Microsystems.

Sun Microsystems.

Business in 2005
Sun Microsystems Inc., in Santa Clara, agreed to buy Storage Technology Corp. for $4.1 billion in cash. That strengthened its presence in the data storage market.

Welnick in 2006
Vince Welnick, musician, died in Sonoma County at age 55. He became the Grateful Dead’s keyboard player in 1990 after other drummers died.

Seal of San Francisco.

Seal of San Francisco.

Government in 2008
San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom unveiled a record $6.5 billion budget.

Ferrer in 2008
Mel Ferrer, actor, director and producer, died in Santa Barbara at age 92. His films included “Lili” (1953) and “The Brave Bulls” (1951) and he appeared in episodes of “Falcon Crest” (1981-1984) and “Murder She Wrote” (1985-1989).

Mel Ferrer in "Falcon Crest".

Mel Ferrer in “Falcon Crest”.

Perez in 2011
Lt. Vincent Perez, a San Francisco firefighter, died after being caught in a flashover at a 4-story home.

Lieutenant Vincent Perez

Lieutenant Vincent Perez

June 3

Missions in 1770
Father Junipero Serra dedicated Mission San Carlos de Monterey at Carmel. It was first established at the presidio in Monterey but moved in 1771 to the Carmel Valley on a hillside, “two gunshots” from the ocean.

Ranchos in 1846
Rancho Palos Verdes was deeded. Today Palos Verdes is a wealthy Los Angeles suburb of approximately 41,643 residents.

Rancho diseno

Rancho diseno

Colton Hall, site of the constitutional convention

Colton Hall, site of the constitutional convention

Government in 1849
Brevet Brigadier-General Bennet Riley, Military Governor of California, ordered “the formation of a State constitution or a plan for a territorial government.”

Business in 1878
Mammoth Mining Company was organized to mine Mineral Hill, which caused a brief Mono County gold rush. Fifteen hundred people moved to Mammoth City that year. But the company shut down in 1880 and population declined to less than 10. Today it is a hiking and skiing community.

mammoth ski runs.

Mammoth ski runs.

Transportation in 1913
San Francisco retired the last horse-drawn streetcar, more than 20 years after the introduction of electric streetcars.

An editorial cartoon from the 04-June-1913 San Francisco Call, Mr Public apparently operates a Sutter Street electric car to the Ferry and bids G-o-o-d Night to the horse car as it makes its way to the junk pile.

An editorial cartoon from the 04-June-1913 San Francisco Call, Mr Public apparently operates a Sutter Street electric car to the Ferry and bids G-o-o-d Night to the horse car as it makes its way to the junk pile.

Race Relations in 1943
U.S. Navy sailors and Marines battled Latino youths in what became the Zoot Suit Riots in Los Angeles.

Zoot suit riot (1943).

Zoot suit riot (1943).

Giannini in 1949
Amadeo Peter Giannini, founder of the Bank of America, died in San Mateo at age 79. Among other businesses, he helped grow the motion picture and wine industries in California.

Music in 1956
Santa Cruz banned Rock and Roll. City authorities announced a total ban on rock and roll at public gatherings, calling the music “Detrimental to both the health and morals of our youth and community.”

Rock and roll protest in Santa Cruz (1956).

Rock and roll protest in Santa Cruz (1956).

california street cable cars looking towards nob hill, san francisco

california street cable cars looking towards nob hill, san francisco

Tranportation in 1984
San Francisco’s California Street cable cars returned to service after nearly 20 months and $58.2 million in redesign and construction costs.

Accidents in 2001
Daniel Katz, age 24, disappeared while flying over San Bernardino National Forest. This began one of the most extensive and high-tech searches in the area’s history. His wrecked rented plane was found on a steep mountainside north of Rancho Cucamonga in 2008.

Lew Wasserman.

Lew Wasserman.

Wasserman in 2002
Lew Wasserman, talent agent and movie executive, died in Beverly Hills at age 89. He was one of the most powerful men in Hollywood history.

Crime in 2007
Paris Hilton attended the MTV Movie Awards then reported to jail. She was to serve a 45-day sentence for a probation violation in an alcohol-related reckless driving case. Hilton was released after three days but a Los Angeles County judge ordered her back to jail.

Maggie and David Bromige (2007).

Maggie and David Bromige (2007).

Bromige in 2009
David Bromige, poet and professor, died in Sebastopol at age 75. He was Sonoma County’s second poet laureate (2001-2003).

 

Arness in 2011
James Arness, actor, died in Los Angeles at age 88. He played in some 50 films and television shows, including “Gunsmoke” (1955-1975), one of the longest running series.

Sean Parker's wedding (2014).

Sean Parker’s wedding (2014).

Government in 2013
California Coastal Commission reached a $2.5 million settlement with Sean Parker, Napster co-founder, who spent $10 million to build a large movie-set-like wedding site in an ecologically sensitive area of Big Sur without proper permits.

June 4

Transportation in 1849
The USS Panama anchored in San Francisco Bay. There were already about 200 deserted ships in the harbor because their crews had abandoned them for the gold fields.

Abandoned ships in San Francisco (1849)

Abandoned ships in San Francisco (1849)

Transportation in 1849
Eighteen sailors from the USS Ohio abandoned their ship to go to the gold diggings.

Pacific Mail Steamship Co. advertisement.

Pacific Mail Steamship Co. advertisement.

Transportation in 1849
The Pacific Mail Steamship Co.’s ships – California, Oregon, and Panama – established a regular round trip schedule ferrying gold seekers and mail between Panama and San Francisco.

Business in 1863
One man was killed and another died of wounds a few days later in a shootout over eggs on the Farallon Islands. Eggs, valuable in San Francisco, were free for gathering on the islands off the coast. David Batchelder and 27 armed men sailed there to harvest them, challenging the Egg Co. for the business. 

Post Offices in 1867
The Pleasanton post office opened. It should have been Pleasonton but a clerical error changed the spelling.

Pleasanton.

Pleasanton.

Transportation in 1876
The Transcontinental Express train arrived in San Francisco, 83 hours and 39 minutes after leaving New York City.

The Transcontinental Express (1876).

The Transcontinental Express (1876).

Capitol Records.

Capitol Records.

Business in 1942
Capitol Records opened in Los Angeles, founded by songwriter Johnny Mercer. It was first West Coast-based label in the U.S. It began the practice of giving free records to radio DJs to promote air play. It signed The Beach Boys in the early 1960s.

 

 

Race Relations in 1943
Some 200 sailors formed a caravan of about twenty cars and taxis to hunt Mexican American youth dressed in zoot-suits. They traveled through downtown Los Angeles and the eastside of the city, out to the suburbs as far as Belvedere Gardens.

Sports in 1958
Hank Sauer and B. Schmidt, San Francisco Giants, became the second players in MLB history to hit consecutive pinch home runs.

Sports in 1964 
Sandy Koufax, Los Angeles Dodger, pitched his third no-hitter to beat the Philadelphia Phillies, 3-0.

Sandy Koufax. Topps Baseball Card (1964).

Sandy Koufax. Topps Baseball Card (1964).

Mike Ivie (1970).

Mike Ivie (1970).

Sports in 1970 
The San Diego Padres picked Mike Ivie as their first overall draft choice. He debuted at age 18 and became one of only five MLB players to hit two pinch-hit grand slams in the same season.

Sports in 1971 
In the longest game in their history, the Oakland A’s beat the Washington Senators in 21 innings, 5-3.

Crime in 1972
Angela Davis, political activist, professor and author, was acquitted of killing a white guard. She was arrested, charged, tried and acquitted of conspiracy in the armed take-over of a Marin County courtroom, in which four persons died in 1970.

Labor in 1975
California Governor Jerry Brown signed the California Agricultural Labor Relations Act into law. It was the first law in the U.S. that gave collective bargaining rights to farm workers.

California Governor Jerry Brown and UFW president Cesar Chavez participate in a UFW rally in Salinas on August 11, 1979. Courtesy Monterey County Herald.

California Governor Jerry Brown and UFW president Cesar Chavez participate in a UFW rally in Salinas on August 11, 1979. Courtesy Monterey County Herald.

Protests in 1989
Thousands of people gathered in front of the Chinese Consulate in San Francisco to protest the slaughter of students and other citizens at Tiananmen Square in Beijing. 

Ramon Martinez.

Ramon Martinez.

Sports in 1990
Ramon Martinez, Los Angeles Dodgers, struck out 18 Atlanta Braves, 6-0. That tied Sandy Kofax’s club record.

Sports in 1992 
San Jose voters rejected the Giants plan to build a new stadium south of San Francisco.

Government in 1999
Senators Diane Feinstein of California and Harry Reid of Nevada announced the Lake Tahoe Restoration Act. It authorized $300 million over 10 years to restore the lake’s water.

Lake Tahoe.

Lake Tahoe.

Business in 2001
Hewlett-Packard, in Palo Alto, agreed to pay $400 million to Pitney Bowes to settle a 6-year-old patent dispute over printer technology.

Hewlett-Packard.

Hewlett-Packard.

Palm Inc.

Palm Inc.

Business in 2003
Palm Inc., in Sunnyvale, said it would buy rival Handspring, headquartered in Mountain View, in a stock deal valued at $195 million.

Brown in 2003
Delmar Brown, legendary fly fisherman, died in Watsonville at age 84. He practically invented fly fishing, was known for the Del Brown Crab Fly and catching a 127-pound tarpon using 8-pound test line.

Del Brown Crab Permit, Photo by RiverBum.com.

Del Brown Crab Permit, Photo by RiverBum.com.

Oracle logo.

Oracle logo.

Business in 2005
Larry Ellison, head of Oracle Corp. in Redwood City, reportedly planned a joint venture with Harvard University to create a database and journal to track improvements in world health with a $115 million grant. But he withdrew the donation to protest the resignation of Harvard President Lawrence Summers in 2006.

Vang Pao, former Laotian general.

Vang Pao, former Laotian general.

Crime in 2007
Nine Hmong leaders, a former Laotian military general, and a former California National Guard officer were arrested for their alleged plot to overthrow the communist government of Laos. They were charged with violating the US federal Neutrality Act. In 2009 federal prosecutors in Sacramento dismissed charges against Vang Pao, the former Laotian general.

 

Drought.

Drought.

Environment in 2008
Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger declared a statewide drought after two years of below-average rainfall, low snowmelt runoff and a court-ordered restriction on water transfers.

Business in 2008
Google, in Mountain View, announced leasing 42 acres at Moffet Field, a former naval air station nearby. The annual rent was initially $3.7 million.

Google.

Google.

Countrywide Financial Corp.

Countrywide Financial Corp.

Crime in 2009
Federal officials charged Angelo Mozilo with civil fraud and illegal insider trading. He built Countrywide Financial Corp., in Calabasas, into a giant high-risk mortgage company. He was accused of deceiving shareholders and profiting on confidential information.

UCLA basketball coach John Wooden, center, talks to his UCLA team.

UCLA basketball coach John Wooden, center, talks to his UCLA team.

Wooden in 2010
John Wooden, college basketball’s legendary coach, died in Los Angeles at age 99. The “Wizard of Westwood” built one of the greatest dynasties in all of sports at UCLA and was one of the most revered coaches ever.

June 5

Literature in 1848 
John C. Fremont submitted his Geographical Memoir to the U.S. Senate. He named the entrance to San Francisco Bay “Chrysopylae,” meaning Golden Gate in Greek to honor the ancient Golden Horn of Constantinople.

The golden gate from Telegraph Hill in San Francisco in 1872. An engraving from a study by James D. Smillie, engraved by E. P. Brandard and published in Picturesque America, D. Appleton & Company, New York, New York 1872.

The golden gate from Telegraph Hill in San Francisco in 1872. An engraving from a study by James D. Smillie, engraved by E. P. Brandard and published in Picturesque America, D. Appleton & Company, New York, New York 1872.

San Juan Capistrano (1910).

San Juan Capistrano (1910).

Post Offices in 1867
San Juan Capistrano post office opened. By 1877 San Juan Capistrano had a school, telegraph office, post office, two stores, hotel, four saloons and forty to fifty homes, mostly of adobe.

Business in 1875
Pacific Stock Exchange formally opened in San Francisco. It organized chaotic trading in Comstock Lode silver mines. 

Bay Bridge History. worker on west span tower 2 (1936).

Bay Bridge History. worker on west span tower 2 (1936).

Accidents in 1936
George Zink, 40-year-old San Francisco Bay Bridge worker, fell to his death. He was the 22nd man killed on the transbay bridge construction.

Race Relations in 1943
Zoot Suit Riots in Los Angeles. Racial violence broke out for days between Anglo American sailors and Marines stationed in the city and Latino youths, recognizable by zoot suits they wore.

Zoot suit riot (1943).

Zoot suit riot (1943).

Civil Rights in 1959
Forty San Francisco Bay Area teachers, accused of being Communists, were subpoenaed by the House Un-American Activities Committee. The American Civil Liberties Union said it would do everything possible to block the hearings.

House Committee on Un-American Activities.

House Committee on Un-American Activities.

Crime in 1968 
Robert F. Kennedy, U.S. presidential candidate, was shot at the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles, by Sirhan Sirhan, a Palestinian. Kennedy died the next day.

Compton mayor Doris Davis.

Compton mayor Doris Davis.

Government in 1973
Doris Davis was elected mayor of Compton. She became the first African-American woman to govern a city in a major metropolitan area.

Sports in 1977 
The Los Angeles Dodgers retired Walt Alston’s #24. He managed the Brooklyn-then-Los Angeles Dodgers between 1954 and 1976. He was known as “The Quiet Man.”

Walt Alston, Topps #24 back (1969).

Walt Alston, Topps #24 back (1969).

Crime in 1997
Cremated remains of some 2,000 people were found in a Discovery Bay storage facility. They were kept by a flying service that was supposed to dispose of the remains at sea or over the Sierras.

Pride Rainbow Flag.

Pride Rainbow Flag.

Public Health in 1981
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that five people in Los Angeles had a rare form of pneumonia seen only in patients with weakened immune systems. Those turned out to be the first recognized cases of AIDS.

Torme in 1999
Mel Torme, Jazz and pop singer, died in Los Angeles at age 73. Called the “Velvet Fog,” Torme was best known for standards.

Sports in 2002
Magic Johnson, legendary Los Angeles Laker, was elected to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.

Ramone in 2002
Dee Dee Ramone, founding member, songwriter and bassist for the Ramones, died in Hollywood at age 49. He struggled with drug addiction for much of his life.

Ronald Reagan.

Ronald Reagan.

Reagan in 2004
Ronald Reagan died in Bel-Aire. Actor and politician, he served as Governor of California (1967–1975) and President of the United States (1981–1989).

Crime in 2005
FBI agents in Lodi arrested Hamid Hayat, age 22, for training at an al Qaeda camp in Pakistan. He was sentenced to 24 years in prison for supporting terrorists by training with them in Pakistan.

U.N. World Environment Day.

U.N. World Environment Day.

Government in 2005
Big city mayors from around the world signed urban environmental accords. That ended a 5-day U.N. World Environment conference in San Francisco.

Crime in 2009
Raymond Lee Oyler, a 38-year-old convicted arsonist, was sentenced to death for starting the Esperanza wildfire (2006). Five federal firefighters died defending a rural home from raging, wind-driven flames.

Esperanza Fire (2006).

Esperanza Fire (2006).

Forsman in 2009
Clyde Forsman, singer and accordion enthusiast known for his full body tattoos, died in San Francisco at age 94. He was a founding member of “Those Darn Accordions.”

Great Seal of California.

Great Seal of California.

Government in 2012
California voters approved Proposition 28. It reduced the time citizens can serve in the state Legislature from 14 years to 12, but allowed a member to serve the entire time in one house.

Crime in 2012
Aldo Joseph Baccala, age 71, of Sonoma County, was charged with 167 felony counts of grand theft, securities fraud and elder abuse after investigators uncovered his $20 million Ponzi scheme.

Aldo Joseph Baccala.

Aldo Joseph Baccala.

June 6

Levi Strauss & Co. logo

Levi Strauss & Co. logo

Business in 1850 
Levi Strauss made his first pair of sturdy pants for sale to gold miners. Today Levi Strauss & Co. is the world’s largest brand-name apparel manufacturer.

Accidents in 1853 
The Carrier Pigeon, a merchant sailing vessel from Boston, wrecked and sank when it struck a reef off Whale Point, later called Pigeon Point. That prompted the building of the Pigeon Point lighthouse in San Mateo County.

Pigeon Point lighthouse.

Pigeon Point lighthouse.

Inventions in 1871
Hannah G. Suplee and  John H. Mooney, of San Francisco, patented an Improvement in sewing machines.

Hannah G. Suplee and John H. Mooney, of San Francisco, patented an Improvement in sewing machines (1871).

Hannah G. Suplee and John H. Mooney, of San Francisco, patented an Improvement in sewing machines (1871).

Transformers (2007).

Transformers (2007).

Business in 1914
Three movie companies in Los Angeles and San Francisco merged to form the Paramount Picture Corp. Recent releases include “Mission: Impossible” (1996), “Transformers” (2007),  the Marvel Cinematic Universe series (2008–11) and Indiana Jones (1981–2008).

Movies in 1930
A talkie newsreel was shown at the Marion Davies and Embassy Theaters as well as motion-picture houses throughout Northern California and Nevada.

Howard Jarvis and Proposition 13 (1978).

Howard Jarvis and Proposition 13 (1978).

Government in 1978 
Passage of Proposition 13 cut California property taxes by 57%, beginning a downward trend in state budgets. Spending for California public schools, which during the 1960s ranked among the top nationally fell to 50th in 2014.

 

 

Haley in 1979
Jack Haley, stage, radio, and film actor and singer, died in Los Angeles at age 81. He is best known as the Tin Man in “The Wizard of Oz” (1939).

Johnny Rockets.

Johnny Rockets.

Business in 1986
Ronn Teitelbaum opened Johnny Rockets, a diner themed restaurant, on Melrose Ave. in Los Angeles. By 2000 it grew to 138 restaurants in 25 states.

 

Getz in 1991
Stan Getz, legendary tenor jazz saxophonist, died in Malibu at age 64. He was best known for popularizing bossa nova with a worldwide hit single “The Girl from Ipanema” (1964).

Sacramento Surge.

Sacramento Surge.

Sports in 1992
The Sacramento Surge defeated the Orlando Thunder, 21-1, in the World Bowl 2 of the World League of American Football played in Montreal, Canada. 

Public Health in 1996
San Francisco became the first city in the nation to sue the tobacco industry. It sought an end to advertisements aimed at children and repayment of millions of public dollars spent to treat smoking-related illnesses.

Philip Morris.

Philip Morris.

Public Health in 2001
A Los Angeles jury awarded more than $3 billion to Richard Boeken, a lifelong smoker. It decided Philip Morris was responsible for his lung cancer. The award was reduced to $50 million. Boeken died in 2002.

Business in 2004
Oracle, in Redwood City, issued a $5.1 billion hostile takeover bid for PeopleSoft, headquartered in Pleasanton, at $16 per share.

Business in 2005
Apple Corp., in Cupertino, confirmed plans to switch to microprocessors made by Intel Corp., headquartered in Santa Clara.

Business in 2005
PropLogis, the largest U.S. real estate investment trust, announced plans to buy developer Catellus Corp. for $4.9 billion. Both were headquartered in San Francisco.

Palm Inc.

Palm Inc.

Business in 2009
Palm Inc., in Sunnyvale, introduced the Pre smart phone. Apple, headquartered in Cupertino, accused the Pre of copying elements of the user interface. Two days later Apple unveiled an updated versions of its popular iPhone.

Business in 2011
Steve Jobs, CEO of Apple in Cupertino, unveiled a service called iCloud to store music, photos, documents, and electronic books and wirelessly transfer them between Apple devices. 

iCloud.

iCloud.

Golden State Warriors.

Golden State Warriors.

Sports in 2011
The Golden State Warriors, in Sacramento, hired Mark Jackson to be their new head coach. Jackson, a former NBA star and television sports commentator had never coached a professional basketball team.

Williams in 2013
Esther Williams, teenage swimming champion and Hollywood movie star, died in Beverly Hills at age 91. She appeared in “aqua musicals” in the 1940s and 1950s, featuring elaborate synchronized swimming and diving.

June 7

Lasuén in 1736
Padre Fermín Lasuén was born in Spain. He governed the California mission system three years longer than Junipero Serra and founded Mission Santa Barbara (1786),  La Purísima Concepción (1787), Santa Cruz (1791), Nuestra Señora de la Soledad (1791), San José (1797), San Juan Bautista (1797), San Miguel Arcángel (1797), San Fernando Rey de España (1797) and San Luis Rey de Francia (1798).

Santa Barbara Mission by Lloyd Harting (1901 - 1974)

Santa Barbara Mission by Lloyd Harting (1901 – 1974)

Overland Journeys in 1828
Jedediah Smith, on his second journey to California, led a party of people down the Klamath River. They were starving when Indians brought them food. Smith’s party turned north to Oregon where most were killed by Umpqua Indians. 

Market Street Railway 1860

Market Street Railway (1860)

Transportation in 1860
Workmen began laying track for the Market Street Railroad in San Francisco. It opened on July 4, 1860, as both a horse car and steam train line.

Organizations in 1875
The California Rifle and Pistol Association was founded. Today its members represent competitive and recreational shooters, hunters, youth, women, police, firearm experts and trainers and people who own guns to defend their families.

California Rifle and Pistol Association.

California Rifle and Pistol Association.

Libraries in 1879
San Francisco Public Library opened. Andrew Hallidie, promoter of the cable cars, was a major public library advocate. A new Civic Center Library, which opened in 1996, was a setting for the film “City of Angels” (1998).

San Francisco Public Library.

San Francisco Public Library.

Inventions in 1887
Amelia Waterhouse of San Francisco patented a reversible broiler or toaster.

Amelia Waterhouse patented a reversible broiler & toaster (1887).

Amelia Waterhouse patented a reversible broiler & toaster (1887).

Movies in 1909 
Mary Pickford, “America’s Sweetheart,” made her screen debut at age 16 then made a film each week for the rest of the year. She later co-founded United Artists and was an original member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

Harlow in 1937
Jean Harlow, legendary film actress and 1930s sex symbol, died in Los Angeles at age 26. She was known as the “Blond Bombshell” or the “Platinum Blonde” and popular for her “Laughing Vamp” characters.

Lux Radio Theater.

Lux Radio Theater.

Radio in 1955
Lux Radio Theater permanently signed off the air. The show launched in New York in 1934 then moved to Los Angeles in 1936 and featured radio adaptations of Broadway shows and popular films.

Radio in 1959 
KLX-AM in Oakland changed its call letters to KEWB. Today it’s KNEW-AM, a business talk-radio format.

Public Health in 1967
Haight Ashbury Free Medical Clinic opened in San Francisco. It began with a $500 donation from All Saints Episcopal Church. The clinic started a nationwide free clinic movement. 

Haight Ashbury Free Medical Clinic.

Haight Ashbury Free Medical Clinic.

Moby Grape.

Moby Grape.

Crime in 1967
Three Moby Grape band members were arrested on Mt. Tamalpais for having sex with underage girls after a concert at the Avalon Ballroom in San Francisco. 

Theater in 1974
Steve Silver’s “Beach Blanket Babylon” premiered at the Savoy Tivoli in San Francisco. Its songs that poke fun at pop and political culture are performed by actors wearing enormous hats/wigs and gaudy costumes. Today it is the longest-running musical revue in the world. 

Henry Miller, Photo by Hulton Archive/Getty Images.

Henry Miller, Photo by Hulton Archive/Getty Images.

Miller in 1980
Henry Miller, writer, died in Pacific Palisades at age 88. His Tropic of Cancer (1934), Black Spring (1936), Tropic of Capricorn (1939) and The Rosy Crucifixion trilogy (1949–59), were banned in the U.S. until 1961.

Sports in 1982
Steve Garvey, Los Angeles Dodgers, became the fifth player to play in 1,000 consecutive games. Overall with the Dodgers, he played in 1,727 games for 14 seasons and hit .301 with 211 homers and 992 RBI.

Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory.

Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory.

Science in 1999
Scientists at U.C. Berkeley’s Lawrence Livermore Labs reportedly created elements 118 and 116 from krypton-86 and Lead-208. But in 2002 Victor Ninov was accused of faking the data. False data by Ninov was also reported on elements 110 and 112 from experiments in 1994 and 1996.

Bartonella Rochilame.

Bartonella Rochilame.

Science in 2007
U.C. San Francisco scientists reportedly identified a new species of bacteria, Bartonella Rochalimae. An American tourist was sickened by it after spending weeks trekking in Peru. 

Business in 2010
Steve Jobs, CEO of Apple in Cupertino, unveiled the iPhone 4. Apple sold some 72 million iPhones in fiscal year 2011.. 

Crime in 2013
Richard Ramirez, the 53-year-old known as the “Night Stalker” killer, was executed at San Quentin Prison in Marin County. He had been on death row or nearly 28 years.

Richard Ramirez (1985).

Richard Ramirez (1985).