Author Archives: Jim Silverman

California History Timeline, July 7 to July 14

July 7

Watercolor of the capture of Monterey by Gunner William H. Meyers of the warship Cyane. Courtesy of The Bancroft Library, U.C. Berkeley

Watercolor of the capture of Monterey by Gunner William H. Meyers of the warship Cyane. Courtesy of The Bancroft Library, U.C. Berkeley

Mexican American War in 1846
U.S. forces captured Monterey without firing a shot. Commodore John Sloat took Alta California’s capital because he feared the British might claim it for England.

Fire in 1889
The Great Bakersfield Fire destroyed most of town. 196 buildings burned, one man was killed and 1,500 people left homeless. The fire marked the transition of Bakersfield from a frontier town to a metropolitan city. After the fire, city fathers resolved to rebuild it bigger and better.

Bakersfield (1901).

Bakersfield (1901).

Government in 1908
The Great White Fleet sailed from San Francisco Bay. The fleet included 16 battleships with various escort ships, all painted white. It circled the globe from December 16,1907 to February 22 to demonstrate American military power.

Great White Fleet. Painting by John Charles Roach (1984). Courtesy of the U.S. Navy Art Collection, Washington, D.C.

Great White Fleet. Painting by John Charles Roach (1984). Courtesy of the U.S. Navy Art Collection, Washington, D.C.

US Army’s First Transcontinental Motor Train (1919).

US Army’s First Transcontinental Motor Train (1919).

Overland Journeys in 1919
The U.S. Army’s First Transcontinental Motor Train left Washington, D.C. for San Francisco. The 62-day journey covered 3,250 miles.

Accidents in 1946
Howard Hughes crashed his prototype XF-11 reconnaissance aircraft in Beverly Hills. He tried to crash land at the Los Angeles Country Club golf course but clipped three houses. One was destroyed by fire and Hughes was badly injured. 
Howard Hughes crashed a prototype XF-11 in Beverly Hills (1946).

Howard Hughes crashed a prototype XF-11 in Beverly Hills (1946).

Radio in 1949
The police drama “Dragnet,” recorded in Los Angeles, premiered on NBC radio. It became a television series in 1951 and revived in 1967. It told stories about Los Angeles police detective, Sergeant Joe Friday and his partners.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6et9FHzMAr0&t=16s

Museums in 1965
The African American Museum and Library in Oakland opened. It preserves the history and experiences of African Americans in the Bay Area and Northern California.

"Visions Toward Tomorrow: The African American Community in Oakland," African American Museum and Library.

“Visions Toward Tomorrow: The African American Community in Oakland,” African American Museum and Library.

California Central Valley.

California Central Valley.

Environment in 1997
California’s million plus cows that reportedly produced $3 billion worth of milk leaked nitrates into the Central Valley ground water. Chino basin ground water was severely polluted due to dairies.

Fires in 2007
Wildfires consumed 17,000 acres in Inyo National Forest and 7,500 acres in Los Padres National Forest. 

Google.

Google.

Business in 2009
Google, in Mountain View, announced Google Chrome OS to target low cost netbooks.

Museums in 2012
USS Iowa, the storied battleship, opened as a museum at the port of Los Angeles. She fought in the Atlantic and Pacific during World War II and the Korean and Cold Wars.

USS Iowa.

USS Iowa.

Philip Fradkin.

Philip Fradkin.

Fradkin in 2012
Philip Fradkin, environmental journalist and historian, died in Point Reyes. His 13 books ranged from Alaska and California to Nevada, covering topics from water conservation and earthquakes to nuclear weapons. 

July 8

Forts in 1799
Czar Paul chartered the Russian-American Fur Company. It founded Russian colonies in today’s states of Alaska and California. Fort Ross, on the Sonoma coast was its southernmost settlement. Today Fort Ross is a state historic park.

Watercolour of Fort Ross by I.G. Voznesenskii (1841) Source: Peter the Great Museum of Anthropology and Ethnography, St.Petersburg

Watercolour of Fort Ross by I.G. Voznesenskii (1841)
Source: Peter the Great Museum of Anthropology and Ethnography, St.Petersburg

Immigration in 1905
Part of Angel Island, in San Francisco Bay, was allocated for a US Immigration Station that opened in 1910. Sometimes called the “Ellis Island of the West,” it processed approximately 56,113 Chinese immigrants before it burned in 1940.

Labor in 1937
A 3-month hotel strike continued as San Francisco union members demonstrated in front of the Hotel Manx on Powell St. Owner Harvey Toy protested with a telegram to Mayor Rossi.

San Francisco Union Square from St. Francis Hotel (1937).

San Francisco Union Square from St. Francis Hotel (1937).

Neill "Wild Horse" Sheridan.

Neill “Wild Horse” Sheridan.

Sports in 1953
Neill “Wild Horse” Sheridan, of the Pacific Coast League Solons, hit a home run against the San Francisco Seals at Sacramento’s Edmond’s Field. The ball reportedly flew a record 613.8 feet.

Sports in 1986
Scott Zimmerman set a Guinness World Record for the “longest throw of an object without any velocity-aiding feature.” He threw an Aerobie 1,257 feet at Fort Funston in San Francisco. 

Alan Adler, Aerobie inventor.

Alan Adler, Aerobie inventor.

Environment in 1986
A magnitude 6.1 earthquake struck North Palm Springs. Forty people were injured and property damage estimated at $6 million. 

Adobe walls of a house in Whitewater Canyon, northwest of Palm Springs (1986).

Adobe walls of a house in Whitewater Canyon, northwest of Palm Springs (1986).

Pete Conrad, Jr.

Pete Conrad, Jr.

Conrad in 1999
Pete Conrad, Jr., naval officer, test pilot, and NASA astronaut, died after a motorcycle accident near Ojai at age 69. He was the third man to walk on the moon. 

Fires in 2008
The Butte Lightning Complex Fire destroyed 41 homes overnight in and around Paradise. The next day 10,000 people were evacuated from the area.

Butte Lightning Complex Fire (2008).

Butte Lightning Complex Fire (2008).

Philip Day.

Philip Day.

Crime in 2009
Philip Day, 63-year-old former head of San Francisco City College, was charged with eight felonies for using public funds for political donations and other banned expenditures.

Crime in 2010
A Los Angeles jury found BART police Officer Johannes Mehserle guilty of involuntary manslaughter. The verdict sparked a riot in downtown Oakland with at least 50-100 people arrested for smashing windows and looting.

Zap Alias.

Zap Alias.

Business in 2010
Zap Inc., a Santa Rosa electric vehicle manufacturer, announced a merger with China’s Jonway Automobile Co. Ltd. 

Borgnine in 2012
Ernest Borgnine, film and television actor, died in Los Angeles at age 95. In addition to winning an Oscar and Emmy Award, he was the voice of Mermaid Man on “SpongeBob SquarePants” (1999-2012).

Eastern span of the San Francisco–Oakland Bay Bridge.

Eastern span of the San Francisco–Oakland Bay Bridge.

Bridges in 2013
San Francisco Bay Bridge officials said repairs to cracked rods would delay the opening of the $6.4 billion Bay Bridge by at least 3 months. 

Prisons in 2013
Thousands of prisoners in California prisons continued a hunger strike. They protested Pelican Bay State Prison inmates being held in solitary confinement for decades in an attempt to disrupt gang activities in California prisons.

Pelican Bay State Prison Recreation Area.

Pelican Bay State Prison Recreation Area.

July 9

Mexican American War in 1846
The US flag was raised over the plaza at the Yerba Buena, today’s San Francisco. In Sonoma, the US flag replaced the bear flag, ending the short-lived California Republic.

Raising the U.S. flag at Yerba Buena in 1846. Illustration by W. A. Coulter (1902).

Raising the U.S. flag at Yerba Buena in 1846. Illustration by W. A. Coulter (1902).

Bridges in 1933
Construction began for the San Francisco Bay Bridge. It would be the world’s longest steel structure. The eccentric Emperor Norton proclaimed a bridge be built in that very spot in 1872.

Labor in 1934
Two strikers shot to death by San Francisco police on July 5th – Bloody Thursday – were buried. 40,000 mourners filled Market Street in a funeral procession. 150,000 workers went on strike on July 16th, paralyzing the city.

Funeral following Bloody Thursday (1934).

Funeral following Bloody Thursday (1934).

Fires in 1953
The Rattlesnake Fire was started by an arsonist in Grindstone Canyon in Mendocino National Forest. It killed a Forest Service employee, 14 volunteer firefighters and burned over 1,300 acres.

Rattlesnake Fire (1953).

Rattlesnake Fire (1953).

Hanks in 1956
Tom Hanks, actor and filmmaker, was born in Concord. In addition to winning many acting awards, he voices characters in “The Polar Express” (2004) and the “Toy Story” series (1995-2017).

Cody's Books by David Goines (1983).

Cody’s Books by David Goines (1983).

Business in 1956
Fred and Pat Cody opened Cody’s Books in Berkeley. It “was a pioneer in bookselling, bringing the paperback revolution to Berkeley, fighting censorship, and providing a safe harbor from tear gas directed at anti-Vietnam War protesters throughout the 1960s and 1970s.”

Art in 1962 
Andy Warhol’s Campbell’s Soup Cans exhibition opened at the Ferus Gallery in Los Angeles. It was his first one-man show. Warhol’s Campbell’s Soup Cans helped usher in pop art in the US.

Soup Cans by Andy-Warhol (1962).

Soup Cans by Andy-Warhol (1962).

Sports in 1968
The Philadelphia 76’ers traded Wilt Chamberlain to the Los Angeles Lakers. The Lakers paid Chamberlain $250,000, more than double the previous top team salary.

Marijuana leaf.

Marijuana leaf.

Government in 1975
Governor Jerry Brown signed a bill that reduced the penalty for possession of marijuana to a $100 fine. 

Movies in 1980
Walt Disney released the “Fox & The Hound.” The 24th Walt Disney Animated Classic, tells the story of two unlikely friends, a red fox named Tod and a hound dog named Copper.

Justice in 1999
A Los Angeles jury ordered General Motors to pay $4.9 billion to six people burned when their 1979 Chevrolet Malibu fuel tank exploded following a rear end collision. A judge reduced that award to $1.2 billion. Punitive damages were reduced to $1.09 billion with $107 million in compensatory damages. General Motors continued to appeal.

Isabel Sanford.

Isabel Sanford.

Sanford in 2004
Isabel Sanford, stage, film and television actress, died in Los Angeles at age 86. She was best known for roles on “All in the Family” (1971–1975) and “The Jeffersons” (1975–1985). 

Fires in 2006
The Sawtooth Complex fire in San Bernardino County was started by lightning. It burned 61,700 acres, 50 homes, 8 mobile homes, 13 garages, 171 outbuildings, 191 cars and pick up trucks, 3 R.V.s, 27 trailers, 2 railcars and 9 tractors. There were 17 minor injuries and one fatality. It merged with the Millard Complex fire on July 14.

Sawtooth Complex Fire (2006).

Sawtooth Complex Fire (2006).

Lane in 2007
Charles Lane, actor, died in Santa Monica at age 102. He appeared in some 250 roles on film and television. His final screen appearance, at age 90, was in “The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes” (1995).

Education in 2008  
The California state Board of Education  make algebra mandatory in the eighth grade beginning in 2011, in order to bring the state into compliance with the federal No Child Left Behind program.

Google.

Google.

Business in 2010
Google said China renewed its license to operate a website, preserving its business in the most populous Internet market. Google quit trying to avoid Beijing’s Web censorship.

Lake Tahoe.

Lake Tahoe.

Environment in 2010
Scuba divers began killing invasive Asian clams in Lake Tahoe. Long rubber mats were laid over half an acre in a test effort starve the clams of oxygen.

July 10

Post offices in 1851
A US post office opened at Mokelumne Hill. The Calaveras County town was one of the richest during the gold rush. Around 15,000 people lived there; Americans, Frenchmen, Germans, Spaniards, Chileans, Mexicans, Chinese and others. It was also a violent place, with at least a murder a week for seventeen weeks in 1851. In 2010 it was a peaceful community with 646 residents.

Mokelumne Hill (1853).

Mokelumne Hill (1853).

Hotels in 1875
The Arlington, Santa Barbara’s first tourist hotel, was completed. The three-story, 90-room palatial hotel was located on State Street between Victoria and Sola streets. It burned on August 15th, 1909, was rebuilt then destroyed in an earthquake (1925).

Arlington Hotel (1875).

Arlington Hotel (1875).

Transportation in 1876
The Tehachapi Loop was completed. Almost 40 trains travel the loop daily, making it one of the busiest single-track mainlines in the world.

Environment in 1913
Temperature reached 134°F at Furnace Creek in Death Valley. This was a record high in the US for this date.

Death Valley

Death Valley

O.J. Simpson.

O.J. Simpson.

Simpson in 1947
O.J. Simpson, football star and actor acquitted in trial for the murder of his ex-wife, was born in San Francisco.

Civil rights in 1951
Dashiell Hammett, mystery writer, was sentenced in San Francisco to six months in prison. He refused to say where the Communist party got bail money. 

Dashiell Hammett.

Dashiell Hammett.

Theater in 1980
Sam Shepard’s “True West” premiered in San Francisco and became a stage hit. The comic drama explored American myths and popular culture.

Blanc in 1989
Mel Blanc, comic and voice actor, died in Los Angeles at age 81. Known as the “man of a thousand voices,” including for Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Porky Pig, Sylvester and Tweety, Tazmanian Devil, Wile E. Coyote and Roadrunner. 

Distant Storm Front, Yosemite Valley, California. By Ansel Adams.

Distant Storm Front, Yosemite Valley, California. By Ansel Adams.

Landslides in 1996
A landslide in Yosemite Valley closed the Happy Isles trail head. 162,000 tons of rocks and other debris fell, killing one camper and injuring 12.

July 11

Mexican American War in 1846
The American flag was raised at Sutter’s Fort. After the US Army arrived, John Sutter raised the Stars and Stripes above the walls of his compound. 

Sutters Fort drawn by

Sutter’s Fort drawn by George Victor Cooper in 1849

Mexican American War in 1846
During the Bear Flag Revolt, Captain Thomas Fallon led a small force from Santa Cruz and captured San Jose without bloodshed.

The Hanging of Stuart by the First Vigilance Committee (1851).

The Hanging of Stuart by the First Vigilance Committee (1851).

Crime in 1851
The San Francisco Committee of Vigilance hanged James Stuart. The committee formed in response to uncontrolled crime, especially arson, and government corruption. They hanged several outlaws and forced officials to resign.

Weather in 1877
Los Angeles recorded a temperature of 112 degrees. It was not recorded as an all-time-high because official recording began 20 days later.

Venues in 1922 
The Hollywood Bowl opened. It has hosted countless classical and pop music performances, like the Beatles, Doors, Cher, Genesis and Phish.

Gary Kildall.

Gary Kildall.

Kildall in 1994
Gary Kildall, pioneer software writer and entrepreneur, died in Monterey at age 52. He was one of the first to see microprocessors as computers, not just equipment controllers. He organized Digital Research around this business concept (1974).

Gold in 2004
Joe Gold, founder of Gold’s Gyms fitness chain, died in Marina del Rey at age 82. He is known as the father of the bodybuilding and the fitness craze.

iPhone 5s.

iPhone 5s.

Business in 2008
Apple introduced its next generation iPhone in 22 countries. Unprecedented demand caused initial service problems.

Crime in 2008
Armando Estrada, age 30, of Rodeo, was shot and killed in San Francisco. In 2009 Jonathan Cruz-Ramirez and Guillermo Herrera, alleged members of the MS-13 street gang, were charged with the murder.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uFGvPnvhXUU

San Bernardino.

San Bernardino.

Business in 2012
City Council of San Bernadino authorized filing under Chapter 9 federal bankruptcy law, the third California municipality to do so in 2012.

July 12

Ranchos in 1805
Topanga Malibu Sequit rancho was deeded, a 13,316-acre Spanish land grant in present day Los Angeles County. People identify Malibu with celebrities, billionaires and luxury estates, but the region was originally home to Chumash people.

Rancho diseno

Rancho diseno

Inventions in 1881
Emma and Mary Dietz of Oakland patented a dust pan that closed. “Our invention relates to that class of dustpans which are moved along the floor or carpet, and into which the dust or debris is to be swept… as the pan is covered, the dust will not be carried out of the pan by a gust of wind or the sudden opening of a door in carrying it to a place of deposit, as in the use of the ordinary dust-pan.”

Emma and Mary Dietz of Oakland patented a dust pan that closed (1881).

Emma and Mary Dietz of Oakland patented a dust pan that closed (1881).

Prisons in 1934 
US Disciplinary Barracks belonging to the military on Alcatraz Island were abandoned. This marked the beginnings of Alcatraz as a federal penitentiary. Alcatraz would hold prisoners who caused trouble at other federal prisons until 1963. Today it is a museum and one of San Francisco’s major tourist attractions, attracting some 1.5 million visitors yearly.

Alcatraz

Alcatraz

Norm Van Brocklin.

Norm Van Brocklin.

Sports in 1949 
Los Angeles Rams signed Norm Van Brocklin. In 1950 the Rams began platooning quarterbacks, Bob Waterfield and Van Brocklin. That year they averaged 38.8 points per game, a NFL scoring record. In a 1951 game, Van Brocklin passed for 554 yards, also a NFL record. That year the Rams won the championship, which they didn’t repeat until 1999.

Power in 1957
Santa Susana in Los Angeles County began receiving the nation’s first commercial electricity from a small, civilian-owned, nuclear reactor. Scientists reported that the plant might be responsible hundreds of cancer cases. 

Juan Corona (1971).

Juan Corona (1971).

Crime in 1971 
Juan Corona, was indicted for the murders of 25 men in Sutter County. He was a labor contractor who hired farm workers for fruit ranches. Corona’s mental illness was presented at his trial but he was convicted and is serving a life sentence.

Yamaguchi in 1971
Kristi Tsuya Yamaguchi, Olympic champion figure skater, was born in Hayward.

Crime in 1976
Edward Allaway, CSU Fullerton custodian, murdered seven people in the library and Instructional Media Center using a semi-automatic rifle. He then telephoned police  saying, “I went berserk at Cal State Fullerton, and I committed some terrible act. I’d appreciate it if you people would come down and pick me up. I’m unarmed, and I’m giving myself up to you.” He was convicted of murder but found not guilty by reason of insanity.

Edward Allaway (1976).

Edward Allaway (1976).

Riperton in 1979
Minnie Riperton, pop singer famed for her three-octave range, died in Los Angeles at age 31. ”Lovin’ You,” her international blockbuster, topped the Billboard Hot 100 in 1975. After being diagnosed with cancer, Riperton continued touring and became the national spokeswoman for the American Cancer Society.

Crime in 2007
Michael John Wills, an Oakland chef, was shot and killed. His killer used an AK-47 assault rifle linked to Your Black Muslim Bakery.  In 2009 an indictment accused Yusuf Bey IV, leader of the bakery, of murder for ordering the murder.

Lucky Chances Casino.

Lucky Chances Casino.

Crime in 2007
Philip Lum Jr., former mayor of Colma, was sentenced to 18 months in federal prison for failing to report free airline tickets from the Lucky Chances Casino.

Crime in 2010
Los Angeles County police discovered thousands of pounds of marijuana in a railroad car that entered from Mexico.

Education in 2013
University of California announced Janet Napolitano, US Homeland Security Secretary, would become the first woman to lead the 10-campus system.

July 13

First Wells Fargo & Company office in San Francisco (1852). Courtesy Wells Fargo Bank.

First Wells Fargo & Company office in San Francisco (1852). Courtesy Wells Fargo Bank.

Business in 1852
Wells Fargo Bank opened for business in San Francisco and Sacramento. Today Wells Fargo & Company is a nationwide, diversified, community-based financial services company with $1.3 trillion in assets, providing services to 30% of US households.

Crime in 1882
Charles Bowles, English born gentleman bandit known as Black Bart, left poems at the scene of his crimes. He held up Wells Fargo stage coaches 28 times. The 23rd robbery was near LaPorte in Plumas County.

Power in 1895
Electric power from the Folsom Powerhouse lighted Sacramento, 22 miles away. It was one of the first US power stations to generate alternating current from hydroelectric power.  Today it is a State Historic Park.

Folsom Powerhouse State Historic Park.

Folsom Powerhouse State Historic Park.

San Francisco Ferry Building (1915).

San Francisco Ferry Building (1915).

Transportation in 1898 
The San Francisco Ferry Building at the foot of Market Street opened. it was the largest building  in the city and survived the 1906 and the 1989 earthquakes. Today it is a ferry terminal and a destination marketplace.

Hollywood in 1923 
The Hollywood sign was officially dedicated in the hills above Hollywood. It originally read “Hollywoodland,” advertising a real estate development. The last four of the 50-foot tall letters were dropped when the sign was renovated in 1949.

Hollywoodland subdivision groundbreaking publicity photo includes a plow, mules and surveyors.

Hollywoodland subdivision groundbreaking publicity photo includes a plow, mules and surveyors.

Movies in 1935
Walt Disney Productions released “Mickey’s Garden.” It was the second Mickey Mouse cartoon in Technicolor and Pluto’s first color appearance. It tells the story of Mickey trying to rid his garden of insects. When he gets hit with his own bug spray, the world starts to look strange.

Movies in 1945
Walt Disney Productions released “Californy ‘er Bust.” It tells how the Goofy lookalike pioneers traveled West in covered wagons. When they encounter Goofy lookalike Indians, battle breaks out. Goofy is saved when a tornado picks up the covered wagons and drops pioneers into “Wash,” “Organ,” and “Californy.”

Marin in 1946
Cheech Marin, comedian, actor and writer, was born in Los Angeles. He is best known for Cheech & Chong performances with Tommy Chong. Live shows were produced as record albums followed by four films. Marin also had a successful career in TV and children’s music.

KSFB logo.

KSFB logo.

Radio in 1960 
KDBQ-AM in San Francisco changed its call letters back to to KYA. It was known as KYA until 1983, then KOIT and KXLR until it became KSFB, broadcasting  Immaculate Heart Radio, a Roman Catholic radio format.

Teradata.

Teradata.

Business in 1979
Teradata, a software company started in a Brentwood garage, incorporated. The name Teradata symbolizes the ability to manage terabytes (trillions of bytes) of data. Now located in Ohio, it sells analytic data platforms, applications and related services.

Crime in 1994 
O.J. Simpson, charged with murder, submitted hair samples for DNA testing. They were for comparison with hair in a knit cap found outside the town home where Nicole Brown Simpson and her friend Ronald Goldman were found slain on June 12, 1994.

O.J. Simpson.

O.J. Simpson.

Berman in 1996
Pandro Berman, legendary Hollywood producer, died in Beverly Hills at age 91. Among films he produced were; “Top Hat” (1935), “National Velvet” (1944) and “Father of the Bride” (1950).

Television in 2004
Ken Jennings, a 30-year-old software engineer, crossed the $1 million mark in a 30-game winning streak on Jeapardy, recorded in Culver City.

Red Buttons.

Red Buttons.

Buttons in 2006
Aaron Chwatt, known as “Red Buttons,” died in Los Angeles. Comedian and actor, he came up through burlesque and Broadway to Hollywood.

Crime in 2008
Terry Childs, a 43-year-old San Francisco computer engineer, was arrested for plotting to hijack the city’s computer system. He continued to draw his $127,735 salary but refused to provide passwords to the network. 

Labor in 2010
Oakland laid off 80 police officers after negotiations between city officials and union leaders failed to agree on job security. 

City of Oakland.

City of Oakland.

July 14

Exploration in 1769
Gaspar de Portolà, with Father Crespí, 63 leather-jacket soldiers and a 100 mules loaded with provisions, marched north from San Diego. They were searching for Monterey Bay. On August 2, they reached the site of present day Los Angeles and marched out the Indian trail that would one day become Wilshire Boulevard to the present site of Santa Monica.

Missions in 1771
Father Junípero Serra founded Mission San Antonio de Padua. The mission fell into disrepair during the Rancho Era. Roof tiles were removed in 1894 then installed on the Southern Pacific Railroad depot in Burlingame, one of the first buildings in the Mission Revival Style. Today, the third of 21 missions in Alta California is an active parish church in Monterey County, near Jolon.

Southern Pacific Railroad depot, Burlingame (1903).

Southern Pacific Railroad depot, Burlingame (1903).

Pacific Mail Steamship Company.

Pacific Mail Steamship Company.

Accidents in 1896
The Pacific Mail Steamship Colombia crashed on rocks and sank near Pescadero, a $680,000 loss.

Labor in 1934
The San Francisco General Strike began. Following Bloody Thursday on July 5th, in which two strikers were shot and killed and 109 wounded by San Francisco police, 65,000 trade unionists staged the most widespread  strike in U.S. history. The strike shut down the city for four days.

San Francisco General Strike (1934).

San Francisco General Strike (1934).

Jacob Luckenbach.

Jacob Luckenbach.

Accidents in 1953
The freighters Jacob Luckenbach and Hawaiian Pilot collided near Point Montara, 17 miles from the Golden Gate. The Luckenbach sank but the Hawaiian Pilot limped into port. In 2001 oil traced to the wreck killed significant numbers of sea and shore birds. 

Hollywood in 1987 
Steve Miller’s star was unveiled on Hollywood’s Walk of Fame. Steve Miller Band formed in San Francisco in 1966. Today it is known for classic rock songs.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e9G5BQc-G_Y

Sports in 1989
Legendary boxer Roberto Duran, age 38, fought local boxer, Pat Lawlor, age 25, in a four-round exhibition match at the San Francisco Civic Auditorium.

Southern Pacific accident near Dunsmuir (1991).

Southern Pacific accident near Dunsmuir (1991).

Accidents in 1991
A Southern Pacific tanker car derailed near Dunsmuir, spilling 18,000 gallons of pesticides into the Sacramento River. Every creature in the river died for 40 miles downstream including 250,000 trout.

Sports in 1995 
Ramón Martinez, Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher, no-hit the Florida Marlins, 7-0. 

Ramón Martinez (1995).

Ramón Martinez (1995).

Fire in 1996
Fire crews battled blazes covering more than 16,000 acres in California, Colorado, Idaho, Oregon and Utah.

City of Los Angeles.

City of Los Angeles.

Public health in 1998
Los Angeles sued 15 tobacco companies for $2.5 billion over the dangers of secondhand smoke.

Sports in 2003
Erin Hemmings broke the world record for “longest throw of an object without any velocity-aiding feature.” He threw an Aerobie 1,333 feet at Fort Funston in San Francisco. That was the first thrown object to break the quarter-mile barrier.

Fire in 2006
The  Sawtooth Complex fire merged with the Millard fire, creating a 69,000-acre blaze in southern California. Some 1,800 firefighters battled the fire which destroyed more than 45 homes.

Sawtooth and Millard Complex fires (2006).

Sawtooth and Millard Complex fires (2006).

Crime in 2007
The Los Angeles archdiocese agreed to a $660 million clergy abuse settlement. Over 500 claimants each received an average over $1.3 million.

University of California.

University of California.

Labor in 2008
Thousands of UC workers faced penalties for walking off their jobs against a court ruling barring them from doing so. The employees had worked without a contract since January.

Lotito in 2009
Reverend Floyd Lotito, founder of St. Anthony’s Dining Room in San Francisco died at age 74. St. Anthony’s free-meal program serves more than 2,600 meals daily.

July 15

Exploration in 1769
Gaspar de Portolà, with Father Crespí, 63 leather-jacket soldiers and a 100 mules loaded with provisions, crossed Soledad Valley. Father Juan Crespí diaries described his journey and the world of native California before and during the missions. 

Portola's signature

Portola’s signature

Crime in 1849
Members of the Hounds, a racist Gold Rush gang, attacked people in the Chilean district of San Francisco. The Hounds were Mexican American War veterans, ex-soldiers of the California Volunteers regiment who lived in a tent they called “Tammany Hall.”

The Hounds.

The Hounds.

Chinese War in 1854
The Weaverville Chinese War broke out. Following a minor gambling dispute, nearly 400 men from rival factions or tongs, faced off armed with pikes, tridents and other newly forged ancient weapons. Ten men died, 20 wounded and the conflict was settled temporarily.

Tong War

Tong War

St. Ignatius College Preparatory.

St. Ignatius College Preparatory.

Religion in 1855
St. Ignatius Church in San Francisco was dedicated. The wood and plaster structure cost $4,000. Construction soon began on a school and residence.

Cities in 1875
The first lots were auctioned in Santa Monica. “At one o’clock we will sell at public outcry to the highest bidder, the Pacific Ocean, draped with a western sky of scarlet and gold; we will sell a bay filled with white-winged ships; we will sell a southern horizon, rimmed with a choice collection of purple mountains, carved in castles and turrets and domes; we will sell a frostless, bracing, warm, yet languid air, braided in and out with sunshine and odored with the breath of flowers. The purchaser of this job lot of climate and scenery will be presented with a deed of land 50 by 150 feet.”

Santa Monica real estate auction (1875).

Santa Monica real estate auction (1875).

Yukon Gold Rush in 1897
The ship Excelsior, laden with gold from Alaska, landed in San Francisco. Seattle mayor W.D. Wood, visiting San Francisco, resigned his job, hired a ship and organized a gold mining expedition to the Yukon territory.

Higashi Honganji Buddhist Temple.

Higashi Honganji Buddhist Temple.

Religion in 1904 
A Buddhist temple opened on East Fourth Street in Los Angeles. The  Jōdo Shinshū temple, school of Pure Land Buddhism, was the vision of Reverend Junjyo Izumida, founding priest from Japan. Today the temple offers a spiritual environment which cultivates individual exploration based on the Buddhadharma. 

Transportation in 1929 
The first airport hotel in the US opened next to the Oakland airport.

Amusement parks in 1964
Modern tours began at Universal Studios Hollywood. They included a series of dressing room walk-throughs, peeks at actual production, and staged events. The tours in 1915 cost  $0.05 and included a lunch box with chicken. More than 6,000,000 guests visited the park in 2013.

Government in 1964
The Republican National Convention was held at the Cow Palace in Daly City.  Barry Goldwater won its nomination for presidential candidate.

Sports in 1967 
The Los Angeles Wolves beat the Washington Whips 6-5 in overtime to win the United Soccer Association championship. The league survived only one season before becoming part of the North American Soccer League, which lasted until 1984.

United Soccer Association players (1968).

United Soccer Association players (1968).

Sports in 1973 
Nolan Ryan, California Angels pitcher, threw his second no-hitter to beat the Detroit Tigers, 6-0. That year, Ryan set his first major record by striking out 383 batters in one season, beating Sandy Koufax’s mark by one. 

Crime in 1976
Twenty-six children from Chowchilla and their driver were kidnapped from their school bus and imprisoned in a buried truck near Livermore. 

Convy in 1991
Bert Convy, actor and game-show host, died in Los Angeles at age 57. He hosted “Tattletales” (1974-1984), “Super Password” (1984-1989), and “Win, Lose or Draw” (1987-1990).

"Tattletales" (1974-1984).

“Tattletales” (1974-1984).

Crime in 1993
Los Angeles authorities announced eight arrests in connection with an alleged plot by white supremacists to ignite a race war by bombing a black church and killing prominent black Americans. 

Arnold Schwarzenegger, California governor.

Arnold Schwarzenegger, California governor.

Government in 2005
Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger said he would quit his job as editor of two bodybuilding magazines following criticism of his moonlighting. He also severed ties with the Arnold Classic bodybuilding event.

Business in 2006
Twitter, now headquartered in San Francisco, introduced its first prototype. Today it is one of the largest social media platforms in the world.

Twitter.

Twitter.

Coyotes, image by Matt Knoth.

Coyotes, image by Matt Knoth.

Environment in 2007
Two coyotes, a male and female, were shot and killed in San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park following recent attacks on leashed dogs.

Accidents in 2008
Two vehicles collided on a bridge and fell into the Delta Mendota Canal near Westley. Six farm workers and a septic truck driver died.

Delta Mendota Canal.

Delta Mendota Canal.

Marijuana leaf.

Marijuana leaf.

Government in 2009
California officials said a bill to tax and regulate marijuana like alcohol would generate nearly $1.4 billion in revenue.

Business in 2010
Joe Jacob, 54-year-old venture capitalist, and Peter Gruber, 68-year-old chairman of Mandalay Entertainment, led a $450 million purchase of the Golden State Warriors based in Oakland.

Golden State Warriors.

Golden State Warriors.

Fire in 2013
Mountain Fire in Riverside County started burning about 100 miles east of Los Angeles. It burned for 16 days in the San Bernardino National Forest above Palm Springs. 3,500 firefighters fought it with 20 helicopters, 12 airplanes and 260 engines at an estimated cost of $25.8 million.

Mountain Fire (2013).

Mountain Fire (2013).