This is a comprehensive view of the entire history of the community of Davis. For historical highlights, visit the Davis Timeline.
Early Years
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.
1866 - William Dresbach essentially founds Davis by moving Solano House structures and the leased Jerome C. Davis house to the area of the anticipated railroad junction
1868 - Section of transcontinental railroad reaches Davis Junction
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
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
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
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
1943 - Japanese Internment approved by the Davis City Council.
1947 - Hibbert Lumber opens.
1948 - Putah Creek's flow is permanently diverted from the north fork to the south fork
1959 - UC Davis becomes an independent campus from UC Berkeley
1969 - Educational Opportunity Program founded.
- Davis Student Co-Op founded.
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.
Resources: Old North Davis: Guide to Walking a Traditional Neighborhood, by John Lofland
2000
Fall
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Liquid Hotplates, an a capella group, founded.
2001
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Harper Jr. High opened.
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Virginia Hinshaw becomes Provost of UC Davis
Media
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One Drop founded
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Jewish Quarterly founded by Lee Weissman
Tragic Events
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Andrew Wieman found stabbed to death in his Kappa Sigma room.
April
May
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Murder Burger is renamed Redrum Burger
June
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4: Yolo Federal Credit Union is robbed.
September
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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.
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17: The bar portion of Sophia's Thai Kitchen opens.
Unknown
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Western Collegiate Cycling Conference won by Cal Aggie Cycling Team.
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Cal Aggie Cycling Team wins the National Collegiate Road Cycling Championship
2002
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City of Davis purchases Boy Scout Cabin, kicks out Boy Scouts
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The Sneeze starts publication.
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Teknolust, a feature film written and directed by UC Davis faculty member Lynn Hershman-Leeson is released.
May
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Roy Brophy and Alice Gonzales, both former UC Regents, are recipients of the UC Davis Medal on May 20th.
August
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The Driven to Davis mural is painted.
2003
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Alluvium, a work of art in Walnut Park, is created.
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The Sneeze ceases publishing.
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Write Club founded.
October
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Bowley Hall, part of the UC Davis University Extension Center, is completed.
2004
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January
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The Spokes, a female a capella group, forms out of female members of Liquid Hotplates.
March
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ASUCD Senate buys the Aggie Pack Firetruck.
June
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The site that would become Davis Wiki is first installed on Philip Neustrom's laptop on the 24th.
August
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Harper Junior High School opened up.
October
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Activities and Recreation Center, commonly known as ARC, opens up on campus.
November
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New trashcans issued to the population by Davis Waste Removal. Unity through refuse receptacles!
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The Campaigning in Dorms Controversy breaks.
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United States Election
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The Lexington serves as a polling place
2005
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A Hurricane Katrina Fundraiser was suggested
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First UC Davis Fire Department Pancake Breakfast held.
July
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Joan Randall is the first Yolo County resident diagnosed with West Nile Virus.
September
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29: First Northern Bank is robbed.
October
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4: USE Credit Union is robbed.
December
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Stephen Robinson, astronaut, receives the UC Davis Medal on December 4th.
2006
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El Rodeo ceases publication.
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Spring: Volunteers group together to renovate the Central Park Gardens.
January
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6: the The Jagged Tree falls.
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Anderson Court Apartments, The Drake, and The Lexington are sold to Hallmark Properties.
March
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9: Mayor Ruth Asmundson declares March 9th Caliph Assagai Day.
April
May
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12-14: Whole Earth Festival 2006
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12-14: Cal Aggie Cycling Team wins the National Collegiate Road Cycling Championship
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16: University of California Oil Forum
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May 27-June 4: Community Food Drive
June
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Work begins on the $1.2 million Hutchison Drive Bike Lanes upgrade.
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6: June 2006 Primary Election - including 2006 City Council Election and Measure G
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26: The Best Uses of Schools Advisory Task Force recommends the closure of Valley Oak Elementary School due to falling enrollment.
July
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8: First Deadly Davis Dash held.
August
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8 & 9: After much debate and controversy, Davis was aerially sprayed for mosquitoes. See West Nile Virus.
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29: Fred T. Korematsu Elementary School opens for its first class.
September
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7: The Conaway Preservation group and Yolo County reach a settlement on the Conaway Ranch.
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16: Second Deadly Davis Dash held.
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17: USE Credit Union is robbed.
November
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Measure H — Annexation of West Sacramento, Woodland, Davis and surrounding areas into SMUD's service area.
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Measure I — Replacement of PG&E as electric company by SMUD in West Sacramento, Woodland, Davis, and surrounding areas.
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Measure L — A non-binding, advisory measure for the City to adopt Choice Voting.
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21: Davis sues City of Dixon over Dixon Downs.
2007
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January
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23: Gearhead Records and Stuff opens.
February
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1: ATM Applause Flashmob occurs.
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20: Stage 2 of the 2007 Amgen Tour of California comes through town.
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22: The Best Uses of Schools Advisory Task Force votes 6 to 1 in favor of closing Valley Oak Elementary School
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26: Stone's Cafe & Catering opens for business.
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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.
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Java California bought out by new management.
March
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3: The World's Largest Bicycle Parade record attempt takes place.
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10: Wells Fargo is robbed.
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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
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1: The local Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints reorganizes along demographic, instead of geographic, lines.
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1: 2007's April Fool's Day on the Wiki occurs.
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9: PhilipNeustrom reaches 10,000 edits on the DavisWiki.
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9: Davis Electric Cars opens, becoming the first all electric car dealer in Davis.
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14: Picnic Day
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14: Green Car Gala
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28 & 29: Western Collegiate Cycling Conference won by Cal Aggie Cycling Team.
May
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1: UCD May 1, 2007: Day of Action. Over 20 people arrested in act of civil disobedience with blocking of an intersection.
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9: John Barovetto Park opens to the public.
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14-18: Give3
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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!
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17: Celebrate Davis
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22: Sex Fest 2007
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23: Students Organizing For Change held a rally in which Mrak Hall was locked down and 15 people arrested.
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26: Teriyaki Express closed.
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27 and 28: Convivium
June
July
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Indyna Bistro opens July, 2007. An Indian restaurant that replaced New Delhi Chaat Cafe.
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6: Sushi Unlimited July 6th, 2007. A sushi restaurant that replaced Mirai.
August
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11: Nina's Studio (beauty salon) opens.
September
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The Davis Bike Loop is formally marked on the pavement
October
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6: First Annual Davis Jazz Artists Festival
November
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6: November 2007 Election is held, passing two measures and electing two new school board members.
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28: The Mythbusters television cast and crew are spotted at the Yolo County Airport filming an episode.
December
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12: Mythbusters episode airs, featuring Skydance Skydiving and the Yolo County Airport.
2008
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January
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4: Power outage from winter storm affects much of Davis, lasting 3 days in some parts of the city.
February
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14: The tree at Mansion Square falls.
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19: The Amgen Tour of California passes through Downtown Davis around noon.
March
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Principles of One Community signed
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5: A bomb scare in the UC Davis Tercero Residence Halls leads to a one-night evacuation of Thille Hall.
May
June
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12: The last day of school ever is held at Valley Oak Elementary School
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Late: Smoke from many fires fills the entire Sacramento Valley forcing the cancellation of many outdoor events.
October
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Undergraduate Research Center opened.
November
Politics
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The fate of Wildhorse Ranch to be decided by an (as yet unlettered) Measure
