16 Nov 1542João Rodrigues Cabrilho discovers Monterey Bay and lands at what is now called Cabrillo Point in Pacific Grove. It also used to be called China Point because it was once the location of the Chinese Village. It is currently the site of Stanford University's Hopkins Marine Station.
16 Dec 1602 Don Sebastian Vizcaino, a Spanish merchant, is believed to be the first white man to set foot upon Point Pinos. He named it "Punta de los Pinos" or Point of the Pines.
Chinese settle between Cabrillo Point (China Point) and Point Alones (Current location of the Monterey Bay Aquarium), which is the area now occupied by Hopkins Marine Station and form their own "Chinatown."
Point Pinos Lighthouse, illuminated by a whale oil lamp, starts operating on February 1. Illuminated by kerosene in 1880 and electricity in 1919, it is now the oldest continuously operating lighthouse on the West Coast.
Lighthouse Road constructed for the transportation of supplies from Monterey to the lighthouse at Point Pinos.
Rev. Ross built the first permanent house in what is now Pacific Grove on land owned by David Jacks.
Bishop J.T. Peck meets with Rev. W.S. Ross in the pines of what is now Pacific Grove to inspect the location as a possible site for a Christian seaside resort.
First bath house opens at Lovers Point.
A group of Methodist men, mostly ministers, meet in San Francisco and founded the Pacific Grove Retreat Association to set up a Christian seaside resort and camp meeting ground for members and friends of the Methodist-Episcopal Church with 100 acres of land acquired from David Jacks for the nominal fee of $1.
St. John Cox, Esq. surveys the Retreat area, laying out the lots, and files his map.
The first of the annual camp meetings (not Chautauqua) held.
Monarch butterflies first noticed stopping in Pacific Grove.
The first lots are sold by the Retreat Association to its members to build homes.
First Pacific Grove Chautauqua Literary and Scientific Circle meeting held.
Robert Louis Stevenson takes a walk through Pacific Grove and writes about it in The Old Capital.
131 19th Street built for Elihu Beard.
Eucalyptus trees on the north side of Lighthouse Avenue started from seed brought from Australia by Bishop Taylor of the Methodist diocese. Some still remain in front of the post office.
Chautauqua Hall built to store tent covers and other items for the Pacific Improvement Company. Also used for the first indoor church services and the first indoor school sessions.
Pacific Grove Reservoir built by Chinese laborers.
James Stevinson has a smaller replica of his San Joaquin Valley home built at 129 Pacific Avenue. The Grove's first wedding was held here soon after for Mrs. Stevinson's sister.
106 7th Street, still one of the most unusual homes in the Grove, is built for Everett Pomeroy.
First "Rules and Regulations" published by the Retreat Association.
Sinclair Harper becomes the first white child born in Pacific Grove.
The Retreat Association, through David Jacks, sold the land upon which Pacific Grove was situated to the Pacific Improvement Company.
The Pacific Improvement Company created the first and second additions to the Retreat and began selling lots to all comers, thereby creating a real estate boom in the town.
Mammoth Stable built across top of Grand between Laurel and Pine.
225 Central built for Senator Benjamin Langford (aka Judge Langford). It is now the Gatehouse Bed and Breakfast Inn.
Carrie Lloyd teaches the first school classes in Pacific Grove in Chautauqua Hall.
312 Central built for Margaret Tennant.
J. A. Pell opened first undertaking establishment in Pacific Grove.
Pacific Grove Volunteer Fire Department organized with Cypress Johnson as its first chief.
Approximate year when "Judge" Langford, tired of walking to the office on Grand Avenue for the gate key, used an axe to chop down the wagon gate at the Central Avenue fence to Pacific Grove. It was not repaired, and by 1890 most of the fence around the Retreat was gone.
Post office is first established in Pacific Grove with John B. Norton as postmaster. Closes in November for lack of business.
The "Page Cottage" is built at 104 Fountain. Now the Seven Gables B& B Inn.
Charles Tuttle opens his drugstore on Lighthouse and remains open for over 50 years.
Post office is re-established with R. G. Mitchell as postmaster.
The first boarding house opened up in Pacific Grove when J. F. Gosbey opened his home at 643 Lighthouse to summer boarders. The Centrella Cottage is built soon afterwards.
El Carmelo Hotel (later known as the Pacific Grove Hotel) opens for business on the site of the present Holman building.
Pacific Grove Police Department opens with only one person, Edward Rich, the marshal.
Dr. E. J. Snell becomes Pacific Grove's first established physician with an office on Forest Ave.
104 5th Street built for William Lacy. Known as Ivy Terrace Hall and later as Green Gables.
The Methodist-Episcopal Church and Assembly Hall is built on Lighthouse between 17th & 18th streets. Appears in the 1959 movie, A Summer Place. It is demolished in 1963.
B.A. Eardley establishes the Pacific Grove Review as a real estate newspaper. Later in the year, the Gallanars convert it to a real, weekly newspaper--the first in Pacific Grove.
The town of Pacific Grove incorporates as a city.
Dr. J. V. Horner becomes Pacific Grove's first dentist.
R. L. Holman builds his grand home at 769 Lighthouse.
E. Cooke Smith establishes the first bank in Pacific Grove at the corner of Lighthouse & Forest. He builds the current bank building there in 1905.
Lavinia Goodyear Waterhouse of 13th Street became the first person buried in El Carmelo Cemetery after she died at age 81. A 7 day old baby was buried on the site in 1889 before it was the cemetery.
Southern Pacific Railroad begins passenger service to Pacific Grove. Station opens on August 1. Service is discontinued on September 15, 1957, when the station went out of business.
First public school building opens on Pine, where Robert Down School is now.
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