By Tim Lambert
1769
Gaspar de Portola finds San Francisco Bay
1776
A fort is built at San Francisco
1797
A mission is founded
1808
Jedediah Smith crosses the Sierra Nevada Mountains
1835
A settlement called Yerba Buena is founded
1846
US sailors and marines go ashore at San Francisco
1848
Gold is discovered in California. As a result San Francisco booms.
1849
The population of San Francisco reaches 25,000
1851
San Francisco is devastated by a fire
1857
San Francisco waterworks begins
1859
Henry Comstock discovers silver
1870
The population of San Francisco reaches 150,000
1873
The first cable car in San Francisco is tested on Clay Street
1900
The population of San Francisco has risen to over 300,000
1906
San Francisco is devastated by an earthquake
1912
Alcatraz opens as a military prison
1917
Hallidie Building is built
1924
Saints Peter and Paul Church is built in San Francisco
1933
Coit Bridge is built
1934
Bloody Thursday takes place. Alcatraz becomes a civilian prison.
1937
Golden Gate Bridge opens
1963
Alcatraz closes
1989
Another earthquake strikes San Francisco
1992
Fire sweeps Oakland Hills
2017
The population of San Francisco is 884,000
