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1840 Foreign ships had been forbidden to trade in California, but since Spanish ships were not frequent there had been smuggling trade much needed by the California was. After the independence of Mexico the governors of California open the ports where Yankee captain soon built a thriving business. The Boston ships anchored offshore and whole More Info »

1858 it was a long and tiresome journey around the horn, or by shortcut across the Panama isthmus by mules and small boat waiting ships. By far the greatest trek was overland with prairie schooner, and wagon wheels cut deep the routes to South Pass and Santa Fe. These well used trails were now fairly More Info »

1835 around the end of the mission. The ranches rose to their greatest prosperity. The Spanish land grants were mostly commissions with only a few tarantulas. Mexican grants were very generous, as much as 50,000 acres. And so came the area of the great Ranchos which in 1835 numbered 50. Cattle increased greatly in highs More Info »

1860 the first pony express carried a presidential message to California in 17 days. But the Temple of the day was faster, always faster. In 1860 the central Overland company was formed in a route was established along the central trail with 200 relay stations and 80 riders. And the pony express writing day and More Info »

1869 Congress subsidize the Overland railroad and the Central Pacific was soon building a line eastward from Sacramento. A year later the Union Pacific started West from Omaha. Fabulous mileage grants developed a building race with over 15 miles of track laid in a single day. Then in May 1869 the roads met at promontory More Info »

1849 gold was found at several missions but the Padres had other plans. Capt. Sutter had other plans in great Sacramento Valley. He built grain mills and planted fields and befriended new settlers. James Marshall came with a wagon train and was soon at Sutter's Fort engaged build a lumber mill on the American River. More Info »

1841 Westward rolled the covered wagons – Prairie schooners drawn by oxen. Jan the mountains and the desert was California. In May 1841 the first wagon train was organized by John Bidwell at Independence, Missouri. And under the leadership of John Bartleson ate headed northwest over the Oregon Trail to Fort Laramie and Fort Hall, More Info »

1835 the Californios were a gracious people in life was rich as it had rarely been anywhere in the world. There was no tavern in any play blow but hospitality was given freely to everyone. "My house is your house" was spoken warmly and the traveler without funds was never in need. Culture was considered More Info »

1846 first had come adventurous men who chose to become citizens and to marry daughters of California. These men were builders, some became owners of great ranches and were trusted members of the community. Then came the flood of settlers and there was political confusion. Warren Texas came between Mexico and the United States. The More Info »

1833 this order came from Mexico City only 10 years after the last mission was established secularization was a hard word, a later age would call it liquidation. It meant of course the control of the missions pass from the hands of the church to the state. Most of the older padres were loyal to More Info »

1602 following Cabrillo, Sebastian Vizcaino sailed in 1602 to search for harbors on the coastline of California. It was five years before Capt. John Smith landed in Virginia. The Great Pacific was a desperate venture, from the lack of fresh food came the dread scurvy, and the lies of 40 men were lost on the More Info »