1839

John Sutter arrives on the banks of the Sacramento River.

1840

Sutter begins construction of fort.

1848

James Marshall discovers gold at Coloma.

1849

The city of Sacramento is founded. California Gold Rush begins.

1850

California is admitted into the Union.

1854

Sacramento becomes California’s capital city.

1855

Construction begins on Sacramento Valley Railroad.

1857

The Sacramento Bee daily newspaper was founded, and has won five Pulitzer Prizes in its history.

1859

Sacramento becomes the permanent site of the California State Fair.

1860

The Pony Express begins its run between Sacramento and St. Joseph, Missouri. It took 80 young riders 10 days to complete the 1,966-mile run.

1863

Central Pacific Railroad begins construction.

1869

The Transcontinental Railroad is linked in Promontory, Utah.

1873

The Crocker Art Gallery is completed.

1874

State Capitol completed.

1891

Restoration begins on Sutter’s Fort.

1893

Folsom State Prison, which opened in 1880, became the first prison in the world to have electric power.

1903

The former home of Sacramento merchant, Albert Gallatin, is made California’s official governor’s residence.

1922

Sacramento’s first radio station, KFBK, goes on the air.

1925

Memorial Auditorium convention & cultural center opened.

1935

Tower Bridge opens.

1947

Sacramento State University was founded; its campus opened in 1953. Sacramento’s V Street Mosque was the first mosque constructed in California. Tom Raley opened the nation’s first self-service meat counter with pre-packaged meat.

1952

Temple B’nai Israel, the first synagogue on the Pacific Coast, was consecrated.

1953

Sacramento’s first television station, Channel 40, begins its broadcast.

1955

The first Camellia Festival is held.

1963

The Port of Sacramento opens.

1965

Old Sacramento named a National Historic Landmark by the National Park Service.

1968

Sacramento Metro Airport opens.

1968

Governor Ronald Reagan opened the 350-acre California Exposition site, home of the California State Fair.

1973

The first Sacramento Jazz Jubilee was held by the Sacramento Traditional Jazz Society.

1974

Jedediah Smith Memorial Trail became recognized as a national trail.

1974

Sacramento Convention Center opens.

1981

California State Railroad Museum opens.

1982

The six-year, $68 million restoration of the State Capitol is completed.

1989

After a four-year restoration project of the twice-sunken paddleboat, the Delta King debuted on the Old Sacramento waterfront as a hotel, theater and restaurant.

1985

The first professional sports team, NBA Sacramento Kings, arrives.

1992

In its second year, the Sacramento Surge of the World League of American Football (WLAF) won the league championship.

1996

Sacramento Convention Center completes $80 million expansion.

1996

Memorial Auditorium reopens after renovation.

1997

Sacramento Monarchs of the WNBA is established.

1997

The Sacramento Capitals of World Team Tennis win the first of six championships.

1998

State Museum opens.

1998

New terminal opens at Sacramento International Airport.

1999

Esquire IMAX Theatre opens.

1999

In its second year, the Sacramento Knights of the World Indoor Soccer League (WISL) won the league championship.

2000

The Sacramento River Cats (Triple A Baseball Team) arrive.

2000

Sacramento State University hosts the U.S. Olympic Track & Field Trials.

2001

Sacramento Sirens of the Independent Women’s Football League (IWFL) won the divisional title in its first year of play.

2002

Time Magazine named Sacramento “America’s Most Integrated City”.

2003

Sacramento River Cats won the first of three Triple-A Minor League Baseball championships.

2004

Wells Fargo Pavilion opened, replacing the Music Circus’ tent with a more permanent structure.

2005

Sacramento Monarchs won the WNBA National Championship. Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament reopened after major renovations. New City Hall complex opened, including a restored 95-year-old City Hall and a new 5-story administration building.

2006

California Hall of Fame established in Sacramento’s California Museum for History, Women & the Arts

2007

Sacramento hosted the Stage II finish for the inaugural Amgen Tour of California. Sacramento draws the second-largest attendance in the history of the NCAA Div. 1 Women’s Volleyball Championship.