1887
Thomas Edison invented the light bulb
1890
Ellis Island welcomed immigrants
1892
Tchaikovsky's The Nutcracker premiered
1895
First public motion picture shown in Paris
1898
Madame Curie discovered radium
1900
John Bidwell of Chico died
1903
Wright brothers first recorded plane flight
1906
San Francisco earthquake and fire
1908
Model-T Ford introduced
1910
Boy Scouts of America founded
1911
California voters adopted women's suffrage
1914
World War I began
1916
Death of Ishi, last Yahi survivor
1918
Armistice ended World War I
1920
18th Amendment began 13 years of Prohibition
1923
First sound short films shown in New York City
1926
Langston Hughes published journal on Harlem Renaissance
1929
New York Stock Market crashed
1931
Star Spangled Banner adopted as the national anthem
1935
First x-ray photo of entire body
1937
The Golden Gate Bridge opened
1939
Superman comic debuted in the U.S.
1941
U.S. entered World War II
1943
Food and fuel rationed in the U.S.
1945
World War II ended
1947
Alleged U.F.O. crash at Roswell, New Mexico
1950
First kidney transplant
1952
King ousted in Egyptian revolution
1954
First TV Dinner sold
1956
Martin Luther King emerged as civil rights leader
1959
First color photo of Earth taken from space
1962
Farm workers organized by Cesar Chavez
1964
The Beatles appeared on the Ed Sullivan show
1967
Summer of Love
1969
Apollo 11 landed on the Moon
1972
Nixon first U.S. President to visit China
1975
Vietnam War ended
1977
First personal computer sold
1980
Mount St. Helens erupted in Washington
1983
Chrysler unveiled minivans
1985
Gorbachev elected leader of USSR
1987
Supreme Court ruled Rotary Club must admit women
1990
Wrecking cranes began tearing down Berlin Wall
1993
First graphical interface web browser
1995
Bosnian War ended with Dayton peace accords
1999
World prepared for possible Y2K bug
2001
September 11th terrorist attack on the U.S.
2004
Social networking website Facebook was launched
2008
Barack Obama became the first African American U.S. President
1887
Legislative act creates the Northern Branch State Normal School of California for training teachers. Chico is selected for the school site, and General John Bidwell donates eight acres of cherry orchard for the campus.
1888
The cornerstone was laid for original building on July 4.
1889
Five faculty members were hired, Normal Hall was opened, and 90 students were enrolled for the first term.
1889-1893
Edward T. Pierce, Principal
1891
First graduating class of 15.
1892
The alumni organization is founded.
1893-1897
Robert F. Pennell, Principal
1896
A women’s basketball team is formed at the Normal School.
1896
First issue of the annual The Normal Record is published.
1897-1899
Carleton M. Ritter, Principal
1899-1910
Charles C. Van Liew, Principal
1910
The first training school was built adjacent to the Normal Building.
1910-1917
Allison Ware, Principal
1911
Preparatory Department (pre-college instruction) was abolished, and all Normal School classes became collegiate.
1912
Pleasant Valley Model Rural School of the State Normal School at Chico opened, offering manual training, domestic science and art, school agriculture, and physical education.
1915
The natatorium, an indoor swimming pool, was constructed behind Normal Hall.
1917-1918
E. J. Miller, Acting President
1918-1930
C. M. Osenbaugh, President
1921
Legislative enactment changed the name from Chico Normal School to Chico State Teachers College.
1923
The Collegian, the first campus newspaper, is published.
1922
Chico State Teacher's College added a junior college curriculum and awarded a certificate after two years.
1924
State Board of Education gave the college power to grant the baccalaureate degree.
1927
On August 12, 1927, a fire in a chemistry lab destroyed the Normal Building, leaving only a skeleton of brick walls.
1928
100 alumni attended the ceremonies.
1929
New cornerstone was laid over the original Normal Building cornerstone as construction of the new administration building began.
1930-1931
C. K. Studley, Acting President
1931-1931
R. D. Lindquist, Acting President
1931-1950
Aymer J. Hamilton, President
1935
As curriculum and mission expanded, legislative act changed the college name from Chico State Teachers College to Chico State College.
1937
50th anniversary of the institution celebrated April 8.
1937
FIrst evening classes held
1938
Sororities held fund drive to raise $600 for chimes; Trinity served as the library.
1940
44 students graduated as pilots, many being accepted into the Army Air Corp.
1944
Summer session moved to Chico campus
1945
President Hamilton moved into new residence for presidents. The house was designed by famous architect Julia Morgan (now the Albert E. Warrens Reception Center).
1946
Biological laboratory set up at Eagle Lake
1948
Dorms for 200 male students were set up on west side of Warner Street. The two-story barracks-like structures had 36 rooms, each occupied by 4 students. North Hall later became a women’s dormitory.
1949
"Memo from Chico State" weekly radio program began on KHSL.
1950
First bachelor of science and master's degrees awarded
1950-1966
Glenn Kendall, President
1953
Professor Vesta Holt was granted Chico State College's first paid sabbatical leave.
1953
A 2-year agricultural program began.
1957
Rose Garden planted where old cafeteria was located. Bushes were donated by George Petersen, a former nurseryman in Chico.
1958
Psychology 51 was taught on television by Prof. John Narcisco.
1960
A student activities center opened in the old library space (Trinity Hall).
1962
75th anniversary of Chico State celebrated with a convocation, speakers, and musical performances. Portraits of the presidents were hung in Kendall Hall.
1964
The station, built by students, could be heard in Lassen and Shasta Halls.
1966
A new chime system was installed in the Trinity Tower by alumni and friends of Chico State. The chimes were dedicated to President Kendall, who retired that year.
1966-1970
Robert Hill, President
1967
Vets' Village was torn down to make way for a new dormitory.
1970-1971
Lew D. Oliver, President
1971-1979
Stanford Cazier, President
1972
Chico State College became California State University, Chico
1974
First celebration of the annual International Festival
1975
Broadcasts of classes through closed circuit TV used for the first time by residents in Oroville, Marysville, and Colusa.
1977
Campus newspaper, The Wildcat, changed name to Chico News and Review and moved off campus to become an independent publication.
1978
Bicycle riders restricted from the core of campus.
1979
Health center adopted policy of free oral contraceptives for female students
1979-1980
Robert L. Fredenburg, Acting President
1980-1993
Robin S. Wilson, President
1982
Campus arboretum was dedicated.
1985
The 75th anniversary of Pioneer Days celebrated.
1987
100th anniversary of the institution celebrated, and a special logo was created by Communication Design professor Gregg Berryman.
1987
Pioneer Days canceled.
1992
O'Connell Technology Center and Tehama Hall completed, the first major construction on campus since the early 1970s.
1993-2003
Manuel A. Esteban, President
1996
Grant received for installation of a satellite to broadcast courses throughout Northern California.
1996
First campus website published.
1997
Chico State baseball team won Div. II national championship.
1998
The learning management system allowed faculty to give online exams and post materials for students.
1999
Students in Free Enterprise (SIFE) club won national championship
2000
Book in Common program started
2001
Engineering students won national championship designing supermileage vehicle.
2003-2004
Scott G. McNall, Acting President
2004-Present
Paul J. Zingg, President
2005
The Orion inducted into Associated Collegiate Press Hall of Fame.
2006
Organic Dairy opened on the University Farm.
2008
National Honor Roll for Civic Engagement second year in a row
2009
Manufacturing students won fifth straight national grand prize.
2011
Chico State listed as one of the top five ‘Green’ colleges in America.
1890
Join the celebration! Chico State is 125 years old this year, and we are proud to be the second oldest state university campus in California. We want to use the occasion to highlight some of our outstanding contributions to the region and state, showcase our amazing faculty, staff, students and alumni, and invite friends and friends in the making to our beautiful campus.
