Regular trade existed between China and this coast in the year 1 AD, According to the New York Tribune of September 10, 1890, citing a manuscript in Si-Ngan-Foo discovered by Reverend Shaw

Portuguese navigator Juan Rodriquez Cabrillo landed in California

Spanish explorer Sebastian Vizcaino names San Clemente Island for St. Clement, the third Pope.

Gaspar de Portola leads an expedition of Alta California for Spain scouting locations for missions and first Christian baptism in Alta California in Cristianitos Canyon.

Spanish missionary Father Junipero Serra establishes Mission San Juan Capistrano, builds El Camino Real as connector between the missions

King of Spain grants a 43,000 acre grazing permit to Juan José Dominguez in Southern California.

The new mission church at San Juan Capistrano, destroyed by an earthquake. Forty Indian converts killed when the 120’ bell tower falls.

700 land grants formalized in So Cal, most to military, but some to men who married into California families, including the Dominguez family

Mexico gains independence from Spain

Apprentice seaman Richard Henry Dana visits the Mission cove aboard the hide trading brig Pilgrim.

Act for the Secularization of the Missions of California passed by Mexican Congress – land taken from the Catholic Church by the Mexican government

1837 – Don John Forster, an English sea captain, becomes Mexican citizen, Catholic and marries Ysadora Ygnacia Pico, Pio Pico’s sister.

Battle of Las Flores 10 miles south of current San Clemente, Governor Alvarado victor

Pio Pico becomes governor of California, Juan Forster acquires over 100,000 acres, including Mission San Juan Capistrano, which he purchased for $710, and moves in with family

1846 – US war with Mexico, John C. Fremont’s battalion marches El Camino Real from San Diego through San Clemente, Felipe Carrillo granted 4,000 acre Rancho Los Desechos

Commodore Stockton battles through San Clemente and retakes Los Angeles, Juan Forster joining the battle and contributing livestock, aiding both sides

Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo signed ending the war Mexican-American War. California, Texas and the SW becoming part of the US. Pio Pico escapes to Mexico, then retreats to his largest Rancho Santa Margarita.

California becomes the 31st state in the United States.

Pio Pico signs over deed to rancho to pay gambling debts to Forster. Juan Forster now owns over 225,000 acres and Santa Catalina Island making him the 2nd largest land owner in California

President Lincoln returns most of the missions to the Catholic Church. Don Juan Forster gives son Marcus Las Flores land, forced to leave Mission San Juan Capistrano.

California drought, entry of land barons O’Neill and Irvine

Fence Law passed requiring ranchos to fence their property. Forster City founded and Juan Forster travels to Europe to recruit settlers, offer of 20 acres to each citizen. Built a wharf and post office, help pay his taxes, lawsuit between Pio Pico and Forster disputing Gov. Alvardo grant, court grants total land rights to Don Juan Forster

Ole Hanson born in a log cabin in Racine, Wisconsin.

Don Juan Forster hands over reigns of Forster City to son Marcus, lives in adobe mansion which is now Camp Pendleton’s CO’s home (Rancho Santa Margarita), farming and grazing cattle and sheep

Don Juan Forster dies and his family sells lands to Charles Crocker of San Francisco, Forster City residents evicted and the city fades into oblivion

Crocker sells land to James L. Food and partner Richard O’Neill.
Marcus Forster, son of John, purchased 3,000 acres of Los Desechos, (which includes San Clemente) disputing the Carillo grant, Spanish adventurer Cornelio Echenique married into Forster family and received land as gift

Judge Richard Egan secured the name Dana Point for the coastal point.

Santa Fe RR completes the San Diego to San Juan Capistrano Line, Sale of lots began at the short-lived San Juan by the Sea. (now Capo Beach)

Orange County created, split from Los Angeles by overwhelming public vote

Pio Pico dies in Los Angeles, the last Mexican Governor of California

US government claims land, ownership disputes proliferate

Cornelio Echenique partnership with the Goldschmidts, build prohibition distillery

Goldschmidts and Echenique partnership severed as Prohibition begins

Rum-running became a popular business off the coast of Rancho Los Desechos, Los Angeles elite use San Clemente as half way stop for trips to Mexico for gambling.

H. Hamilton Cotton assembles syndicate to purchase 4,000 acres for $7 million, selects San Mateo Point for a vacation home.

Ole Hanson and Cotton join forces and announce the Spanish Village of San Clemente, sells first plots in December

Property went on sale at Dana Point, a master-planned community developed by Sidney Woodruff and Harry Chandler. (project originally started in 1923)

San Clemente incorporates as a city. All public amenities given to new city by Ole Hanson Organization.
Edward Doheny begins another master-planned community in Capistrano Beach, it included a section of the Palisades and an elaborate beach club below.

El Camino Real paved/Hwy 1 through San Clemente
Stock market crashes!

City of San Clemente population declines by 70% to 250.

Capitol Company reinvests in San Clemente adding the Casino and Miramar Theater.

Storm takes down half of Pier (which was rebuilt)

FDR dedicates Camp Pendleton Marine Base

Trestles becomes known as one of the best surf breaks in California

Interstate 5 completed through San Clemente replacing El Camino Real

Construction of Dana Point Harbor begins

Purchase of Cotton’s Point property by Richard Nixon
San Onofre Nuclear Power Plant Unit I built

Several heads of state visit La Casa Pacifica

Leonid Brezhnev visit and signing of Salt II Treaty

Nixons return to San Clemente after resignation

Another storm takes down the pier. Rebuilt in 1985.

The Ranchlands east of the freeway begin development, Forster Ranch and Talega

San Onofre shut down after premature wear found in generator tubes