Print PROVO CITY TIMELINE Date Event Abt 1300 The ancestors of the Utes settled in Utah Valley. Abt 1500 The Utes consisted of ten distinct bands, two of which occupied parts of Utah Valley. Utah Lake was the western edge of the area occupied by the Uintah band which extended from the lake eastward to the Uinta Basin and the Tavaputs Plateau (much of Uintah and Duchesne counties). The other band, the Timpamogots (Timpanogots, Timpanogos), dwelt along the southern and eastern shores of Utah Lake. 1776 Two Catholic Priests, Fathers Escalante and Domínguez led an expedition from Santa Fe that looped up into a corner of Utah Valley seeking a northern route out to California. e r o M 1824- Etienne Provost followed the Provo River down into Utah Valley 1825 and set up a trading post near Utah Lake n r a e 1847 Mormons from Salt Lake explored Utah Valley. L Mar First Mormon colonists left the Salt Lake Valley and headed out to 1849 establish a colony in the Utah Valley to the south. The group of about 150 individuals were under the leadership of John S. Higbee. Apr 1849 The colonists began settling and constructing a fort, known as "Fort Utah", south of the Provo River and upstream a couple of miles from Utah Lake. Apr 1850 New fort built northwest of the first one (where North Park is located). 1850 A log schoolhouse was constructed inside the 2nd fort. 1850 Territorial Legislature passed a law providing for certain men to have control of a stagecoach line from Ogden to Salt Lake City, Provo, Manti, and the county seat of Iron County. * 1850 Log schoolhouse was constructed and school was taught there by Mary Ann Turner. 6 Feb City charter granted by the Territorial Legislature gave boundaries to 1851 the city, specified duties of elected officials, described duties of town residents, and provided for city council consisting of mayor, four aldermen, and nine councilors * Date Event 19 Mar Utah Stake of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was 1851 organized in Provo. April? Ellis Eames began serving as Provo's first mayor. * 1851 1853 Territorial Legislature passed laws creating The Provo Canal and Irrigation Company. The Company was given one half of the water of the Provo River to manage for purposes of irrigation and generation of power. Also created at this time was the Provo Manufacturing Company. * 18 Jun A sawmill constructed by John Mills and his son, Martin, began 1856 operation, sawing it's first logs. 1856 Construction began on the first Tabernacle or "Old Meeting House." This building was basically completed in 1861, plastered in 1866- 1867, and thereafter dedicated in 1867. The building stood facing Center Street until it was torn down in 1918. Mid- A two-story "seminary" building was constructed which was used as 1850s a school. 1858 Brigham Young and other Mormons desert Salt Lake City and move to Provo when a U.S. Army threatens to enter the Capital. * e r o M 1859 Judge John Cradlebaugh convened court in Provo to investigate n alleged LDS crimes. * r a e L 1860- Five schoolhouses were built, one for each district. 1861 1860 Provo Fourth Ward schoolhouse was built at 100 East and 100 North. The building was used for church services until 1866 when the the 4th Ward chapel was constructed. * 1862 The City Council was changed to include a mayor and two aldermen and three councilors. 1862 Warren N. and Wilson H. Dusenberry arrived in Provo. Warren taught in the 1st Ward school for one year and then began his own. 1863? The Dusenberry school became the Timpanogos Branch of the University of Deseret. 21 Jan City council changed to a mayor, at least three aldermen, and five 1864 councilors. 1864 First canal completed to take water to Provo bench. * 1866 Provo Fourth Ward chapel constructed. * 1866 Taylor Brothers Store opened for business. They sold furniture initially, adding a music department in 1872, floor coverings in 1875, and stoves and hardware in 1888. Date Event Dec Deseret Telegraph extended down through Provo and beyond. * 1866 Spring Construction of the first Utah County Courthouse was completed. 1867 1867 Provo Pressed Brick began to be used in addition to or instead of adobe bricks. 1867 The first Tabernacle or "Old Meeting House" was dedicated. Begun in 1856 and basically completed by 1861, this dedication did not occur until the plastering was complete. The building stood facing Center Street until it was torn down in 1918. 19 May The Transcontinental Railroad was completed. 1869 1 Jun Timpanogos Manufacturing Company founded (later to become the 1869 Provo Woolen Mills). abt 1870 The beginning of party politics in Utah. The People's Party and the Liberal Party both organized. e r 22 Sep Federal troops raided Provo. * o M 1870 n r a Jan The Provo Co-op was founded. * e L 1871 1872 or First railroad reached Provo. * 1873 1 Aug First Provo newspaper, the Provo Daily Times, published. * 1873 1875 William D. Startup began making candy in Provo. 1875 J. W. Hooper built the Provo Flour Mill at 500 North 200 West * 16 Oct Lewis Building at 300 West Center Street purchased by Brigham 1875 Young. Brigham Young Academy founded. 1 Jan Warren Dusenberry appointed first principal for the first term of 1876 Brigham Young Academy. 3 Jan First classes of the Brigham Young Academy held in the Lewis 1876 Building at 300 West Center street. 21 Aug Brigham Young Academy dedicated. 1876 Date Event 18 Jan Ordinance increased the number of aldermen to four and the number 1877 of councilors to eight. 1877 Excelsior Roller Mills established by J. W. Hoover. * 1877 Thomas Cordner family become the first to live on the Provo Bench for an entire year. * 1878 First gravel sidewalks in Provo. * 1878 Utah County silk industry organized. * 1881 Denver and Rio Grande Railroad reaches Provo. * 1882 Esther C. Pulsipher had the Occidental Boarding House built (later known as the Hotel Roberts). 1883 The Provo 5th Ward was divided and the Lakeview Ward was created. 1883 Construction began on the Provo Tabernacle (Utah Stake Tabernacle). e r Mar The Denver and Rio Grande Railroad was completed. The railroad o 1883 ran from Denver to Salt Lake and route took it right through Provo. M n r 14 Jun First telephone service in Provo. * a e 1883 L 15 Nov Emily Clapp opened a small Protestant school, the forerunner of the 1883 Proctor Academy. The school first met in the front room of what was the Daniel's house at 200 East and 200 South * 27 Jan The Lewis Building burned down. At that time the Brigham Young 1884 Academy was housed in the Lewis Building. 1 Mar The Congregational Church school moved from the Daniel's home to 1884 F. F. Bee's Harness Shop (on the south side of West Center street). They remained upstairs in the harness shop through 5 Sep 1887 after which the Proctor Academy opened. * 10 Sep William D. and Julia Maria Roberts purchased the Occidental 1885 Boarding House and renamed it the Hotel Roberts. 6 Apr General conference of the LDS Church held in the Provo Tabernacle. 1886 6 Sep Proctor Academy Opened. The Academy was run by the 1887 Congregational Church and was located on the Northwest corner of 100 South and 100 West. 13 Sep First long-distance phone service to Salt Lake City. * 1887 Date Event 18 May City council approved 20-year franchise allowing the Rocky Mountain 1889 Telephone Company to operate in Provo. * 1889 First congregation of Lutherans of the Augustana Synod in Provo. * 1890 Provo school districts were consolidated into one school district which included the following schools: Central School (Fourth Ward), East School (First Ward), West School (Second Ward), Northeast School (Third Ward), North School no. 19, and Far North School. 1890 Electricity power came to Provo. Generated by turbines located at the Provo Woolen Mills on 200 West. * 15 Dec Mayor John E. Booth and Provo City Council signed an ordinance 1890 creating the Provo City Fire Department. * 27 Feb American Baptist Church of Provo founded with fifteen members. * 1891 5 Feb Provo Congregational Church incorporated. * 1891 4 Jan First building of the Academy Square dedicated. 1892 e r o 1892 Small Episcopalian mission begun, the origins of St. Mary's M Episcopal Church. * n r a 1892 Office of alderman abolished. e L 1892 First piped waterworks completed, using mostly wooden pipes. * 1892 Timpanogos Elementary School built. This first Timpanogos School was demolished in 1938 and replaced in the following year by the new Timpanogos School which opened in 1939. * Nov. Schools were renamed: * 1892 Central School became Parker School East School became Webster School West School became Franklin School Northwest School became Timpanogos School North School no. 19 became Page School Far North School became Mountain School 1895 ZCMI (Zion's Clothing and Mercantile Institution) was established in 1895 and located at the intersection of 600 South and Academy (University) Avenue. * Date Event 1895 Startup Candy Factory built.* 1896 Rio Grande Railway Company built branch line from Provo through Provo Canyon to Heber (Heber Creeper). * 3 Apr First meeting of the Seventh-day Adventists. * 1897 1898 Maeser School built, replacing Webster School, which was sold off at that that time. 17 Apr Provo Tabernacle dedicated. 1898 Jan Franklin School opened. 1901 1901 Provo Commercial Club begun to promote local businesses. * 1901 Brigham Young Academy renamed Brigham Young University 1 Feb First postal delivery. * 1902 e r 1902 Sometime during this year was when the "Lettered" streets running o North and South and the numbered streets running East and West M were changed to the current numbering system.