|
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 Timamogots (Timpanogots, Timpanogos), dwelt along the southern and eastern shores of Utah Lake. |
| 1776 |
Two Catholic Priests, Fathers Escalante and DomÃnguez led an expedition from Santa Fe that looped up into a corner of Utah Valley seeking a northern route out out to California. |
| |
Etienne Provost followed the Provo river down into Utah Valley and set up a trading post near Utah Lake |
|
Mar 1849
|
First Mormon colonists left the Salt Lake Valley and headed out to 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. |
| 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 1851 |
City charter granted by the Territorial Legislature gave boundaries to 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. |
| 19_Mar_1851 |
Utah Stake of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints organized with four wards.
|
April? 1851
|
Ellis Eames began serving as Provo's first mayor. |
| 1853 |
Territorial Legislature passed laws creating Provo Canal and Irrigation Company and the Provo Manufacturing Company. |
| 18 Jun 1856 |
A sawmill constructed by John Mills and his son, Martin, began operation, sawing it's first logs. |
| Mid-1850s |
A two-story "seminary" building was constructed which was used as 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. |
| 1859 |
Judge John Cradlebaugh convened court in Provo to investigate alleged LDS crimes. |
| 1860-1861 |
Five schoolhouses were built, one for each district. |
| 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 1 year and then began his own. |
| 1863? |
The Dusenberry school became the Timpanogos Branch of the University of Deseret. |
| 21 Jan 1864 |
City council changed to a mayor, at least three aldermen, and five councilors. |
1866
|
Provo Fourth Ward chapel constructed.
|
Spring 1867
|
Construction of the first Utah County Courthouse was completed.
|
| 19 May 1869 |
The Transcontinental Railroad was completed. |
| abt 1870 |
The beginning of party politics in Utah. The People's Party and the Liberal Party both organized. |
| 22 Sep 1870 |
Federal troops raid Provo. |
| 1872 or 1873 |
First railroad reaches Provo. |
| 1 Aug 1873 |
First Provo newspaper, the Provo Daily Times, published. |
| 1875 |
J. W. Hooper built Provo Flour Mill at 500 North 200 West. |
| 1 Jan 1876 |
Warren Dusenberry appointed first principal for the first term of Brigham Young Academy. |
| 21 Aug 1876 |
Brigham Young Academy dedicated. |
| 18 Jan 1877 |
Ordinance increased the number of aldermen to four and the number 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. |
| |
Utah County silk industry organized. |
| 1881 |
Denver and Rio Grande Railroad reaches Provo. |
| 1883 |
Emily Clapp arrived in Provo and began a small Protestant school, the forerunner of the Proctor Academy. |
| Mar 1883 |
The Denver and Rio Grande Railroad was completed. The railroad ran from Denver to Salt Lake and route took it right through Provo. |
| 14 Jun 1883 |
First telephone service in Provo. |
| 13 Sep 1887 |
First long-distance phone service to Salt Lake City. |
| 18 May 1889 |
City council approved 20-year franchise allowing the Rocky Mountain Telephone Company 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. |
| 15 Dec 1890 |
Mayor John E. Booth and Provo City Council signed an ordinance creating the Provo City Fire Department. |
| 27 Feb 1891 |
American Baptist Church of Provo founded with fifteen members. |
| 1891 |
Provo Congregational Church incorporated. |
| 1892 |
First building of the Academy Square dedicated. |
| 1892 |
Small Episcopalian mission begun, the origins of St. Mary's Episcopal Church. |
| 1892 |
Office of alderman abolished. |
| 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. 1892 |
Schools were renamed:
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 store established in Provo. |
| 1896 |
Rio Grande Railway Company built branch line from Provo through Provo Canyon to Heber (Heber Creeper). |
| 3 Apr 1897 |
First meeting of the Seventh-day Adventists. |
| 1898 |
Maeser School built, replacing Webster School, which was sold off at that that time. |
| Jan 1901 |
Franklin School opened. |
| 1901 |
Provo Commercial Club begun to promote local businesses. |
| |
First cement sidewalks. |
| 1 Feb 1902 |
First postal delivery. |
| April 1902 |
The LDS wards' boundaries were altered with the creation of the Provo 5th and 6th wards. The 6th ward ward was created from parts of the 1st and 2nd wards and its boundaries were University to 500 West and Center street out to Utah Lake (most lived above 600 South, however). |
| 29 Nov 1902 |
Provo's First Church of Christ, Scientist incorporated. |
| 1 Oct 1903 |
Provo General Hospital opened. |
| 1905 |
City council approved an independent company receive a telephone franchise, greatly expanded phone service. |
| 1908 |
The Parker School building was constructed. This was demolished in 1938 and replaced by the Joaquin School. |
| 1908 |
The first Provo High School opened. This was located about where the Provo City Fire Department is now located off of Center Street in Downtown Provo. |
| 1909 |
Bell Telephone received another 20-year franchise, and it merged with the independent company. |
| 1912 |
A new Page School building was built. After some 40 years the school was closed and the building and real estate sold to BYU in 1958. The building was razed in July 1999 and replaced with a parking lot. |
| 1912 |
First year commission form of city government, as mandated by 1911 state law for cities, like Provo, of the 2nd class. |
| 1912 |
Utah Power & Light formed. |
| 1912 |
Provo High School established. |
| 6 Nov 1912 |
Groundbreaking for old BYU Women's Gym. |
| 20 Apr 1913 |
Pioneer Ward formed from the Provo 3rd Ward. |
| 1913 |
The Salt Lake & Utah R.R. reached Provo. |
| 1914 |
The Salt Lake & Utah R.R. was electrified. |
| 1915 |
First paving of Provo streets. |
| 1916 |
Orem Interurban Railroad extended from Provo to Payson. |
| 1917 |
Provo City Fire Department purchased its first motorized fire engine. |
| 1918 |
Serious fire damaged the Provo Woolen Mills, which never recovered. |
| Winter-1918-19 |
Influenza epidemic. |
| 1919 |
Work on the City-County Building began. |
| 1919 |
The first Provo High School building opened. This building was replaced by the new Provo High School in 1956. |
| Feb 1919 |
Provo's Congregational and Methodists merged to form the Provo Community Congregational Church. |
| 1923 |
The Proctor Academy was sold to the Elk's Lodge for their use. |
| May 1924 |
First zoning ordinance passed by Provo, the first Utah municipality to create a zoning commission and pass such a law. |
| 26 Jan 1926 |
City agreed to sell its share of the City-County building to Utah County. |
1926
|
Pacific States Cast Iron Pipe Company established. |
| 15 Dec 1926 |
City-County Building completed and dedicated. |
| 9 Feb 1929 |
Provo Motor Company, an auto dealership, opened at 145 North University Avenue. |
| 11 Feb 1930 |
Provo Flour Mill at 500 North 200 West completely destroyed by fire. |
| 1930 |
A vocational school began which held classes in various parts of Central Utah until 1941 when it was placed directly in the Provo School district to administer. |
| 1931 |
First services of St. Mark's Lutheran Church, part of the Missouri Synod. |
| 1931 |
Dixon Jr. High and Farrer Jr. High both opened. Although the facilities first opened at this time, classes for these grades had been taught by the High School staff in the "Jr. High building" near the old High School since about 1920. |
| 29 Jul 1935 |
First Cub Scout Pack in city begun by Provo Community Congregational Church. |
| Dec 1936 |
City's first Christmas parade. |
| 1938 |
Provo Provo Post Office dedicated at 90 West 100 North, north of the Federal Building. |
| 5 Aug 1938 |
Museum in Sowiette Park officially opened. |
| late 1930s |
With WPA assistance streets were paved, sewer lines extended and waterworks were built. |
| 1938 |
Original Timpanogos Elementary School was razed to make way for the next Timpanogos Elementary School. |
|
19 Feb 1939
|
The Utah Stake was divided creating the Provo Stake. The Provo Stake consisted of the Provo 1st, 5th, Manavu and Bonneville Wards. The Utah Stake retained the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 6th, and Pioneer Wards.
|
| 1939 |
A new Timpanogos Elementary School opened. |
| 1939 |
Joaquin School opened, replacing the Parker School. |
| 1939 |
First members of the Jehovah's Witnesses in Provo. |
Jan 1940
|
Provo City completed construction of their power plant and purchased the electrical distribution system from Utah Power and Light. |
| 26 Nov 1940 |
The City began a survey which showed the people wanted a garbage and refuse disposal system, which was implemented shortly thereafter. |
| 25 Nov 1941 |
Deer Creek Dam completed, providing a major water resource for Provo. |
| 1941 |
First meeting of the Church of Christ. |
| 1941 |
Deer Creek Reservoir completed. |
| 1941 |
The Utah Valley State College opened in south Provo's old fairgrounds and buildings previously occupied by the Civilian Conservation Corps (C.C.C.). |
| 1942 |
Assembly of God started. |
| 1942 |
Provo purchased 160 acres of land in south Fork of Provo Canyon, including water rights on that land |
| 1942 |
Mural completed in the Federal Building by Everett C. Thorpe entitled "Early and Modern Provo". The mural was funded by the Treasury Department's Section of Painting and Sculpture (not WPA).
|
| 1942 |
The City installed parking meters. |
| 1942 |
Provo City Commission cosponsored book called Provo: Pioneer Mormon City. |
| 11 May 1945 |
Church of the Nazarene organized with nine charter members. |
| 1946 |
Provo Bible Church organized, which in 1965 became the Evangelical Free Church. |
| 1946 |
Barbizon Manufacturing Company came to Provo. Initially located on the block bounded by 100 North and 200 North, 100 West and 200 West, they later had to construct a new building up on 1230 North. They facility was closed sometime prior to September 1980. |
| 1948 |
Regal Lanes bowling alley opened, initially with just 12 lanes. |
| Jun 1948 |
Berg Mortuary re-located occupying the old Knight Mansion on Center Street. |
| Jun 1948 |
Granite Furniture opened at the corner of 500 West and 1230 North. |
| 23 Jul 1948 |
First Baptist Church started (Southern Baptist). |
| 1949 |
Grandview Elementary School opened. |
| 1952 |
Deseret Industries opened a facility in Provo occupying first the "Blumenthal Building" on the corner of 500 West and Center Street. By 1965 they had constructed a new building for their operations. |
| 1952 |
The Regal Lanes bowling alley burned down and was rebuilt larger with 24 lanes. |
| 1954 |
The Utah Valley State College (later Utah Technical College) occupied it's north wing at a new location on North University Avenue. |
| 1955 |
Telephone company building at 99 East 100 North first occupied. |
| 8 Aug 1955 |
Close vote of city voters in favor of council-manager form of government. |
| Jan 1956 |
Council-Manager government implemented, with Harold Van Wagenen as mayor. |
| 1956 |
First informal meetings of Protestant ministers, known as the Utah Valley Ministerial Association. |
| 1956 |
JoLene Company opened on West Center Street. The company grew and later relocated to 350 South 1050 West. |
| 5 Mar 1956 |
Earl Udall appointed city manager. |
| 1956 |
The new Provo High School on North University Avenue opened. |
| 13 Apr 1960 |
Debate over relative merits of different forms of city government seen in The Daily Herald article "Provo Attains Real Progress in 4 Years of City Manager Government". |
| Jun 1961 |
Provo Post Office moved to 100 South 100 West. |
| 7 Nov 1961 |
City voters rejected city manager form of government in favor of return to city commission. |
| 19 Dec 1961 |
Verl Grant Dixon, who had strongly urged a return to the commission form of government, was chosen mayor in a special election. |
| Jan 1962 |
Verl Grant Dixon began first term as mayor. |
| 1963 |
The Central Utah Vocational School changed its name to Utah Trade Technical Institute. |
| 1965 |
Deseret Industries opened in a newly dedicated facility on North State Street. This remained in operation until they constructed another new facility in ???? just to the north. |
| Jan 1966 |
Verl Grant Dixon began second term as mayor. |
| 1967 |
The Utah Trade Technical Institute was renamed the Utah Technical College. |
| 13 Mar 1968 |
after receiving input from several citizen committees, the city commission voted to build a new municipal building on Center Street. |
| 20 Aug 1968 |
City voters approved propositions for general obligation bonds to pay for the new city building and additional city parks. |
| 1972 |
City government offices moved to the City Center between 300 and 400 West Center Street. |
| 1972 |
Provo City Housing Authority created. |
| Jul 1972 |
Provo City established the Redevelopment Agency to work on downtown parking problems. |
| Jun 1974 |
Master plan for Central Business District (CBD) completed. |
| 1974 |
$195,000 in federal redevelopment funds secured for construction of CBD improvements, must be spent by 1 Jan 1975. |
| Mar 1978 |
Immanuel Baptist Church started, but it ended in 1984 when its pastor left town. |
| 1979 |
Novell Data Systems was incorporated in Provo. The name was changed in 1983 to Novel Inc. |
| 1981 |
Harvest Bible Fellowship organized. |
| 1981 |
Victory Chapel, later renamed The Potter's House, started by Pastor Manuel Vallejos. |
| 15 Sep 1982 |
Investors in Hawaii buy Knight Block and make commitment for its renovation. |
| 7 Nov 1983 |
Fifteen downtown businesses had formal ribbon cutting ceremony for renovation project called Provo Town Square. |
| 1984 |
Utah County's first interfaith conference involving Mormons, Catholics, and Protestants held at the Waterford School. |
| 12 Jul 1984 |
Religious Freedom Rally held at Excelsior Hotel. |
| May 1985 |
Shriver's Clothing Store closed after 59 years of operation, then building purchased by investors in Hawaii. |
| 18 Jan 1986 |
J.C. Penny's at 85 West Center Street closed. |
| 1990 |
Provo City Fire Department under Chief Bill Blair celebrated its centennial with several community activities. |
| July 1999 |
Page School was razed and replaced with a parking lot. |
| 2002 |
Provo was one of the venues of the 2002 Winter Olympics, featuring the Men's and Women's Hockey competitions. |
| Nov 2004 |
Hotel Roberts, having closed the previous year, was razed. |
| 2006 |
Timpanogos Elementary school was demolished to make was for a new elementary school. |
| Spring-Fall 2006 |
Asen Balakchiev created the mural "History of Provo" along Freedom Blvd (200 West) just south of Center Street. |
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