Pio Pico State Historical Park

Historical Timeline
Pio Pico State Historic Park

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The Family Genealogy of Pio Pico, the last Mexican Governor of California Historical timeline of the Pio Pico State Historik Park, Whittier, CA "Contact Us" information for the Pio Pico State Historic Park, Whittier, CA

"El Ranchito" Timeline
Important dates in the story of Pio Pico and his house.

1771Spanish missionaries found Mission San Gabriel.
1775Jose Maria Pico and Maria Estaquia Gutierrez, parents of Pio Pico, arrive in California with their parents as part of the DeAnza expedition.
1784145,000 acre Spanish land grant is given to Jose Manuel Nieto and includes what is now the current Pio Pico State Historic Park Property.
1801Pio de Jesus Pico is born on May 5 at Mission San Gabriel to Jose Maria Pico and Maria Estaquia Gutierrez.
1805

Pio Pico's family moves to San Diego where his father served at the Presidio.

1819

Jose Maria Pico dies in San Diego.

1821

Mexico becomes independent of Spain.

1822

News of Mexico's independence reaches California.

1826

Pio Pico is elected to the advisory assembly of the governor.

1832

Pio Pico becomes interim governor of California for 20 days.

1834

Pio Pico marries Maria Ygnacia Alvarado, niece to California Governor Alvarado and member of prominent Los Angeles family.

1835

Rancho Paso de Bartolo (8,894 acres) is granted to Juan Crispin Perez.

1845

Pio Pico becomes governor of California.

1846

Pio Pico escapes to Mexico when the Americans invade California.

1847

Andres Pico and the Californios surrender to John C. Fremont and sign the Capitulation of Cahuenga. California is surrendered to the Americans, and Pio Pico returns from Mexico.

1848

Treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo is signed.

Gold is discovered at Sutter's Mill.

Pio Pico begins purchasing Rancho Paso de Bartolo which he affectionately calls "El Ranchito" and where he will later construct his Mansion (adobe).

1850

California becomes the 31st State.

1853

Pio Pico builds his adobe "Mansion" on its current site.

1854

Maria Ygnacia Alvarado de Pico, Pio Pico's wife, dies on February 21st in Santa Barbara.

1867

A flood sweeps through the area, several rooms of Pio Pico's Adobe are washed away, and the San Gabriel River changes course to its present day course.

1870

Pio Pico constructs the Pico House, a grand brick luxury hotel in Los Angeles.

1876

Andres Pico, Pio Pico's brother, is found in street unconscious in Los Angeles and dies on February 14th.

1880

Pio Pico loses his hotel, the Pico House to the San Francisco Savings and Loan Company.

1883

Ranulfo Pico, one of Pio Pico's sons, is murdered.

Pio Pico conveys a deed for El Ranchito to Bernard Cohn, thinking it is a loan, but subsequent litigation leads to the loss of his property years later.

1884

Flooding destroys part of Pio Pico's Adobe and the home is extensively remodeled.

1892

Pio Pico is evicted from El Ranchito after losing a prolonged court battle to Bernard Cohn.

1894

Pio Pico dies a pauper in Los Angeles at his daughter's home on September 11th.

1898

The City of Whittier begins purchasing the property surrounding Pio Pico's Adobe for a water pumping facility.

1907

Harriet Russell Strong and other local Whittier citizens save Pio Pico's Adobe as a Historic Site.

1909

The House in the Early 20th CenturyCivic groups led by Harriet Russell Strong complete the first restoration of the Pico Adobe.

1917

Pio Pico Adobe and property is deeded to the State of California.

1927

Pio Pico site becomes one of the first State Historic Parks in California.

1944

The House in the 1940sExtensive restoration of Pio Pico Adobe is done by the State of California.

1987

Pio Pico Adobe is closed due to damage suffered in Whittier Narrows earthquake.

1993

A grassroots effort begins to raise monies to restore the Pio Pico Adobe and historic landscaping.

1994

Pio Pico Adobe is damaged further in Northridge earthquake.

1996

Los Angeles County Proposition A passes, which includes $2.5 million for the restoration of Pio Pico State Historic Park.

2000

Under the direction of the State of California, restoration work begins on the Pio Pico Adobe.

2002

Under the direction of the California Department of Parks and Recreation and the City of Whittier, reconstruction of the historic landscaping begins.

2003

Pio Pico State Historic Park re-opens to public after restoration on September 20, 2003.

 

 

  
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