Historical "Timeline"
Pio Pico State Historical Park

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

Jose Maria Pico dies in San Diego.

Mexico becomes independent of Spain.

News of Mexico's independence reaches California.

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

Pio Pico becomes interim governor of California for 20 days.

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

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

Pio Pico becomes governor of California.

Pio Pico escapes to Mexico when the Americans invade California.

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.

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).

California becomes the 31st State.

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

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

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.

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

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

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

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.

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

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

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

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

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

Civic groups led by Harriet Russell Strong complete the first restoration of the Pico Adobe.

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

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

Extensive restoration of Pio Pico Adobe is done by the State of California.

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

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

Pio Pico Adobe is damaged further in Northridge earthquake.

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

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

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

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