Timeline
1746
José Antonio Yorba was born in San Sadurni de Noya, Spain.
1769
July The Gaspar de Portola Expedition explored the area we now call Orange County. José Antonio Yorba was a member of this expedition.
1776
November 1 Father Junipero Serra celebrated a mass officially marking the founding of Mission Jan Juan Capistrano.
1801
August 4 Bernardo Yorba, the son of José Antonio Yorba, was born in San Diego.
1810
July 1 Juan Antonio Yorba and his nephew, Juan Peralta, received from the Spanish government a land grant of 62,512 acres known as Rancho Santiago de Santa Ana. The towns of Olive, Orange, Villa Park, Santa Ana, Tustin and Costa Mesa were later developed from this acreage.
1825
January 16 José Antonio Yorba died.
1834
August 1 Bernardo Yorba received from the Mexican government a land grant of 13,328 acres, known as Rancho Cañon de Santa Ana.
1835
Bernardo Yorba began building his adobe home, the Rancho San Antonio. It was demolished in 1927. A monument is located on Esperanza Road, about one-half mile east of Imperial Highway.
1848
February 2 The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo was signed, formally transferring the territory of California from Mexico to the United States.
1850
September 9 California became the thirty-first state to enter the union.
1858
Bernardo Yorba established the Yorba Cemetery, the oldest private cemetery in Orange County, predated only by the Mission Cemetery in San Juan Capistrano. It is located in Woodgate Park.
November 20 Bernardo Yorba died.
1889
March 11 The County of Orange was created. Orange County’s population was about 19,000.
1902
The Anaheim Union Water Company completed work on the Yorba Reservoir. It was drained in 1969.
1907
Fullerton pioneer Jacob Stern formed a partnership and acquired Rancho Canon de Santa Ana land for the purpose of developing a townsite.
1908
The Janss Investment Company bought from Jacob Stern part of the land that made up the Rancho Cañon de Santa Ana. They named the area “Yorba Linda” and began selling it by the acre in 1909.
1909
December 6 The Articles of Incorporation of the Yorba Linda Water Company were filed.
1910
The first orange and lemon trees were planted in Yorba Linda.
1911
Yorba Linda’s population was about thirty-five. The Pacific Telephone and Telegraph Company installed telephone service in Yorba Linda.
Yorba Linda’s first school was built. It is located at 4866 Olinda Street.
1912
August 12 Yorba Linda’s first post office was established.
The Yorba Linda Citrus Association was organized.
The Southern California Edison Company installed electric service in Yorba Linda.
The Pacific Electric Railway Company built a depot in Yorba Linda.
Yorba Linda’s first church, the Yorba Linda Friend’s Church, was built. It is located on School Street.
1913
January 9 Richard M. Nixon was born in Yorba Linda.
February 10 The Yorba Linda Chamber of Commerce was organized.
May 2 The Yorba Linda Library opened. It was located in a room in the Yorba Linda School, which was located on School Street.
John Whedon planted Yorba Linda’s first Fuerte avocado trees.
1914
March 3 The Yorba Linda Library District was established.
1915
Troop 99, the first Boy Scout troop in Orange County, was organized in Yorba Linda.
The Susanna Bixby Bryant Ranch house was built. It is located at 5700 Susanna Bryant Drive.
1917
Yorba Linda’s first road was paved. It was Yorba Linda Boulevard.
The Yorba Linda Star began printing.
The Yorba Linda Public Library opened its first building.
1920
Yorba Linda’s population was about 350.
1929
June 29 The Yorba Linda Citrus Association’s wood-framed packinghouse was destroyed by fire.
1930
May 3 The Yorba Linda Citrus Association’s packing house, located at 19200 Yorba Linda Boulevard, reopened.
1953
January 20 Richard M. Nixon was inaugurated as the 36th Vice President of the United States.
1958
Brea considers annexation of Yorba Linda.
1959
January 2 The Yorba Linda County Water District, which replaced the Yorba Linda Water Company, was formed.
1960
Yorba Linda’s population was 1,198 (1960 U.S. Census).
New Library building of 6,000 square feet dedicated. It was one story tall and the entrance was located on Lemon St.
1963
Voters reject attempt by Anaheim to annex Yorba Linda.
Placentia attempts to annex Yorba Linda
1967
November 2 Yorba Linda incorporated. Yorba Linda’s population was 11,433.
1968
January 20 Richard M. Nixon was inaugurated as the 37th President of the United States.
1970
The Library’s book collection stood at 55,000 books. A second addition was built, creating a building with three floors. Twenty thousand square feet were added.
1971
Yorba Linda contracts with the Brea Police Department for services.
1972
City adopts the General Plan, a blueprint for municipal development.
1974
August 9 Richard M. Nixon resigned as President of the United States.
1976
Proposition 13 voted in, causing austerity throughout governments.
1980
Yorba Linda population was 28,254 (1980 U.S. Census).
1985
July 1 The Yorba Linda Library District merged with the city of Yorba Linda.
1989
The schools of Placentia and Yorba Linda unify as one district.
SAVI Ranch Center built.
Friends of the Library wrote their Articles of Incorporation.
1990
July 19 Opening of the Richard M. Nixon Library & Birthplace.
Yorba Linda’s population was 52,422 (1990 U.S. Census).
The third and last addition of 4,000 square feet was added to the Yorba Linda Public Library building. There were now two entrances: on Imperial Hwy and on Olinda St.
1994
April 22 Richard M Nixon died.
Yorba Linda Community Center opens.
1997
November 15 Dedication of the Susanna Bixby Bryant Ranch Museum and Botanic Garden.
2000
Yorba Linda’s population was 58,918 (2000 U.S. Census).
2003
Yorba Linda’s population was 62,678 (California Department of Finance).
2004
Yorba Linda’s population is about 63,991 (California Department of Finance estimate).
2005
Yorba Linda’s population is about 65,382 (California Department of Finance estimate).
2006
Yorba Linda’s population is about 66,974 (California Department of Finance estimate).
2007
April 4 Yorba Linda High School ground breaking.
Construction started for train track overpass for Imperial Hwy.
July 11 The privately owned Richard Nixon Library and Birthplace transitions to the Richard Nixon Library and Museum, becoming a federally operated Presidential Library.
Berm wall project on Esperanza Road finished.
Placentia-Linda Hospital celebrates 35 year anniversary.
Yorba Linda declared top in nation with a median household income of $121,075.
Water agency to fluoridate Yorba Linda’s water.
2008
Yorba Linda’s population is about 68,312 (California Department of Finance estimate).
Freeway Complex Fire in November.
2010
Yorba Linda’s population is 64,423 (from the U.S. Census Bureau).
2011
Yorba Linda’s population is 65,689 (from the U.S. Census Bureau).
2012
Yorba Linda’s population is about 66,420 (from the U.S. Census Bureau).
Freeway Complex Fire in November.
2013
Yorba Linda’s population is about 67,032 (from the U.S. Census Bureau).
Freeway Complex Fire in November.
Last year that Yorba Linda contracts with Brea Police Department for services.
2014
Yorba Linda begins contract with the Orange County Sheriff’s Department for police services.
2016
Ground breaking for a new Town Center. It will consist of over 125,000 square feet of theater, grocery, clothing, and restaurant uses centered around an open space “commons.” It will be bound by Yorba Linda Blvd, Imperial Hwy, Main St, a newly created street, Lemon Dr, and Lakeview Ave.
The City of Yorba Linda, the Yorba Linda Public Library and the Yorba Linda Department of Parks and Recreation are working to design and construct two new facilities that will house the new library and a new arts-related space in the vacant lot behind Stater Brothers market at Lemon Dr.
