Timeline

1842

Rancho Arroyo de la Alameda grant to Don Jose de Jesus Vallejo

1853

County of Alameda created from parts of Contra Costa and Santa Clara Counties

1856

James and Lucy Shinn settle on east side of Alameda Creek, near Vallejo's Mills

1857

Vallejo grant confirmed by President James Buchanan, deed signed January 1, 1858

1863

Southeast portion of Rancho Arroyo de la Alameda acquired by Jonas Clark

1869

Central Pacific Railroad completes transcontinental railroad through Niles Canyon

1871

Shinn Nursery operation begun with stock from the Rock and Fox Nursery in San Jose

1877

Jonas Clark authorizes broker to sell Rancho Arroyo de la Alameda parcels, including to the Southern Pacific Railroad (200 ac.) and the California Nursery Company (400 ac.)

1884

Southern Pacific Railroad acquires Central Pacific Railroad and registers plat for Niles

1888

Sale of Shinn Nursery stock and goodwill to Trumbull and Beebe, San Francisco

1880's

James Shinn acquires prime agricultural land between Niles plat and the California Nursery Company. Crops include pear orchard, sugar beets and strawberry rhubarb

1891

Chautauqua Circle begins providing cultural events for over three decades in Niles

1898

Niles Improvement Club formed by Joseph Clark Shinn

1900

A.J. Mayhew and J.C. Shinn begin the Niles Water Company

1901

Suburban Electric Company brings its lines through Niles and Niles Railroad Depot built

1910

Western Pacific Railroad constructed through Niles Canyon,

1910

Niles has over 1,500 people, 3 churches, 3 hotels, the county bank, jail and courthouse

1911

Niles School District parcel on School Street bought from Shinns and Southern Pacific

1912

Niles Grammar School moves from Old Town to the New Town

1914

Niles Sanitary District formed

1921

Niles Chamber of Commerce is re-organized and provides leadership for locating the Veterans Memorial Building in Niles

1921

Laura Thane Whipple chairs a Niles Memorial Day event with luncheon, parade, band, tree planting, guns in the schoolyard and patriotic speeches. This lead to local veterans organizing Township Post No. 195, with a charter finalized in 1923.

1927

Veterans Memorial Halls in Alameda County funded by tax rate for county towns that can provide publicly owned or donated land for the construction of memorial buildings.

1927

Shinn family conditionally donates land for a Veterans Memorial Building in Niles

1928

Ford family donates Jane Clough Memorial Library for the people of Niles

1930

Niles Veterans Memorial Building is dedicated on May 30, 1930 as memorial to those who fought in World War I � to those who fell and to those who survived.

1930

E Street and Second Street constructed through pear orchards.

1937

Charter dinner for the new Niles Rotary Club held Dec. 9, 1937

1939

Niles Grammar School rebuilt to latest seismic standards, this time facing towards Second Street. Temporary classrooms take over part of the Veterans Memorial Building.

1942

Red Cross blood bank in the Niles Veterans Memorial Building during World War II

1951

Veterans Memorial Building at Niles expanded with a dining wing replacing former patio

2000

Siegel and Strain Architects, Emeryville, undertake seismic rehabilitation of the building, a cooperative effort by the County of Alameda and Fremont Redevelopment Agency