| 1851. | Mariposa Battalion discovered Yosemite Valley from Inspiration Point, March 25. Name “Yosemite Valley” applied. |
| 1855. | J. M. Hutchings organized first party of sightseers to enter Yosemite Valley. |
| 1856. | “Lower Hotel”, first permanent structure, built by Walworth and Hite at base of Sentinel Rock. |
| 1858. | Cedar Cottage built; still in use. |
| 1864. | Yosemite Valley and Mariposa Big Trees granted to California as a State park. |
| 1868. | John Muir made his first trip to Yosemite. |
| 1871. | Conway started work on Four-Mile Trail to Glacier Point. Finished in 1872. |
| 1874. | Coulterville Road built to Valley floor. Big Oak Flat route completed to Yosemite Valley. |
| 1875. | Wawona Road built to floor of Yosemite Valley. |
| 1876. | Sentinel Hotel built. |
| 1881. | Tunnel cut through Wawona Tree. |
| 1882. | Tioga Road constructed. John Conway built Glacier Point Road. |
| 1890. | Yosemite National Park created October 1. |
| 1891. | Capt. A. E. Wood, first park superintendent, arrived with Federal troops to administer park, May 17. Headquarters at Wawona. |
| 1899. | Camp Curry established. |
| 1900. | Holmes Brothers, of San Jose, drove first automobile (a Stanley Steamer) into Yosemite over the Wawona Road. |
| 1906. | Yosemite Valley and Mariposa Grove receded to United States. Superintendent’s headquarters (Maj. H. C. Benson, superintendent) moved to Yosemite Valley. |
| 1907. | Yosemite Valley Railroad opened for travel to El Portal. Visitors, 7,102. |
| 1913. | Automobiles admitted to Yosemite Valley. |
| 1914. | Civilian employees replaced military in administration of park. Visitors, 15,154. |
| 1915. | Stephen T. Mather purchased Tioga Road; presented it to Federal Government. |
| 1916. | National Park Service Act passed August 25. |
| 1917. | Stephen T. Mather made Director of the National Park Service. Glacier Point Hotel built and opened. |
| 1919. | First airplane landed in Yosemite Valley, May 27, Lt. J. S. Krull, pilot, alone. |
| 1920. | Construction started on All-Year Highway up Merced Canyon. Visitors, 68,906. |
| 1923. | Hikers’ camps installed. Visitors, 130,046. |
| 1924. | New administration center and village developed. |
| 1925. | Yosemite Park & Curry Co. formed by consolidation of Curry Camping Co. and Yosemite National Park Co. Park visitors, 209,166. |
| 1926. | All-Year Highway completed and dedicated July 31. |
| 1927. | Ahwahnee Hotel opened by Yosemite Park & Curry Co. The second largest travel year in park history—490,430 visitors. |
| 1930. | Reconstruction of log cabin in Mariposa Grove to house Museum of Big Trees. Park visitors, 458,566. |
| 1931. | Construction of 4,233-foot tunnel through Turtleback Dome for new Wawona Road. |
| 1932. | Wawona basin of 14 square miles added to the park. New Wawona Road and tunnel completed. Big Trees Lodge constructed. Largest travel year in park history—498,289 visitors. |
