-
1769
Portola’s expedition first sights San Francisco Bay. -
1775
The Battle of Lexington begins the American Revolution.Lt. Juan Manual de Ayala of the Royal Spanish Navy sails into the bay onthe San Carlos, the first European ship to enter. He anchors in the covethat now bears his name, and spends over a month charting the bay. -
1836
Richard Henry Dana, a sailor on the Alert, visits Angel Island, in a search forwood for the ship. He described this visit in his classic Two Years Before TheMast. The island is used by ships as a source of wood and water; it is oftenknown as “Wood Island”. -
1850
President Fillmore declares Angel Island a federal military reserve.Quarrying begins on the east side of Angel Island. -
1863
The threat of a Confederate attack on San Francisco Bay causes the U.S.Army to begin strengthening the defenses of San Francisco Bay.Construction of artillery batteries begins on Angel Island, on Point Stuart,Point Knox, and Point Blunt. The new post on the west side of the island isnamed Camp Reynolds, in honor of Major General John F. Reynolds,commander of I Corps, Army of the Potomac, who was killed on the firstday of the battle of Gettysburg, July 1, 1863. -
1864
Mark Twain, reporter for the San Francisco Call, accompanies GeneralIrwin McDowell, Union commander at the First Battle of Bull Run andcurrently commander of the Department of the Pacific, on a tour of AngelIsland. -
1900
Batteries Ledyard, Wallace and Drew are constructed on the southwestside of Angel Island, replacing the older batteries, now obsolete.The post on Angel Island is named Ft. McDowell by the War department, inhonor of General Irwin McDowell. -
1901
The Detention Camp at Quarry Point is turned into a Discharge Camp forsoldiers returning from the Philippines. A new detention camp is built on Pt.Simpton, between China Cove and the Discharge Camp. -
1917
The United States enters World War I. Ft. McDowell processes troops beingsent to the Pacific. Enemy aliens are detained at the Immigration Station. -
1941
The crew of the Columbus leave Angel Island for a camp in New Mexico.The United States enters World War II. A processing center for prisoners ofwar is opened at the former Immigration Station (now North Garrison).Fort McDowell is made part of the San Francisco Port of Embarkation,which also includes the Oakland Army Base, Fort Mason and CampStoneman.A searchlight unit of the 216th Coast Artillery is stationed on Mt. Ida for antiaircraftdefense. Over 13,000 soldiers were processed for -
1944
The first contingent of the Woman’s Army Corps to be stationed on AngelIsland arrives.Men of an Italian Service Unit (former Italian POW’s) are assigned to AngelIsland. -
1945
Germany surrenders in May.Japan surrenders in September, ending WWII.The first one thousand veterans return to Angel Island from the PacificTheater. A “Welcome Home” sign with letters sixty feet tall is erected on thesouth side of the island where it can be seen from troop ships returningfrom the Pacific. The resources of Ft. McDowell turn to processing menreturning from the war in the Pacific. -
1946
The last Japanese prisoner of war leaves Fort McDowell for Japan.The number of returning veterans diminishes rapidly. Fort McDowell is closedin August, and all personnel and property are removed to CampStoneman. Angel Island is declared surplus by the War Department. -
1954
The army builds a Nike missile base on Angel Island, as part of the antiaircraftdefenses of San Francisco.Thirty-seven acres of the island, the Ayala Cove area, are granted to theCalifornia State Park Commission. -
1962
The Nike base closes, and the missiles, now obsolete, are removed from theisland.The entire island, except for the Coast Guard facility on Point Blunt, is turnedover to the state of California for use as a state park.
