| 1860 |
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April 3 - Pony Express began service from St. Joseph, Missouri to San Francisco. |
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July 4 - The Mission Street Railroad began operation. |
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October 8 - Telegraph service between San Francisco and Los Angeles established. |
| 1861 |
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November - Pony Express ceased operations 19 months after it began. |
| 1862 |
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November 6 - Telegraph service between San Francisco and New York established. |
| 1863 |
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January 8 - Central Pacific Railroad construction began in Sacramento. |
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October - San Francisco Railroad (predecessor to CalTrain) opened for regular service to Palo Alto. Initial terminal at 18th and Valencia streets. |
| 1864 |
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January 16 - San Francisco Railroad line was completed to San Jose. |
| 1869 |
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May 10 - Union Pacific and Central Pacific Railroads connected in Promontory, Utah , creating a transcontinental railroad. |
| 1870 |
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October - San Francisco Railroad consolidated with Central Pacific Railroad into the new Southern Pacific. |
| 1873 |
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August 2 - Andrew S. Hallidie tested his first cable car system near the top of Nob Hill at Clay and Jones Streets. The next month the Clay Street line started public service. |
| 1876 |
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September 6 - Southern Pacific line connecting Los Angeles and San Francisco completed. |
| 1882 |
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May 16 - Chinese Exclusion Act passed. |
| 1912 |
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Southern Pacific Railroad terminal was built at Third and Townsend streets in anticipation of the 1915 Exposition. |
| 1915 |
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January 25 - First transcontinental telephone conversation by Alexander Graham Bell (New York) to Thomas Watson (San Francisco). |
| 1920 |
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March - First radio broadcasting station, 6UV operated by the Radio Telephone Shop at 175 Steuart Street , appeared. |
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July 29 - First transcontinental airmail flight from New York to San Francisco. |
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October 26 - Ocean Shore Railroad closed. |
| 1957 |
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January 17 - Bay Area Rapid Transport (BART) organization created. |
| 1964 |
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June 19 - Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) begins construction. |
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October 1 - Cable Cars declared a National Landmark. |
| 1972 |
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September 11 - BART carried its first passengers. |
| 1973 |
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June 23 - Fourth and Townsend Railroad terminal opened. |
