1513 First European landing in Florida by Ponce de Leon
1539 Hernando de Soto explores Florida, marches through present-day Alachua County and crosses the Sante Fe River at Oleno Park.
1562-1565 French and Spanish build settlements in Florida
1565 Spanish found St. Augustine
1606 First Spanish missions in the areas started among the Potano Indians
1646 Spanish cattle ranch called La Chua begun on Paynes Prairie
1702 English raids destroy missions and decimate Indian population
1740s Creek Indians from Alabama and Georgia, later known as Seminoles, move into the territory
1763 Florida ceded to Britain
1774 William Bartram visits Alachua County and writes of it in his memoirs
1783 Florida returned to Spain
1812 Patriots War and Newnan's Battle in Alachua
1817-1818 First Seminole War and Florida campaign of Andrew Jackson
1817 Arredondo Grant gives most of present-day Alachua to Spanish merchant
1821 Settling of Micanopy by Edward Wanton. Florida ceded to the United States and becomes a territory
1824 Alachua County created, with boundaries from the Georgia border to Port Charlotte
1826 Bellamy Road, linking St. Augustine to Pensacola, finished
1828 County seat established at Dells, renamed Newnansville
1835-1842 Second Seminole War fought. Forts established in Alachua and many battles fought here
1845 Florida becomes a state
1853 County seat moved from Newnansville to newly created town of Gainesville
1856 First courthouse built
1857-1861 Madison Starke Perry, an Alachua planter, serves as governor of Florida
1858 Town of Archer incorporated
1859 The Florida Railroad reaches Gainesville
1861 Florida secedes from the Union
1864 Gainesville occupied by Union forces and skirmish fought
1864 Battle of Gainesville. Confederate J. J. Dickison routs Union forces
1865 Confederate Treasure Train (wagons) in Archer
1869 Gainesville officially incorporated
1871-1876 Josiah Walls of Alachua serves as the first African-American from Florida in Congress
1880s Orange industry prospers in county. Windsor, Melrose and Hawthorne enjoy a tourist boom
1881 Sante Fe Canal, connecting Waldo with Melrose, completed
1882 Dutton Cotton Ginnery, the largest producer of Sea Island Cotton in Florida, established.
1884 Major fire destroys north and west sides of the Gainesville square. City of Alachua founded on new railroad line and Newnansville becomes deserted.
1885 Second courthouse built
1886 Second major downtown fire on south side of Gainesville square
1888 Phosphate mining becomes a major industry.
1890s High Springs and Newberry founded. Yellow fever epidemic in Gainesville
1889, 1895 Severe freezes destroy county's orange industry.
1900 Gainesville Graded and High School built (later named Kirby Smith Center). County population is 32,000. Gainesville population is 3,633, making it one of the largest cities in the state
1906 University of Florida opens with two buildings and 102 students
1909 A.A. Murphree becomes second president of University of Florida. White House Hotel opens
1911 Post Office built
1914 World War I begins, stopping the overseas shipment of phosphate, dooming the industry
1917 First library opens. Boll Weevil destroys cotton production in county
1923 New high school built (Buchholz High)
1925 Gilchrist County formed from western part of county
1926 Dixie Hotel constructed (later finished as Seagle Building)
1928 Hotel Thomas opens. J. J. Tigert becomes president of University of Florida. First public hospital opened
1935 Gainesville airport constructed
1939 Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings' The Yearling wins a Pulitzer Prize
1942 Milton Lewis becomes first Alachua County casualty in World War II
1943 John Alison becomes war hero as flying ace
1946-7 Veterans enroll at University of Florida, increasing enrollment to 9,000. UF goes coed
1948 Main Street train discontinued
1950 City adopts quadrant system for street names
1956 UF medical center opens
1960 Old courthouse razed and replaced by modern structure. County population is 74,000, with Gainesville at 46,000
1963 Civic Action Association elects two candidates and controls City Commission
1964 New Post Office built. Interstate 75 opens and city expansion moves westward
1966 Sante Fe Community College established
1967 Veterans Administration Hospital opens
1968 Thomas Hotel closed and leased to Sante Fe Community College
1969 Neil Butler becomes the first African-American elected to the City Commission since Reconstruction. Butler becomes mayor in 1972.
1971 Gainesville voted the "All American City"
1972 Historic Gainesville, Inc., a preservation group, formed and saves the Thomas Hotel from destruction
1976 Thomas Center restoration undertaken
1977 Oaks Mall opens
1979 New Regional Airport opens
1980 Northeast Historic District approved. Gainesville population is 81,000 and the county's is 151,000
1983 Historic Preservation Ordinance enacted. North Florida Regional Hospital opens.
1986 University named to Association of American Universities. Enrollment hits 34,000
1987 First African American woman serves on City Commission
1990 Harn Museum opens, followed by Center for Performing Arts in 1991
1991 UF football team wins first SEC championship. New downtown library opens
1994 Money Magazine names Gainesville No. 1 Livable City in America
1996 UF football team wins national championship
2000 County population is 210,000, with Gainesville over 100,000