Interactive Timeline of Events
    

1850 A pristine valley - source: Sierra Club First European-American enters Hetch Hetchy Valley. 1882 Spring Valley Water Company Directors source: SF Public Utilities Commission San Francisco contemplates making Hetch Hetchy Valley into a reservoir. 1890 President Harrison source: Library of Congress President Harrison establishes Yosemite National Park, including the Hetch Hetchy Valley. 1891 Logging in the Sierras source: Sierra Mountain Times The National Forest Reserve Act is passed, preventing exploitation of wilderness. 1901 The reservoir - source: Sierra Club Mayor James Phelan files for water rights in Hetch Hetchy, which is denied. 1903 President Roosevelt source: Library of Congress President Roosevelt endorses Pinchot's conservationist stance. 1905 John Muir - source: PBS John Muir launches an 8-year campaign against the damming. 1906 San Francisco devastation source: SF Virtual Museum The great San Francisco earthquake occurs. 1908 Chief engineer O'Shaughnessy source: SF Virtual Museum San Francisco gets authorization to explore development in the valley. 1913 O'Shaughnessy Dam construction starts source: SF Public Utilities Commission President Wilson authorizes the Raker Act after many hearings in Congress. 1923 Hetch Hetchy Reservoir source: Missouri University of Science & Technology The O’Shaughnessy Dam is completed and the valley is flooded.