1850’s  First Portuguese whalers arrive from the Azores in Monterey Bay, and

later Half Moon Bay.

1860’s - 1880’s  Portuguese anchovy and sardine fisherman, boat builders, and later dairymen arrive from the Azores to settle in Marin County.

1880  Portuguese account for 23 percent of the total population of Sausalito, one half of which are involved in dairy ranching.

1886  First record of the “Festa do Espírito Santo” being held at António Lourenço’s shop on Caledonia Street, Sausalito.

1888  The original Portuguese Hall is completed on Filbert Street, and the IDESST is officially formed.

1895  The Marin County Dairymen’s Association was formed by Portuguese dairymen and IDESST members to protect their interests. The first president was Manuel Freitas.

1904  The IDESST Hall is formerly incorporated with the California Secretary of State.

1905  Manuel T. Freitas forms the Portuguese-American Bank of San Francisco and serves as its first President.

1957 - 1958  The Capelinhos volcano erupts, and earthquakes continue to rock Pico and São Jorge through 1964. JFK introduces a bill in the Senate to allow refugees from Azores, the “third wave” of Portuguese emigration to the U.S. from the Azores continues through the early 1970’s.

1988  The centennial of the founding of the IDESST is celebrated. 

2016  The IDESST added a DBA name of Sausalito Portuguese Cultural Center. IDESST remains the legal incorporated name under the State of California.

SOURCES:

Sausalito News, various articles from June 17, 1886 through June 14, 1919

The Portuguese Shore Whalers of California, 1854—1904,Portuguese Chamber of Commerce of California (Now PHP), 2002

The Holy Ghost Festas, PHP, 2002

The Portuguese Presence in California, Eduardo A. Mayone Dias, Ph.D., PHP, 2009

The Portuguese Californians- Immigrants in Agriculture, Alvin R. Graves, Ph.D., PHP, 2004

Capelinhos: A Volcano of Synergies—Azorean Immigration to America, Tony Goulart (Coordinator), PHP, 2008