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