Editing Chula Vista, California (section)

===Early history===
Fossils of aquatic life, in the form of a [[belemnitida]] from the [[Jurassic]], have been found within the modern borders of Chula Vista.<ref name=PSB2014 /> It is not until the [[Oligocene epoch]] that land life fossils have been found;<ref name=PSB2014 /><ref>{{cite news |last=Harper |first=Hilliard |date=June 28, 1987 |title=Finding Fossils in San Diego Area Easy as Kicking Rocks |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1987-06-28-me-245-story.html |work=Los Angeles Times |access-date=May 4, 2018 }}</ref> although [[Eocene epoch]] fossils have been found in nearby [[Bonita, California|Bonita]].<ref name=PSB2014 /> It is not until 10,000 years ago that human activity has been found within the modern borders of Chula Vista, primarily in [[Otay River|Otay Valley]] of the [[San Dieguito complex|San Dieguito people]].<ref name=PSB2014>{{cite web |url=http://sunnycv.com/southbay/exhibits/prehistoric.html |title=Prehistoric South Bay |author=<!--Not stated--> |date=2014 |website=SunnyCV |publisher=South Bay Historical Society |access-date=May 4, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180505135413/http://sunnycv.com/southbay/exhibits/prehistoric.html |archive-date=May 5, 2018 }}</ref> The oldest site of human settlement within the modern boundaries of Chula Vista, was named Otai by the Spanish in 1769, and had been occupied as far back as 7,980 years ago.<ref name=FP2017 /> Another place where humans first settled within the modern boundaries of Chula Vista was at the Rolling Hills Site, which dates back to 7,000 years ago.<ref name=FP2017>{{cite journal |editor1-last=Schoenherr |editor1-first=Steve |editor2-last=Orgovan |editor2-first=Harry |date=December 2017 |title=First People |url=http://www.chulavistaca.gov/home/showdocument?id=15931 |journal=South Bay Historical Society Bulletin |issue=17 |access-date=May 4, 2018 }}</ref>

In 3000 BC, people speaking the [[Quechan language|Yuman (Quechan) language]] began moving into the region from the [[Lower Colorado River Valley]] and southwestern [[Arizona]] portions of the [[Sonoran Desert]]. Later the [[Kumeyaay]] tribe came to populate the land, on which the city sits today, and lived in the area for hundreds of years.<ref name="CVH" /> The Kumeyaay built a village known as ''Chiap'' (or ''Chyap)'' which was located by mudflats at the southern end of South Bay.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Carrico |first1=Richard L. |date=Spring 2017 |title=Castigating the Insolent Ones: Native Resistance and the Spanish Military the Pa'mu Incident |url=https://sandiegohistory.org/journal/2018/july/castigating-the-insolent-ones-native-resistance-and-the-spanish-military-the-pamu-incident/ |journal=The Journal of San Diego History |volume=63 |issue=3 & 4 |pages= |doi= |access-date=September 8, 2024}}</ref>

[[File:José_María_Estudillo.jpg|thumb|left|[[José María Estudillo]] and the [[Estudillo family of California|Estudillo family]], a powerful [[Californio]] clan of Southern California, owned the majority of modern-day Chula Vista.]]
In 1542 AD, a fleet of three [[Spanish Empire]] ships commanded by [[Juan Rodríguez Cabrillo]], sailed into [[San Diego Harbor]]. Early explorations by Spanish [[conquistador]]s, such as these, led to Spanish claims of the land. The village of Chiap (known to the Spanish as La Punta) became a center of a [[Kumeyaay]] revolt against the Spanish in 1775, which was later abandoned by 1776.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Carrico|first=Richard|title=Kumeyaay History|url=https://www.kumeyaay.com/sociopolitical-aspects-of-the-1775-revolt-at-mission-san-diego-de-alcala.html|access-date=July 25, 2020|website=www.kumeyaay.com|language=en-gb}}</ref> The historic land on which Chula Vista sits became part of the 1795 land grant known as Rancho del Rey or The King's Ranch. The land eventually was renamed Rancho de la Nación.<ref name="CVH" />

After [[Mexican War of Independence|Mexico became independent from Spain]], what is now Chula Vista became part of [[Alta California]].<ref name="Perspective" /> Beginning in 1829, the land that is now Chula Vista was divided among [[Rancho Janal]], [[Rancho Otay]], [[Rancho de la Nación]] and [[Rancho Melijo|Rancho La Punta]]; these were owned by [[José María Estudillo]], José's sister Maria, [[John (Don Juan) Forster]], and [[Santiago E. Argüello]] respectively.<ref name="USD2004Otay" />

During the [[Mexican–American War]], California was claimed by the United States, regardless of the [[California Republic|California independence]] movement that had briefly swept the state. Though California was now under the jurisdiction of the United States, land grants were allowed to continue in the form of private property.<ref name="CVH" /> In 1873, the [[United States Army]] built a telegraph line between San Diego and [[Fort Yuma]] which ran through Telegraph Canyon in Chula Vista;<ref name=USD2004Otay /><ref>{{cite web |url=http://sunnycv.com/southbay/newsletter2.html |title=SBHS News . . . |last=Schoenherr |first=Steven |date=February 4, 2015 |website=SunnyCV.com |publisher=South Bay Historical Society |access-date=May 12, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150910131541/http://www.sunnycv.com/southbay/newsletter2.html |archive-date=September 10, 2015 }}</ref> its construction was under the command of Captain George F. Price of the [[5th Cavalry Regiment]] out of [[Fort McDowell, Arizona|Camp McDowell]].<ref>{{harvnb|Hamersly|1883|pp=136–140}}, {{harvnb|Price|1883|p=445}}</ref> In the 1870s and 1880s mining was done on Rancho Janal.<ref>{{cite report |author=Coast 2 Coast Environmental, Inc. |date=November 5, 2010 |title=Phase I Environmental Site Assessment |url=https://www.sandiegocounty.gov/content/dam/sdc/pds/ceqa/OtayRanchVillage13Resort/PDS2004-3810-04-002-DEIR-AppendixC10-Phase-I-ESA-AreaAandB.pdf |publisher=County of San Diego |access-date=May 12, 2018 }}<br/>{{cite web |url=http://sunnycv.com/steve/local/otay.html |title=Otay Valley |last=Schoenherr |first=Steven |date=October 29, 2004 |website=Schoenherr Home Page |publisher=South Bay Historical Society |access-date=March 4, 2020}}</ref>

The [[San Diego Land and Town Company]] developed lands of the Rancho de la Nación for new [[Human settlement|settlement]]. The town began as a five thousand acre development, with the first house being erected in 1887; by 1889, ten houses had been completed.<ref name="LATIMES">{{cite news |title=Chula Vista, County's 2nd Largest City, Has Problem With Image |author=Nancy Ray |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1986-05-26-me-7834-story.html |newspaper=[[Los Angeles Times]] |date=May 26, 1986 |access-date=March 19, 2011}}</ref> Around this time, the lemon was introduced to the city, by a retired professor from the [[University of Wisconsin]].<ref>{{cite news |last=Walter |first=Susan |date=November 26, 2011 |title=South Bay's juicy history |url=http://www.thestarnews.com/history-101/south-bay-s-juicy-history/ |work=Star News |location=Chula Vista, California |access-date=March 7, 2017 }}{{Dead link|date=January 2019 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}<br />{{harvnb|The Great Southwest|1889|p=4}}</ref> Chula Vista can be roughly translated from Spanish as "beautiful view";<ref name="CVH">{{cite web|title=Brief History of Chula Vista |url=http://www.chulavistaca.gov/About/history.asp |work=City of Chula Vista |publisher=City of Cula Vista |access-date=October 27, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101105084520/http://www.chulavistaca.gov/About/history.asp |archive-date=November 5, 2010 }}</ref> the name was suggested by [[Sweetwater Dam]] designer James D. Schulyer.{{sfn|Davis|Stringer-Bowsher|Krintz|Ghabhláin|2012}}

The 1888 completion of the dam allowed for irrigation of Chula Vista farming lands. Chula Vista eventually became the largest [[lemon]]-growing center in the world for a period of time.<ref name="CVH" /> {{as of|February 2019}}, the oldest surviving buildings in Chula Vista originate from around this time, including the Barber house, and the Cordrey house.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.chulavistaca.gov/residents/about-chula-vista/historic-homes |title=Historic Homes |author=<!--Not stated--> |website=About Chula Vista |publisher=City of Chula Vista |access-date=February 28, 2019 }}<br/>{{cite book|author1=Frank M. Roseman|author2=Peter J. Watry|title=Chula Vista|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=V0BJAh_7y_YC&pg=PA18|year=2010|publisher=Arcadia Publishing|isbn=978-0-7385-8016-6|page=18}}<br/>{{cite web |url=http://www.jewish-american-society-for-historic-preservation.org/images/Jewish_History_of_Chula_Vista_by_Steve_Schoenherr.pdf |title=Jewish History in Chula Vista |last=Schoenherr |first=Steve |date=July 29, 2012 |publisher=Jewish American Society for Historical Preservation |access-date=February 28, 2019 }}</ref> In 1889, the city became home to the first watch factory west of the [[Mississippi River]].<ref>{{cite news |last=Crawford |first=Richard |date=12 April 2008 |title=Watch factory in Otay never quiet lived up to billing |url=https://www.sandiegoyesterday.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/Otay-Watch-Company1.pdf |work=San Diego Union-Tribune |location= |access-date=13 September 2024 |via=San Diego Yesterday}}<br/>{{cite magazine |last=Schinto |first=Jeanne |date=6 May 1999 |title=Otay Watch Works and the famous Jessop clock downtown San Diego |url=https://www.sandiegoreader.com/news/1999/may/06/no-clock-forest/ |magazine=Reader |location=San Diego |publisher= |access-date=13 September 2024}}<br/>{{cite web |url=http://sunnycv.com/history/exhibits/otaywatch.html |title=Otay Watch Factory |last=Schoenherr |first=Steve |date=10 May 2017 |website=sunnycv.com |publisher=South Bay Historical Society |access-date=13 September 2024 |quote=}}</ref> Additionally, the [[Coronado Belt Line Railroad]] was built through Chula Vista, connecting [[Hotel Del Coronado]] with National City, where [[California Southern Railroad|Southern California Railroad]] terminated.{{sfn|Davis|Stringer-Bowsher|Krintz|Ghabhláin|2012|p=17}} Another railroad built through Chula Vista, was the [[National City and Otay Railroad]], which was routed down Third Avenue.<ref>{{cite journal |last=Schoenherr |first=Steve |date=August 2017 |title=Middle Broadway |url=https://www.chulavistaca.gov/home/showdocument?id=15383 |journal=South Bay Historical Society Bulletin |issue=16 |access-date=February 28, 2019 }}<br/>{{cite journal |date=July 2014 |title=Railroads of the South Bay |url=https://www.chulavistaca.gov/home/showdocument?id=12203 |journal=South Bay Historical Society Bulletin |issue=4 |access-date=February 28, 2019 }}<br/>{{cite book|author=William Ellsworth Smythe|title=History of San Diego, 1542–1907: An Account of the Rise and Progress of the Pioneer Settlement on the Pacific Coast of the United States ...|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=E20UAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA439|year=1907|publisher=History Company|page=439|isbn=978-0-598-28031-2}}</ref> During the [[Panic of 1893|depression at the end of the century]], industrial employment in Chula Vista was limited to the [[South Bay Salt Works|La Punta Salt Works]] and [[packing house]]s.{{sfn|Davis|Stringer-Bowsher|Krintz|Ghabhláin|2012|p=18}}