Editing Sunnydale (section)

===Prior to Buffy's arrival===
Long before humans settled the area, a Hellmouth existed at the site of the future town of Sunnydale.

In ancient times, a magic [[scythe]] was used at the site of the Hellmouth "to kill the last pure demon that walked upon the Earth." After this, the scythe was hidden, and its last guardian remained, waiting in a pagan temple that would somehow remain unnoticed for centuries.<ref>"[[End of Days (Buffy episode)|End of Days]]" (7.21).</ref>

Centuries later, the [[Navajo people|Navajo]] and [[Chumash (tribe)|Chumash]] peoples lived in this area along with one or more groups of [[monk]]s and [[friar]]s who also settled there.<ref>Navajo (Diné) people are mentioned in "The Glittering World" in ''[[Tales of the Slayers]]''. Chumash are mentioned in "Pangs" (4.08). One group of monks were mentioned by the ancient guardian in "[[End of Days (Buffy episode)|End of Days]]" (7.21); a possibly different group in "Pangs" (4.08).</ref> As in general Californian history, these friars are assumed to have been Spanish Franciscans, who arrived in California in the late 18th century.<ref>Spike and Andrew journey to a different mission in "[[Empty Places (Buffy episode)|Empty Places]]" (7.19).</ref> In 1812, there was an [[earthquake]] in the Sunnydale region that caused a cave-in during which an entire [[Spanish missions in California|mission]] was lost; the very existence of the mission was soon forgotten. (The [[La Purísima Mission|Mission La Purísima Concepción]], originally sited near Point Conception and relocated to [[Lompoc]] would fit this description.)<ref>"Pangs" (4.08).</ref>

[[Richard Wilkins (Buffy the Vampire Slayer)|Richard Wilkins]] arrived in California in the late 19th century, looking for gold. He founded Sunnydale (after considering the alternate names "Happydale" and "Sunny Acres") in a demon infested valley after a Navajo Slayer died there <ref>"The Glittering World", in ''[[Tales of the Slayers]]''</ref> in 1899. He made a pact with the demons to found a town atop the Hellmouth for them "to feed on", in return for the promise of immortality by becoming a pure demon himself. Wilkins became Mayor of Sunnydale.<ref>"[[Enemies (Buffy the Vampire Slayer episode)|Enemies]]" (3.17).</ref>

In the 1930s, there was at least one more major earthquake in Sunnydale. This caused a cave-in that swallowed up the [[Master (Buffy the Vampire Slayer)|Master]] and his lair, as well as the Satanist temple on Kingman's Bluff.<ref>Episode 6/22, "Grave." Giles explains to Anya how Willow proposes to destroy the world and specifically refers to the temple as Satanist. There is a Satanist symbol on the top of the temple's steeple.</ref> (The date of this earthquake is given as either 1932 or 1937, although it is possible these were two distinct quakes.)<ref>In "The Harvest" (1.02), Willow refers to an earthquake in 1937 which "swallowed half the town", including the Master's lair. In "Grave" (6.22), Anya says that the temple on Kingman's Bluff was "swallowed up in the big earthquake of '32". It is possible they are referring to two different earthquakes, but it is also possible that one of them is simply misstating the date.</ref>

Sometime in the 1980s or 1990s, Richard Wilkins was again elected mayor, now under the name of "Richard Wilkins III", and served more than one term.<ref>"[[Enemies (Buffy episode)|Enemies]]" (3.17). A sign saying "Reelect Mayor Wilkins" is visible; since no election is currently being held, this indicates a past re-election bid.</ref>

By the 1990s, Sunnydale appeared to have become a typical town on the California coast, with a popular mayor, a police force that Principal Snyder describes as "deeply stupid,"<ref>Episode 2/22, "Becoming, Part 2."</ref> and a local newspaper (the ''Sunnydale Press''<ref>It can be seen in "[[Never Kill a Boy on the First Date]]", "[[Reptile Boy]]", "[[Becoming, Part One]]", "[[Bad Girls (Buffy the Vampire Slayer episode)|Bad Girls]]", "[[Consequences (Buffy the Vampire Slayer episode)|Consequences]]", "[[Graduation Day, Part One]]", "[[Hush (Buffy the Vampire Slayer episode)|Hush]]", and "[[Once More, with Feeling (Buffy episode)|Once More, with Feeling]]".</ref>). However, Mayor Wilkins had instructed the police to cover up any supernatural or mysterious violence occurring in the city and had directed Principal Snyder to conceal supernatural violence occurring at Sunnydale High.<ref>In "Lovers Walk" (3.08), Wilkins refers to having covered up Spike and Drusilla's rampages during season two. Snyder and the police chief discuss these coverups in "I Only Have Eyes for You" (2.19). Wilkins and Snyder discuss it in "Graduation Day, Part 1" (3.21).</ref>

==== Mystic artifacts ====
At some point in Sunnydale's history, the following mystic artifacts were hidden throughout the town's cemeteries and perhaps elsewhere:
* the du Lac Cross (found in "[[What's My Line (Buffy the Vampire Slayer)#Part one|What's My Line, Part One]]")
* some, but not all, of the scattered remnants of the [[Judge (Buffyverse)|Judge]] (found and reassembled in "[[Surprise (Buffy the Vampire Slayer)|Surprise]]"); other pieces were found elsewhere and shipped to Sunnydale
* the Glove of Myhnegon (found in "[[Revelations (Buffy the Vampire Slayer)|Revelations]]")
* the Amulet of Balthazar (found in "[[Bad Girls (Buffy the Vampire Slayer)|Bad Girls]]")
* the Gem of Amara (found in "[[The Harsh Light of Day (Buffy the Vampire Slayer)|The Harsh Light of Day]]")