Timeline of Monrovia
The following is a timeline of the history of the city of Monrovia, Liberia.
19th century
- 1822
- April: Settlement of Christopolis established by the American Colonization Society in Pepper Coast area.
- Providence Baptist Church founded.[1][2]
- 1824 - Settlement renamed "Monrovia" named after United States president James Monroe.
- 1826 - Liberia Herald newspaper begins publication.
- 1839 - Monrovia Seminary founded.
- 1847
- June 25: Constitutional Convention held in Monrovia to discuss creation of the state of Liberia.
- July 26: Monrovia becomes part of newly formed Republic of Liberia.
- October 5: First Liberian general election held.
- Monrovia becomes seat of newly formed Montserrado County.
- 1853 - Photographer Augustus Washington in business.
- 1862 - Supreme Court building constructed.
- 1863
- Liberia College opens.
- Trinity Church consecrated.[3]
- 1867 - Masonic Order of Liberia organized in Monrovia.
- 1872 - January 1: Inauguration of Liberian president Joseph Roberts (second term).
- 1890s - Masonic Temple (Monrovia) built.
- 1892 - Arthur Barclay becomes mayor.
20th century
- 1904 - College of West Africa active.
- 1918 - Battle of Monrovia.
- 1920 - Population: 6,000 (estimate).
- 1940s - West Point settlement formed.
- 1940 - Population: 12,000.
- 1943 - Invincible Eleven football club formed.
- 1945 - Gbarnga-Monrovia highway constructed.[4]
- 1947 - Centennial Pavilion erected.
- 1948 - Freeport of Monrovia begins operating on nearby Bushrod Island.
- 1951
- Liberia Chamber of Commerce headquartered in city.
- University of Liberia active.
- 1954
- University's Louis Arthur Grimes School of Law opens.
- Monrovia Elementary School built.(de)
- 1956 - Nathan C. Ross becomes mayor.
- 1958 - Capitol building constructed.
- 1960 - Ducor Hotel in business.
- 1961 - September: Labor strike held.
- 1962
- Liberian National Museum established on Providence Island.
- Population: 80,992.
- 1964
- Executive Mansion (presidential residence) built.
- National Cultural Centre created in nearby Kendeja, Paynesville.
- 1965 - Temple of Justice built.
- 1970s - Saint Paul Bridge (Monrovia) built over Saint Paul River.
- 1970 - Population: 96,226.
- 1971 - John F. Kennedy Medical Center opens.
- 1974 - Seat of Montserrado County moved from Monrovia to Bensonville.
- 1976 - People's Bridge built over Mesurado River.
- 1977 - Liberian Center for National Documents and Records headquartered in Monrovia.
- 1979
- July: Organisation of African Unity meeting held at Hotel Africa in nearby Virginia.
- "Civil unrest."
- 1980
- April 12: 1980 Liberian coup d'état; president Tolbert assassinated in the Presidential Palace. Subsequent unrest occurs.
- Monrovia Black Star FC (football club) formed.
- 1981 - Liberian Observer newspaper begins publication.
- 1984 - Population: 421,053.
- 1986 - Samuel Kanyon Doe Sports Complex opens.
- 1990
- May 13: Barclay Training Center besieged on Capitol Hill during the First Liberian Civil War.
- July: Independent National Patriotic Front of Liberia "seized control in part of the capital."
- July: Massacre at St. Peter's Lutheran church in Sinkor.
- August 24: Peacekeeping forces of Economic Community of West African States Monitoring Group begin operating.
- September 9: Assassination of president Doe.
- 1997 - STAR radio begins broadcasting.
- 1998 - 1998 Monrovia clashes.
- 1999 - Red Cross Monument (Monrovia) erected on Broad Street.
- 2000 - Daily Talk news chalkboard launched.
21st century
- 2001 - Ophelia Hoff Saytumah becomes mayor.
- 2003
- April: Women of Liberia Mass Action for Peace begins demonstrating.
- July 18–August 14: Siege of Monrovia occurs during the Second Liberian Civil War.
- 2004 - October: "Riots in Monrovia."
- 2006 - July: Government "switches on generator-powered street lights in the capital, which has been without electricity for 15 years."
- 2008 - Population: 970,824 urban agglomeration.
- 2009 - Mary Broh becomes mayor.
- 2011 - Zolu-Duma-Bridge built.
- 2012 - Coconut Plantation settlement razed.
- 2013 - Henry Reed Cooper becomes mayor.
- 2014
- Ebola virus epidemic in Liberia occurs.
- Clara Doe-Mvogo becomes mayor.
- 2015 - George M. Weah becomes Senator of Montserrado County.
- 2017 - George M. Weah elected president.
- 2018 - First Presidential transition occurred since 1944.