1776Government
Named for Saint John of Capistrano, San Juan Capistrano was founded by the Spanish in 1776, when Father Junípero Serra established Mission San Juan Capistrano.
1806Infrastructure
The centerpiece of the chapel restoration was its retablo, imported from Barcelona in 1806 and donated by the Bishop of Los Angeles.
1812Disaster
Extensive damage caused by an earthquake in 1812 caused the community to decline.
1833History
Following the Mexican secularization act of 1833, the mission village officially became a town and was briefly renamed as San Juan de Argüello.
1844History
In 1844, Don Juan Forster and James McKinley purchased the former Mission San Juan Capistrano at public auction.
1864History
Forster made his home there until 1864, when the mission was returned to the Catholic Church by President Abraham Lincoln.
1876Government
The It was considered an American town and incorporated into Orange County in 1876.
1910History
Padre O'Sullivan arrived in San Juan Capistrano in 1910 to recuperate from a recent stroke.
1940History
The 1940 hit song "When the Swallows Come Back to Capistrano", written by Leon René, is a love song inspired by this annual event.
1960Government
=== Climate ===
== Demographics ==
San Juan Capistrano was first listed as an unincorporated place in the 1960 U.S.
1961Government
San Juan was incorporated as a city on April 19, 1961.
1970Government
census as part of the South Coast census county division; and after incorporation, as a city in the 1970 U.S.
2007Education
In the 2007–08 academic year, San Juan Hills High School opened with about 600 freshman students.
2009History
From 2009 to 2017, the cliff swallows did not make their famous annual springtime return to Mission San Juan Capistrano, instead migrating to the Chino Hills, north of San Juan.
2017History
As of 2017, the swallows have returned home to Mission San Juan Capistrano and are still celebrated each year at the town's annual Swallows Day Parade and Mercado Street Fair.
2018Culture
In 2018, the town celebrated its 80th annual Swallows Day Parade and Fiesta de las Golondrinas (Spanish: Festival of the Swallows).
2021Architecture
Completed in 2021, it commemorates the history of the people called the Juaneño by the Spanish colonizers.
2022Culture
=== Top employers ===
According to the city's Comprehensive Annual Financial Report from June 30, 2022, the largest employers in the city are:
== Arts and culture ==
San Juan...
2023History
In 2023, the US Census Bureau estimated that the median household income was $127,893, and the per capita income was $60,670.