1880Railton moves National Headquarters from Philadelphia to St. Louis

1880George Scott Railton and the SevenHallelujah Lassies arrive in the U.S.

1881First American War Cry writtenand published in St. Louis 1885

Captain & Mrs. William Evans and Lieutenant Ed Gay open work ofThe Salvation Army in Chicago; first meeting conducted at Bush Temple(Chicago Ave. and Clark St.)

1880Salvation Army officially begins international work in India, Ireland, Australia and U.S.

1881Railton recalled to England

1885Princess Rink Chicago #1 Corps opens

1885First meeting of Indian National Congress (created to form platform for civic and political dialogue of educated Indians with the British Raj

1885First corps building built in Maquokata, IA

1880First convert under George Scott Railton and the Hallelujah Lassies: James Kemp, better known as ‘Ash Barrel Jimmy’ a homeless, helpless drunk found by police in a barrel,his hair frozen to the bottom. He was dragged this way to the police court and the night was ‘gloriously saved’ at an Army meeting.

1861-1865American Civil War

1865Slavery abolished in US; President Abraham Lincoln assassinated

1869First US trans-continental railroute completed

1877Queen of England proclaimed theEmpress of India

1880-1881War between British and Boers (Dutch-speaking farmers) in South Africa

1865The Christian Mission founded afterWilliam Booth holds a series of evangelisticmeetings in London’s East End

1868The East London Evangelist, which eventually becomes The Salvationist,is first published

1878The name “Salvation Army” is introduced after a conversation among William Booth, George Scott Railton and Bramwell Booth; the first corps flag is presented and brass instruments first used during a service

1878Lieutenant Eliza Shirleyand her parents begin theArmy’s work in Philadelphia

1884Major Thomas Moore secedesand forms ‘The Salvation Armyof America’; this results in similar splinter groups.

1884Women’s social work inaugurated

1884Moore copyrights the crest (with crown) forcing Booth’s Army to use an eagle in the crest in the USA until 1976.

1886President Grover Cleveland warmly receives a delegation of Army officers on the sixth anniversary of Railton’s landing

1888First Scandinavian corpsopen in Minneapolis,St. Paul and Chicago

1890William Booth’s In Darkest England and The Way Out published

1893First Christmas relief program held at Princess Rink Chicago #1 Corps; over 5,000 people fed

1897Salvage programs start in the Central Territory

1896Ballington Boothleaves Army to form “Volunteers of America”

1894-1895Japan defeats China

1898Spanish-AmericanWar Starts

1886William Booth makes first visit to US; speaks publicly in Jackson, MI

1886Bombing at Haymarket Squarein Chicago; seven policemen killed, many others injured

1884First commissioned band in US at Grand Rapids Citadel Corps. Case De Blond first convert in Grand Rapids, named Drum Major

1899The Penny Ice Program helps needy families buy the amount of ice needed for one day (25-pound block)

1900Salvation Army active in 36 countries; first extensive Emergency Disaster work performed after Galveston, TX hurricane

1901First Home and Hospital serving unwed mothers opens in St. Louis

1904First fresh air camp purchased in Glen Ellyn, IL (a large farm and big house 22 miles west of Chicago on the DuPage River). Wealthy Chicago men (later becoming first Advisory Board) would bring mothers and children out to camp

1911Mabel Broome, first Central Territory African American commissioned; she became a soldier in the Chicago #3 Corpsand is buried in Glen Oak Cemetery in the Salvation Army section

1918Central Territory “doughnut girls” Helen Purviance andthe McAllister sisters among 109 women, 132 men sentto France during WWI to nurse the wounded, write letters for the injured, sew and mend, sing songs and offer prayers at the grave sides of fallen soldiers

1920Tilt Mansion in Chicago purchased by Salvation Army; School For Officer Training officially created

1912William Boothpromoted to Glory

1917Order of the Founder instituted, award for those Officersand Soldiers who give “exemplary service”; Salvation Army“doughnut girls” serve WWI troops in France

1920Salvation Army Bands first appear in Pasadena Rose Bowl Parade

1921Sunbeams inaugurated

1900-1901Boxer Rebellionin China

1903Orville and Wilbur Wright fly first plane (powered, controlled, heavier-than-air) at Kitty Hawk, NC

1906Muslim League is formedin India

1908Henry Ford introducesModel-T car

1910The Union of South Africa becomes independent from Britain

1922Howard Carterdiscovers King Tutankhamen’s tomb

1927The Jazz Singer, first “talkie” movie released

1929Stock Market crashes, Great Depression starts

1932Japan invades Manchuria(Northern China)

1946First Harbor Light opens in Chicago, IL

1941Japan attacks Pearl Harbor,U.S. enters WW II

1938Kristallnacht pogrom (series of coordinated deadly attacks) start against Jews throughout Nazi Germany, Austria

1947Partition of India and independence from British rule

1921Chinese Communist Party forms

1926Milwaukee Citadel Corps first to have Girl Guard troop in Central Territory

1912The Qing dynasty collapses in China; republican government established

1907Home League inaugurated in London; starts in the US in 1913

1907Army responds with service after the San Francisco earthquake

1924Camp Wonderland founded in March 1924; officially opened July 4, 1924, by Brigadierand Mrs. Richard Wiseman. The 60 acres of field and woods cost $21,000; first campwas for crippled children

1907The first Territorial Staff Band formed in Chicago by Colonel John Thomas Fynn; 17 musicians led by Bandmaster William Broughton

1920First annual Chicago Staff Band thanksgiving concert led by Bandmaster J. Arthur Fynn

1920Mahatma Ghandi launchesNon-cooperation Movement

1914-1918World War I

1920Central Territory officially created and Department of the West disbanded

1925Glen Oak Cemetery plots first used; a section becomes official cemetery for the Central Territory; 13 officers and Salvationists were moved there from other cemeteries during first five years

1925Emergency Lodge for families opens in Chicago, IL

1928International Training College cornerstone laid

1941International Headquarters destroyed in London blitz during WWII

1929First High Council held; Edward Higgins elected General

1930Salvation Army active in 82 countries

1933Commander Evangeline Booth conducts a Congress in Chicago

1935First Central Music Institute held

1938First official Doughnut Day celebration held

1948Salvation Army becomes charter member of World Council of Churches (a global inter-church organization)

1947Tree of Lights started by Major Olin Brigman in St. Louis

1947Brengle Institute starts

1941The Salvation Army, National Traveler’s Aid Association, National Catholic Community Service, the Jewish Welfare Board, Young Men’s Christian Association (YMCA) and Young Women’s Christian Association (YWCA) together start the United Service Organizations (USO)

1941Order of Distinguished Auxiliary Service instituted (award for exceptional service rendered to the Army by non-Salvationists who’ve helped further its work)

1914Panama Canal Opens

1917U.S. Declareswar on Germany,enters WWI

1919-1933U.S. Prohibition

1948United Nations establishes Israeli independence; official State of Israel formed

1948Apartheid introduced in South Africa

1950-1953Korean War

1963President John F. Kennedyassassinated

1964-1975Vietnam War

1949Mao captures Beijing, founds People’s Republic of China

1949Annual Territorial Bible Leadership Institute starts; now known as Central Bible Leadership Institute (CBLI) 1950

Salvation Army active in 92countries

1953Prison Toy Lift Program started by Captain Raymond Cameron at Green Bay, WI Reformatory

1958Scandinavian Department becomes its own division in the Central Territory

1959Hispanic Ministrystarted by CorpsTreasurer RaulGuerrero at theChicago Temple Corps

1963New International Headquarters opened by Queen Mother Elizabeth

1965International Centenary Congress held in London to celebrate 100 years of service

1960New two-year training program implemented at the College for Officer Training; as a result, no cadets were commissioned in 1961

1952Queen Elizabeth II becomes Monarch of Commonwealth realms

1952Eva Perón, Argentina’s beloved First Lady and “Spiritual Leader of the Nation,” dies at age 33

1949NATO established

1964Civil Rights Bill signed

1967-1970Civil War in Nigeria

1968Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. assassinated

1969Astronaut Neil Armstrong walks on moon

1989Fall of theBerlin Wall

1989Violent suppression ofTiananmen Square protestsin China

1982Central Territory Historical Museum dedicated at the College for Officer Training; in 1994 the Museum moved to Territorial Headquarters at 10 W. Algonquin in Des Plaines.

1984First ever Hispanic Leadership Institute held in Chicago

1991“Desert Storm”(first Iraq war)

1988Major Patrick McPherson (then disaster coordinator in Heartland Division) organizes, launches the Salvation Army Team Emergency Radio Network (SATERN)

1988Korean Ministry started by Majors Paul & Anna Kim (now the Chicago Mayfair Community Church)

1979Iran hostage crisis

1979Boys Adventure Corps started by the Central Territory

1976Mao dies; Chinese Cultural Revolution ends

1976First woman admitted to Chicago Staff Band—Peggy (Paton) Thomas

1976International crest(with the crown) reinstated in US

1965Last issue of the Scandinavian Division’s Stridstropet published on August 28, 1965

1971First issue of Central News (now Central Connection) published

1970Salvation Army active in 71 countries (many closures occurred 1950-1970 due to advance of Communism)

1981Salvation Army withdraws from World Council of Churches

1995Marriedwomenofficers now receive their own rank

1992New USA National Headquarters opens in Alexandria, VA

1991UK Territory separated from International Headquarters

1990Salvation Army active in 91 countries; after fall of Berlin Wall, Army work commences and recommences in several formerly Communist countries

1989Holy Land tour program starts for officers

1994Nelson Mandela becomes president of South Africa

1997Hong Kongreverts to China

1999Kosovo War

2003Second war in Iraq starts

2004Huge tsunamidevastates Asia;200,000 killed

2008Fidel Castroresigns as Cuba’spresident

2010Earthquake (7.0 magnitude) devastates Haiti, 200,000 killed

2011“Arab Spring Movement” topples several Middle East governments

2013Pope Benedict XVI becomes first pope to retire since 1415; Pope Francis I elected

2014Ebola epidemicin West Africa

1998Envoys Steve & Latdavanh Kounthapanya open first Laotian Corps in Central Minneapolis

2005Army serves with distinction after Hurricane Katrina

2015Salvation Army active in 126 countries, celebrates 150 years of service

2005Eastern Europe Command designated a Territory

2004New International Headquarters building opens

2001Salvation Army recognized for distinguished service at World Trade Center and Pentagonfollowing 9/11 attacks

2006“I’ll Fight Day” started by Eric Himes in Metro Division as way for young adults to share the Gospel through practical acts of kindness; he later takes it to theTerritorial level in 2008

2009First Kroc Center opens in the Central Territory in Omaha, NE; Joan Kroc left $1.5 billion to the Army for the development of Kroc Centers across the country

2010Pathway of Hope program starts 2015

THQ moves to Hoffman Estates

1986First issue ofThe Salvationist, an international Salvation Army magazine, is published

1977William Himes becomes first layman (and longest serving) Chicago Staff Band bandmaster; retiring in 2015, Himes served for 38 years

1977Men’s Social Services officially changes to Adult Rehabilitation Centers; originally called The Salvation Army Industrial Department