Guarulhos was founded on December 8, 1560 by the Jesuit priest Manuel de Paiva and entitled Nossa Senhora da Conceicao. Its origin is linked to five other small villages that were in charge of defending the boundaries of Sao Paulo de Piratininga Village against the Tamoios, a wild tribe of Indians that lived in that region.
In the 16th Century, Guarulhos was a strategic location: bordered the future Sao Paulo’s Capital and surrounded by the rivers Tiete (south), and Cabucu (east). On that same period was established, for similar purposes, Sao Miguel Village, called nowadays Sao Miguel Paulista District.
In 1880, Guarulhos was emancipated from Sao Paulo and named Nossa Senhora da Conceicao dos Guarulhos. Its current name, Guarulhos was adopted later, after the enactment of the law # 1.021, on November 6, 1906.
The early twentieth century the City was remarked by the settlement of railroads and the power electricity system (Light & Power C.O.), by numerous requests for the implantation of a telephone System, industrial buildings permits, by commercial activities and public transportation.
During the 30’s the city witnessed the actions of the Federal Intervention, and the Constitutional Movement (Reflections of the Revolution that marked the end of the "Old Republic" during the 30’s in Brazil).
In 1940 the Monteiro Lobato Municipal Library is founded, in 1941 the first Health Center of the city, and ten years after that the Holy House of Mercy of Guarulhos is established. On that decade arrive in the municipality Industries from different sectors: electricity; metallurgy; plastics; food; rubber; footwear; vehicles; clocks and leather.
In 1945 the Sao Paulo’s Air Base (BASP) was transferred from the Campo de Marte, a little airport in Sao Paulo, to Cumbica neighborhood in Guarulhos.
In 1958 the Rotary Club establishes a branch in the city.
In 1963 The Commercial & Industrial Association of
