| The following is a chronological list of events as depicted in the original Watchmen comic book series and related material as written by Alan Moore and illustrated by Dave Gibbons. |
1873[]
- Moe Vernon is born. He will one day open Vernon's Auto Repairs in New York City. Robert Mason, father of future Nite Owl, Hollis Mason, will begin working for him. (Under the Hood)
1916[]
- March 11th: Robert Mason and Eleanor Mason give birth to Hollis Mason.
1924[]
- Edward Morgan Blake is born. He will one day become known as The Comedian.
1928[]
- The Mason family leaves Montana and relocates to New York City, New York. (Under the Hood)
- Robert Mason begins working for Vernon's Auto Repairs off Seventh Avenue in New York City. (Under the Hood)
1930[]
- Hollis Mason enjoys the various knick-knacks and gramophone music in Moe Vernon's office sanctuary. (Under the Hood)
1931[]
- Beatrice Vernon begins having an affair with her husband's business partner, Fred Motz. (Under the Hood)
1933[]
- Beatrice Vernon clears out her husband's bank account and takes off for Tijuana with her lover, Fred Motz. (Under the Hood)
- Moe Vernon commits suicide.
1938[]
- Hollis Mason graduates from the New York Police Academy. (Under the Hood)
- June: Hollis Mason reads a copy of Action Comics #1. (Under the Hood)
- October 14th: Hooded Justice beats up some mobsters and leaves them in an alley. News of the event is reported in the New York Gazette. Hooded Justice becomes the first-masked vigilante. (Under the Hood)
1939[]
- Hollis Mason becomes a uniformed officer for the New York City Police Department. (Under the Hood)
- The Silhouette exposes an amoral publisher who had been trafficking in child pornography. The incident made headlines and ultimately paved the way for her invitation into the Minutemen. (Before Watchmen: Minutemen 2)
1945[]
1946[]
- June: It is publicly revealed that Ursula Zandt is a lesbian. To avoid negative PR, the Minutemen are forced to vote her out of the team (4:2).
- November 12th: The Liquidator tracks down Ursula Zandt and her lover Gretchen Slovak to a motel room and murders them. (Under the Hood)
- November: Silk Spectre murders the Liquidator to avenge the death of Ursula Zandt. His body is left in a bathtub.
1955[]
- Hooded Justice goes missing. (Watchmen 1)
1962[]
- Hollis Mason retires as the Nite Owl.
1966[]
- Nelson Gardner forms the Crimebusters. Members include The Comedian, Doctor Manhattan, Nite Owl II, Ozymandias, Silk Spectre II, and Rorschach.
1974[]
- Nelson Gardner is decapitated in a car accident. (Watchmen 1)
1977[]
- July: A group of kids discover a naked woman's corpse in alley; another victim of The Bard. (Before Watchmen: Rorschach 3)
- July 11th: Rorschach continues to bust up Rawhead's various crime circles and gets into two armed altercations with his men, one of which is at the Paradise Inferno night club. (Before Watchmen: Rorschach 3)
- August 3rd: The Keene Act is passed, which prohibits costumed adventures from being active without government oversight.
- The Crimebusters disbands as a result of the Keene Act.
1981[]
- The Rockefeller Military Research Center is established. (Watchmen 1)
1985[]
- October 11th (Friday): Adrian Veidt breaks into Eddie Blake's apartment and murders him by throwing him out the window. (Watchmen 1)
- October 12th (Saturday): Rorschach learns about the murder of the Comedian and investigates his apartment. He recovers his costume, body armor and his blood-smeared badge.
- October 13th: Rorschach goes to Happy Harry's and tries to get information relating to Edward Blake's murder. He gets nothing of use.
- October 13th: Rorschach visits Dan Dreiberg to inform him of the Comedian's death.
- October 13th: Rorschach visits Adrian Veidt at his office penthouse to inform him of the Comedian's death.
- October 13th: 8:30 pm. Rorscach breaks into the Rockefeller Military Research Center to inform Doctor Manhattan and Laurie Jupiter of the Comedian's death.