Stockton, California
Located in the state of California, Stockton is the 13th largest city of CA. Many of California's deltas, streams, and rivers form part of the Stockton region. Its Mediterranean climate and aesthetic beauty attracts several settlers and tourists to the city every year.
The city offers several museums and art galleries and of course the Asparagus festival is a huge attraction too. The varying rivulets flowing through the city transform it into a city of lights in the evening. The well structured hospitality industry ensures that from restaurants to pubs to hotels, everything is catered to.
Time your visits with the various festivals of the city or take a peek into the amazing sculptures and paintings that the city has to offer. If you have a love for music then Stockton will offer you a wide array of entertainment options from orchestras to theater.
Stockton is a great place to live in. There are intriquing options in entertainment, education, affordable living and many other benefits the city offers its residents. The city is known for its ambient social atmosphere and its lively residents.
Stockton History
The city of Stockton was founded in 1848; however, it was incorporated on July 23rd 1850. The city's first election was held on July 31, 1850 and in 1851, it received its charter from the state of California.
A captain by the name of Charles Maria Weber entered into a partnership with William Gulnae (who had taken a Mexican wife) and formed the city. The latter was born in New York while Weber himself was a German. Weber had applied for a land grant of eleven square leagues on which he formed the city.
Interestingly, the city was known by many names such as Tuleburg, Fat city, Mudville, etc. However, finally it was christened Stockton by Weber in memory of Commodore Robert F Stockton and was the first city in the Californian region to not have a name of Spanish origin.
The basic intent of the Stockton city was to cater to the needs of gold-seekers who were flocking to the area in high numbers in order to search for gold in the various river tributaries. Even today the point where the first house of the city was built has been preserved and is known as Weber Point.
The Holt manufacturing company played a huge role in the development of the city which was till then just a hubbub of gold seekers from Canada, Africa Asia, Europe and Mexico itself. In 1883, Benjamin Holt inaugurated the Stockton Wheel Co in partnership with his brothers and then went on to launch the Holt Manufacturing Company. The company tested its first tractor on Nov 24, 1904 and named it caterpillar.
While the waterways of the city were initially used only for navigation and angling, by the 19th century the city was being used as a port to transport agricultural products. Once the port was deepened and connected to the San Francisco bay in 1933 it began to enjoy a place of importance which rose even more during the Cold War.
The city lost some of its population once the Stockton's Naval Reserve Center on Rough and Ready Island was closed down. However, in the 1990s a new lease of life was offered to Stockton with mayor Gary Podesto renovating places of historical interest like the Bob Hope Theater, a new downtown marina and also the Stockton Ballpark.
About Stockton, California
The county seat of San Joaquin County, Stockton has a population of 291,707 according to the 2010 census and is said to be the 4th largest city in Central Valley. The city lies between Sacramento and Modesto and connects with the San Francisco Bay via the San Joaquin River. The city is located at the lowest point of the San Joaquin Valley and thus boasts of a wonderful lush green surrounding view.
Stockton covers an area of 64.8 square miles of which 4.76% is water. According to the 2010 census, the city's population is 37% White, while 12.2% of the people are African Americans. The Asians here are 21.5% and the Pacific Islanders are 20.7%. The Native Americans have been diminished to 1.1% in the city.
The economy of the city initially rested on agriculture, however lately one is able to see a clear shift towards industries like telecommunications and manufacturing. Companies like Duraflame, Pac-West Telecommunications and the Golden State Lumber Company have already set up base here since they find that the city is ideally located between San Francisco and Sacramento and the land prices are also dirt cheap.
The port of the city also enjoys a place of importance and is the largest receiver of wind turbines. The fact that the economy of the city is agricultural based and the sun and wind energies here are highly promising, combine to make this city a huge prospect for green energy technology.
The city offers a wide mix of entertainment options. The third oldest performing orchestra of California is still functional in the city and goes by the name of Stockton Symphony. The orchestra was set up in 1926 and is fully functional to date. Musicians like Gwen Stefani, Rob Zombie and Bob Dylan often perform in the city.
The Bob Hope Theater and the Stockton Empire Theater are both widely visited by locals and tourists alike. In fact, there are several movies that have been filmed in the city of such as All the Kings Men, Coyote, Raiders of the Lost Arc and Flubber.
The city is known for its many festivals of which the Asparagus Festival is most famous. However, there are others like Boat Parade, Earth Day Festival, Hmong New Year and the Jewish Food Fair that deserve special mention.
About San Joaquin County, California
Located in the Central Valley of the Californian state, San Joaquin County's seat is the city of Stockton. The county lies on the eastern side of the San Francisco Bay Area and is completely landlocked. The county was created in 1850 and is one of the original counties of California.
Covering an area of 1,426.25 square miles of which 1.89% is water, the San Joaquin County is said to have a population of 685,306 according to the 2010 census. The majority of 51% of the population here was White, while the African Americans were 7.6%. The Native Americans, Asians and Pacific Islanders comprised of the remaining percentage. The median income for a household in the county was $41,282 according to the census.
The county has been christened after the San Joaquin River and was named by Lieutenant Gabriel Moraga in the early 19th century. Apart from Stockton, the county also houses other cities like Lodi, Tracy, Ripon and Escalon. Kennedy, Garden Acres and Linden are some of the census designated areas of the county.
The county has Calaveras County on its east and the Alameda County on the west. The southern area is flanked by the Stanislaus County, while on the north is the famous Sacramento County. The San Joaquin River National Wildlife refuge is also part of the county and attracts several visitors year round.
The governance of the County is done by a five member board of supervisors. San Joaquin is also home to Diamond Foods (DMND) and Pacific State Bancorp (PSBC) and these commercial ventures support the economy of the county greatly. Some historical places of importance in the county are Bank of Italy, Fox California Theater, Hotel Stockton and also the Old Weber School. The county also offers a large variety of schools and houses 14 public school districts.