A Look into Stockton's Past

Pre Gold Rush

Native Americans lived in the Central Valley for thousands of years before the town of Stockton was built.  When Europeans arrived, they found the Yatchicumne, a group of Northern Valley Yokuts people, living in the Stockton area. The Yokuts built their villages on low mounds to keep their homes above floods. A Yokuts village called Pasasimas was located on a mound between Edison and Harrison streets on what is now the Stockton Channel in downtown Stockton.

Indian Encampment by Albert Bierstadt

The Europeans arrival in northern California forced many Native Americans into missions or exposed them to new deadly diseases. However, many Native American people still live in San Joaquin County today.

The discovery of gold on the American River, east of Sacramento, on January 24, 1848 caused Stockton to transform from a small settlement to thriving commercial center supplying miners heading up to the Sierra foothills. 

Captain Charles Weber

Gold Discovery and Early Development

The area now known as Weber Point is the same spot where Captain Weber built the first permanent residence in the San Joaquin Valley. Stockton has boasted several names over the years, including Tuleburg, Gas City and Mudville, but Captain Weber decided on Stockton in honor of Commodore Robert F. Stockton. Stockton was the first community in California to have an English name; every other community up until that point was Spanish or Native American in origin.

Weber Point Area - late 1890's

The city was officially incorporated on July 23, 1850, by the County Court, and the first city election was held on July 31, 1850.  In 1851, the City of Stockton received its charter from the State of California.  Early settlers included gold seekers from Asia, Africa, Australia, Europe, the Pacific Islands, Mexico and Canada.  Prior to the shift to agriculture as the main industry in Stockton, shipbuilding held sway after the Gold Rush until after World War II.

The Present

Rich peat soil and a temperate climate have combined to make the area around Stockton one of the richest agricultural and dairy regions in California. Throughout the 150 years of Stockton's history almost every major fruit, nut and field crop has been grown, some with greater success than others. Current major crops include asparagus, cherries, tomatoes, walnuts and almonds plus many other smaller-production orchard, row and feed crops.  Grapes amount to forty percent of the fruit and nut harvest and contribute 18% to the county's agricultural dollar.   Prize-winning wines are produced from vineyards north of Stockton, contributing to the international reputation of fine quality California wines.

The legendary Delta, created by the confluence of several rivers and many man-made channels-popularly known as 1,000 miles of waterways-is what in many ways defines Stockton and surrounding communities. Wildlife, irrigation, transportation and recreation all owe their existence and success to the muddy waters of the San Joaquin Delta. Stockton and environs have long been known in the entertainment industry as location-rich, both as fore and background.

Stockton has been culturally and ethnically diverse since its beginning as