Stockton: California's Sunshine Seaport
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| Stockton at Night1 |
ORIENTATION
The city of Stockton, the seat of San Joaquin County, is situated on prairie land at the mouth of the Stockton Slough, a 3 mi (4.8 km) arm of the Delta Waterway. In addition to creating scenic and leisure opportunities, this locale at the head of a navigable channel serves as a major shipping harbor for imported and exported goods and services. Having San Francisco 83 mi (134 km) west of the city and the state capital of Sacramento 45 mi (72 km) north creates the opportunity for day trips to these neighboring cities and their attractions. Largely because of its geography, Stockton is one of California’s fastest growing communities and ranks within the 15 largest cities in the state.
HISTORY
During the California gold
rush in the mid-1800s, horse drawn wagons, temporary dwellings, whiskey suppliers
and gold-hungry explorers littered the land. The hunt for gold was in full force
and consisted of travelers from all around the world seeking a quick and substantial
fortune. Initially, German immigrant Charles M. Weber joined the hunt for gold
in Northern California when he acquired close to 50,000 acres of land through
a Spanish land grant. Without much success at striking gold himself, Captain Weber
made his wealth by investing his efforts and dollars towards the supply and demand
of everyday living within the base camp. In taking these first steps he initialized
the transformation of a temporary camp into the beginning of a township. Although
several names were attributed to this township, including Tuleburg, Gas City and
Mudville, Captain Weber decided to honor Commodore Robert F. Stockton by using
his name for the pioneer community. The Commodore played a major role in the capture
of California during the Mexican-American War. Stockton was the first American
name to grace a California city, all other city names being of Spanish or Native
American origin. The city was founded in 1849 and on July 23, 1850, the County
Court granted incorporation of the City of Stockton, and eight days later a city
election was held. The area now known as Weber
Point was the first established residence that was built in Stockton.
Chuck
Wagon Wheels at Sunset
Although the gold that sparked Stockton's birth eventually ran out in Northern California, the adventurers who sought it stayed and shaped much of California's population and identity. Because Stockton was formed by a risk taking culture, its reputation today reflects that condition by encouraging risk and smiling on failure. This mentality is consistently evident throughout larger cities in California and portrayed in the glamorous Hollywood lifestyle.
California’s Central Valley provides a combination of temperate climate and nutrient rich land, making the area around Stockton one of the richest agricultural and dairy regions in California. Throughout Stockton's agricultural history almost every major fruit, nut and field crop has been grown, some with greater success than others. Today major crops include asparagus, cherries, tomatoes, walnuts and almonds as well as many other smaller-production orchards. The California wine industry contributes close to 20 percent of the agricultural exports in the United States, making grapes one of the largest harvested fruits in the state. Prize-winning wines are produced from vineyards north of Stockton and hosting the largest inland seaport in California gives Stockton ample opportunity for exporting its goods.
The rising cost of housing along the California coastline sparked a population boom in the late 1990s within the inland city of Stockton and the surrounding communities of Tracy and Manteca. Shortly after the millennium, the Stockton government began a major reconstruction of the downtown area, in part to compensate for the city’s sudden growth. This series of events boosted the economy and prompted travelers and potential residents to explore and rediscover the Stockton area.
CLIMATE
Stockton has a temperate Mediterranean climate with summer from May until September and winter from December until March. The average January temperature is 54ºF (12ºC), while July averages a toasty 93ºF (38ºC). A warm sweater or a light jacket is enough to keep warm during the winter season. Visitors traveling in May or June need to be prepared for an average of 7.5 in (109mm) of rain per month and should bring rainwear or an umbrella. In the evenings during the spring and summer months, a light Delta Breeze often blows in from the San Francisco Bay and winds its way through the delta waterways.
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| Yosemite National Park |
There are several routes and modes of transportation to choose from when planning
a trip to Stockton. Because of its central location and modern highway system,
Stockton is an easily accessible destination from just about anywhere in the
state of California.
If driving, Interstate 5 extends north-south through California to the Mexican
border by way of Sacramento, Bakersfield,
Los Angeles and San
Diego. State Route 99 forks off and parallels Interstate 5 and also
extends north-south, passing through the Stockton city limits. Traveling east-west,
Interstate 580 stretches from the coast at Richmond
to the outskirts of Stockton, where it becomes Interstate 205.
Traveling by train offers another option for tourists who seek a more relaxed
and scenic route. The Amtrak-San Joaquins train routes leads throughout the
state of California, stopping at varied locations and attraction, including
Kings
Canyon National Park and Sequoia
National Park. The route spans in a generally north-south direction
in central California linking Bakersfield and the Bay Area with stops in
Fresno, Stockton and Sacramento.
Amtrak motor coaches connect the San Joaquins to Reno
and Carson City, Nevada,
Redding, Red
Bluff, Yosemite
National Park,the Northwest California Coast including Eureka,
the Central Coast, San Luis
Obispo and Los Angeles in addition to many other locations in Southern
California.
Stockton
Metropolitan Airport currently serves the Stockton area and is located
on county land south of the city limits. The airport has been designated a Foreign
Trade Zone and is mainly used by manufacturing and agricultural companies for
shipping purposes. Some domestic passenger service is offered.
And last but not least, Stockton is also accessible via water. The Port of Stockton
provides travel to other port cities including Concord,
Oakland and Hayward
as well as a direct route to the Pacific Ocean along the San Joaquin River.
While in the city of Stockton several different choices for transportation are
available. Getting around by taxi or rental car are a good bet, as is using
the public transportation services of San Joaquin Regional Transit District
(SJRTD).
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| Skateboarder at Asparagus Festival2 |
FEATURED ATTRACTIONS
Stockton Asparagus Festival
The fourth weekend in April is reserved annually for the Stockton
Asparagus Festival, a three-day event-packed festival that celebrates
the agriculturally prestigious asparagus through vendors, food, song and dance.
While touring the festival, visitors will find two stages: Weber Point Stage
for big-name acts and the family stage for a more local feel. Close to 100 art
and craft vendors, as well as food and commercial vendors, offer unique gifts
and specialty foods and beverages. Each year a celebrity kitchen with local
chefs and celebrities share favorite asparagus recipes during spectator-friendly
cooking displays. All events are held in downtown Stockton, making the festival
easily accessible through public transit and by foot. Although public parking
is available, festival-goers are encouraged to find alternate methods of transportation.
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| Haggin Museum 3 |
Another day trip worth making is to the 70-year-old Haggin Museum. Visitors to this museum discover a combination of the history and accomplishments of past Stockton residents and can view noted artists works on display. Works from artists such as Albert Bierstadt, Rosa Bonheur and William-Adolph Bouguereau hang in the gallery portion of the museum. Some previous rotating exhibits include the Age of Armor Family Festival, which allows visitors to participate in hands-on medieval crafts while viewing combat situations and demonstrations. The museum also hosts events such as the Fine Art and Antiques Appraisal Clinic, which allows the public to come in with family heirlooms and flea market purchases and have them appraised by professionals. Summer art workshops offered at the museum establish another way for visitors to learn about art.
Clever Planetarium
Turn learning and education into fun while observing the night sky through a
telescope and participating in educational activities at the Clever
Planetarium. This science center is located at San
Joaquin Delta College and features a 33-ft (10-m) aluminum dome screen
that shows projections of the night sky from the planetarium telescopes. Visitors
can witness a star light show that condenses space and time, simulating all
the motions of planet earth over centuries in just a few short minutes. In addition,
every other Thursday, the Stockton Astronomical Society holds an open meeting
for interested individuals to attend, encouraging interest and general knowledge
in the sciences.
Other Attractions
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| Stockton Arena at Night4 |
Stockton
Civic Theatre is another attraction that should not be overlooked. The
theater is a regional showplace for performance art and it hosts six unique
plays per season.
Another way to learn and explore the Stockton area is on a relaxing San Joaquin
Delta River Cruise on Bay Breeze, a 250-passenger, high-speed catamaran, that
comes complete with a full bar, snacks and narration from a historian.
The city of Stockton is home to several well known higher educational institutions
including the University
of the Pacific, California
State University Stanislaus-Stockton and San Joaquin Delta College,
in addition to a variety of private and vocational schools. Aside from having
educational purposes, these universities and colleges are also venues for numerous
local musical, theatric and artistic performances as well as amateur sporting
events.
On a larger scale, professional
sports fans and concert-goers in the Stockton can stop in at the Stockton
Arena for a show. The arena seats 10,000 fans and hosts a wide range
of popular events, concerts, children’s shows and sporting events, including
the Stockton Thunder
Hockey Club games.
PHOTOS COURTESY OF:
- Ray Vaughn & Bryan Chan; Stockton at Night; Stockton, CA, USA
- Greater Stockton Area Chamber of Commerce; Skateboarder at Asgaragus Festival; Stockton, CA, USA
- The Haggin Museum; Haggin Museum; Stockton, CA, USA
- Ulmer Photo; Stockton Arena at Night; Stockton, CA, USA
