 Stockton
California started when Captain Charles Maria Weber,
a German immigrant, decided to try his hand at gold
mining in late 1848, but soon discovered that serving
the needs of gold-seekers was a more profitable opportunity.
It was for this reason that he founded Stockton in
1849 when he purchased over 49,000 acres (200 km²)
of land through a Spanish land grant. 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
California 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.
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. The historical population diversity is reflected
in Stockton street names, architecture, numerous ethnic
festivals, and in the faces and heritage of a majority
of its citizens.
In
the past decade, Stockton California and the nearby
communities of Tracy, Manteca and Lodi have experienced
a population boom. This is largely due to thousands
of people settling in the area to escape the relatively
high cost of living of the San Francisco Bay Area.
This influx of new residents, however, resulted in
a sharp increase in the cost of living of Stockton,
although it is still significantly lower than any
Bay Area city of comparable size. |
