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Stockton, California

"Sunrise Seaport"
California's first inland deep-water port and a Gold Rush boomtown, Stockton weathered bankruptcy and reinvention while remaining the agricultural heart of the Central Valley.
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Founded 1849 | Population 326,977 | Peak 326,977 (2024) | County San Joaquin County

Top 10 Most Important Events for Stockton, California

1
2012Largest City to File Bankruptcy: Crushed by pension obligations and the housing crisis, Stockton filed for Chapter 9 bankruptcy — the largest U.S. city to do so, setting nationwide precedent.
2
1849Gold Rush Founding: Captain Charles Weber founded Stockton as a supply hub for Gold Rush miners, making it one of the first incorporated cities in California.
3
1989Cleveland Elementary School Shooting: A gunman killed five children and wounded 32 others. The tragedy led directly to California's assault weapons ban.
4
1933Deep Water Channel Opens: The ship channel connected Stockton to San Francisco Bay, making it an inland seaport critical for agricultural exports.
5
2019Guaranteed Income Experiment: Mayor Michael Tubbs launched SEED, giving 125 residents $500/month. The experiment became a national model studied by dozens of cities.
6
1870Railroad Hub Established: The Central Pacific Railroad made Stockton a major junction connecting the Central Valley to Sacramento and San Francisco.
7
1906Agricultural Powerhouse: Stockton and San Joaquin County became one of the world's most productive agricultural regions.
8
1942Stockton Assembly Center: The fairgrounds served as an assembly center for Japanese Americans being relocated to internment camps, housing over 4,000 people.
9
2008Foreclosure Capital: The housing crisis devastated Stockton, which ranked as America's foreclosure capital with property values plummeting 60%.
10
1851Great Stockton Fire: A massive fire destroyed most of the young city's buildings, highlighting the vulnerability of Gold Rush-era construction.
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Population Over Time

0 81,744 163,489 245,233 326,977 1860 1880 1900 1920 1940 1950 1960 1970 1980 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024

Latest News in Stockton

News articles will appear here as they're published.

Complete Historical Timeline

1849 Government
Charles Weber founds Stockton as Gold Rush depot
1850 Government
Stockton incorporated
1851 Disaster
Great fire destroys much of the city
1870 Transport
Central Pacific Railroad makes Stockton a junction
1933 Engineering
Deep Water Ship Channel opens
1942 Civil Rights
Japanese Americans interned at fairgrounds
1951 Culture
University of the Pacific moves to Stockton
1970 Social
Southeast Asian refugee communities established
1989 Crime
Cleveland Elementary shooting kills five children
2000 Government
Population booms as Bay Area commuters arrive
2008 Business
Housing crisis makes Stockton foreclosure capital
2012 Government
City files for Chapter 9 bankruptcy
2015 Government
Stockton exits bankruptcy
2019 Government
SEED guaranteed income experiment launches

Did You Know?

1
Stockton was named after Commodore Robert F. Stockton, who helped conquer California — even though he never visited the city.
2
San Joaquin County produces over $3 billion in crops annually, making it one of the most productive in the world.
3
Stockton's guaranteed income experiment inspired over 100 similar pilot programs nationwide.
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