Stockton History Timeline

Stockton History Timeline

Stockton History Timeline. The first humans that settlled by the riverbankls and creeks in the Stockton region were numerious Native Indians, including tribes of the Yokuts, Sierra Miwok and Valley indians, who lived, gathered and hunted in and about the waterways of the San Joaquin regional delta, using them for both transportation and food. The northern part of the San Joaquin Valley also was southern termination of the Siskiyou Trail, consisting of a foot trail dating back centries that led through the Northern Sacramento Valley, up over the Cascade Mountains, and on toward Oregon.


  • Second County Courthouse

    2,400 BC - People of the Early Horizon Period
  • 1,000 BC Penutian Language Stock People - Yokuts, Miwoks, Wintons
  • 1533: Two ships landed at Baja in La Paz Harbor, local residents killed 20 and ships retreated
  • 1535: Hernando Cortes led expedition to La Paz, established small colony
  • 1540: Sea expedition led by Hernando de Alarcon up Gulf of California to mouth of Colorado River, became first Europeans on California soil
  • 1542: Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo became the first European to explore California, landed at San Diego, discovered Catalina Islands, sites of San Pedro and Santa Monica and Santa Barbara Channel Islands
  • 1579: Sir Francis Drake landed north of San Francisco Bay, claimed the territory for England
  • 1669: Gaspar de Portolb, governor of the Californias, led an expedition up the Pacific coast, established California's first mission on San Diego Bay
  • 1769: Sargeant Jose Ortega discovered entrance to San Francisco Bay
  • 1772: First Spanish Explorers
  • 1776: Presidio of San Francisco and Mission Dolores founded
  • 1811: Padre Narcisco Duncan trip to the delta
  • 1812: Russian fur traders established Fort Ross
  • 1812: Mexico won independence from Spain, became California's new ruler
  • 1822: California officials recognized a Mexican government
  • 1826: Native Americans attacked Mission San Francisco Solano
  • 1826: Jedediah Strong Smith
  • 1827: Jedediah Smith
  • 1832: John Work
  • 1839: John Sutter
  • 1841: Charles Weber visits present day Stockton
  • 1844: Weber granted citizenship
  • 1846: Stockton name first heard
  • 1847: Weber had a village site surveyed
  • 1848: Gold discovered at Sutter's sawmill in Coloma
  • 1848: Weber built first store in Stockton
  • 1849: California Gold Rush began; California became U. S. property with Treaty of Guadalupe
  • 1849: Fire devastated San Francisco
  • 1849: First steamer arrives in Stockton
  • 1849: Entire block of Stockton business district burned
  • 1850: California became 31st state
  • 1850: First Stockton newspaper published; Stockton Times
  • 1850: Town council finalized
  • 1850: July, 23 Stockton is incorporated
  • 1851: First theatre performance
  • 1851: Fire department organized; Weber Engine Company
  • 1852: State insane asylum constructed
  • 1852: Telegraph lines completed
  • 1854: First San Joaquin County Courthouse completed
  • 1869: First Western Pacific train arrived
  • 1893: San Joaquin County jail built
  • 1906: Holt built first gasoline engine tractor
  • 1906: Bank of Stockton high rise building completed
  • 1910: Hotel Stockton completed
  • 1911: Stockton diverting canal completed

    • El Dorado School
  • 1912: Fire department purchased first truck
  • 1916: El Dorado school constructed
  • 1898: First Railroad depot built
  • 1891: Second San Joaquin County Courthouse completed
  • 1901: Stockton Chamber of Commerce organized
  • 1921: KWG Radio started
  • 1924: Santa Clara's College of The Pacific started
  • 1928 Stockton population; 56,000
  • 1925: Civic Memorial Auditorium
  • 1927: City Hall added to the new Stockton Civic Center
  • 1933: First ocean vessel, the S.S. Daisy Gray arrived at the Port of Stockton
  • 1942: All local Japanese sent to Rohor Arkansas
  • 1960: College of the Pacific changed its name to the University of the Pacific
  • 1972: New Delta College constructed
  • 1983 Downtown Stockton became the headquarters of the nations largest savings and loan institution

Jan 29, 2011

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