Stockton

Stockton, a city and the county seat of San Joaquin county in central California, U.S.A., at the head of the Stockton channel of the San Joaquin river, about 48 m. S.E. of Sacramento. Pop. (1900), 17,506, of whom 4057 were foreign-born; (1910 census) 23,253. It is served by the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe, the Western Pacific and the Southern Pacific railways, and has also a considerable river trade with San Francisco. It is at the head of regular navigation on the river; at high water boats occasionally go to Hills Ferry, 150 m. beyond Stockton. The channel has been much improved by the Federal government since 1877. Stockton has a perfectly level site, broad streets and a regular plan. In the city are a good public library, the San Joaquin county law library, St Agnes academy, St Mary's college, a children's home (1896; under the Ladies' Aid Society), St Joseph's home (1899) for the aged, and St Joseph's hospital (1899), both under the Sisters of St Dominic, the Pacific hospital, a county hospital and a state hospital for the insane (1851). Situated in the great valley of the San Joaquin, in the midst of a rich agricultural region, it is one of the largest grain, vegetable and fruit markets of the West. It manufactures flour, lumber, agricultural machinery and implements, &c. Its factory product in 1905 was valued at $8,029,490, or 45.3% more than in 1900. Stockton rose into prominence in the early mining days. A settlement named Tuleberg, later called New Albany, stood on the city site in 1847; its future was precarious when the discovery of gold insured its prosperity. In the spring of 1849 a town was laid out and the present name adopted in honour of Commander Robert Field Stockton who with Colonel John C. Fremont and General Stephen W. Kearny had gained possession of California for the United States during the war with Mexico. In 1850 Stockton became the county-seat and was chartered as a city.