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Stockton Fun Facts
Learn cool, fun and interesting fact and information about Stockton’s history, film and movies, celebrities, and famous Stocktonians and more!
History
- Prior to its incorporation in 1850, Stockton had several names, including ’Tuleburg’, ’Gas City’ and ’Mudville’.
- Captain Charles M. Weber chose to honor Commodore Robert F. Stockton by naming the city in honor of Stockton, who was instrumental in the capture of California during the Mexican-American War.
- Stockton was the first community in California to have a name not of Spanish or Native American origin.
- Home to California’s oldest university. In 1851, University of the Pacific became California’s first chartered institution of higher education.
Population
- 2018 Population Estimate: 311,178
- 13th Largest City in California (out of 478)
- 64th Largest City in United States (2010)
Location
- Home to the largest inland seaport in California. The Port of Stockton is the easternmost inland seaport in California.
- Interstate 5 and Highway 99 are at their closest in Stockton
- 83 miles to San Francisco
- 101 Miles to South Lake Tahoe
Weather
- 184 sunny days per year with an average annual temperature of 74.6 degrees
- Average Precipitation: 13.84 inches
Leisure
- The San Joaquin Asparagus Festival attracts over 60,000 visitors each year.
- The historic Bob Hope Theatre (formerly Fox Theatre) in downtown Stockton is one of only two ’movie palaces’ in the Central Valley.
Famous Stocktonians
- Ace Andres - Singer/Songwriter/Lead Guitarist
- Warren Atherton - Lawmaker/Presidential Adviser
- Darrin Atkins - Author
- Dave Brubeck - Jazz Musician (attended Pacific)
- James H. Budd - Governor of California (1895-1899)
- Carol Corrigan - Jurist
- Leonard Gardner - Author of the novel Fat City, which was later made into a film directed by John Huston.
- Daniel Goleman - Psychologist
- Jose Hernandez - Astronaut and Engineer
- Benjamin Holt - Inventor
- Chris Isaak - Singer/Songwriter
- Maxine Hong Kingston - Author
- Janet Leigh - Actress
- Pavement - Renowned indie rock band
- Grant-Lee Phillips - Singer/Songwriter; member of alternative rock band Grant Lee Buffalo
- Webster M. Slaughter - NFL Wide Receiver
- Alex Spanos - Billionaire Real Estate Developer; Owner of the San Diego Chargers
- Amos Alonzo Stagg - Football Coach
- Nick and Nate Diaz - Mixed Martial Artist
Movies Filmed in Stockton
- 7 Brides for 7 Brothers
- All the King’s Men
- Always
- American Graffiti II
- An American Murder
- Atlanta Child Murders
- Birdy
- Blind Man Sees Farthest (short flick)
- Blood Alley
- Bound for Glory
- Coast to Coast
- Cool Hand Luke
- Coyote (not widely distributed)
- Dead Man on Campus
- Dirty Mary Crazy Larry
- Dreamscape
- Fat City
- Flubber
- Friendly Fire
- Glory Days
- God’s Little Acre
- High Time
- Hot Shots! Part Deux
- Jungle Wolf II
- More American Graffiti
- Oklahoma Crude
- Porgy & Bess
- Raiders of the Lost Ark
- Rampage
- RPM
- Sam Whiskey
- Skipping
- Strawberry Statement
- Take the Money and Run
- The Big Country
- The Sure Thing
- This is Spinal Tap
- Valentino’s Return
- Valley Girl
- World’s Greatest Athlete
Awards and Recognitions
- Five-times named an All-America City: 1999, 2004, 2015, 2017, 2018.
- Named by Sunset magazine as one of the “West’s Best Places to Live” in 2002.
- With over 100,000 trees, Stockton was thrice named ’best tree city’ in the western United States by Sunset magazine.
- Asparagus Festival was named a “Best of the West” Food Fest in 2000.
Where can you go to find yourself eating like John Wayne or exploring like Indiana Jones? Stockton, California, of course!
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