Modesto CA Moving Companies

Modesto, California

The city of Modesto, California is located in the north-central area of the state and is the urban center for the San Joaquin Valley. With a population of over 210,000, Modesto is California’s 16th-largest city and is convenient to several other major Californian metropolitan areas, most notably San Francisco and Sacramento. Agriculture dominates the city’s economy and life, and fruits, nuts and wine have come from the region for the past century. Whether you are moving to Modesto for agricultural reasons or whether you have other employment, the city has a great deal of opportunities for all of its residents.

Economy:
Modesto is primarily an agricultural town with many residents directly involved with either farming or the processing of agricultural products. Farms in the valley —surrounding Modesto — produce almonds, apricots, melons, peaches, tomatoes, walnuts and wine grapes. The biggest employer in Modesto is the Ernest and Julio Gallo Winery and Glass Company, where thousands of residents work. Other industries include: canneries, cereal and snack packaging, education, government, medicine and metals manufacturing. However, unemployment has long been a problem in Modesto, with unemployment rates typically well above the national average.

Tourism:
Modesto has many musical and cultural attractions to offer the visitor or resident. During the summer, festivals such as the X-Fest-a music and arts festival and Graffiti Days, honoring the film “American Graffiti,” provide entertainment. Local musical groups such as the Modesto Symphony Orchestra, the MoBand (the Modesto Band of Stanislaus County), the Townsend Opera Players and the Central West Ballet perform repeatedly throughout the year. Modesto has several museums and historic attractions as well. Museums include the McHenry Museum, Great Valley Museum of Natural History and Castle Air Museum. The city’s many historic buildings include the McHenry Mansion (built in 1883), the Southern Pacific Depot (built in 1915 and still a functioning transportation center) and the El Viejo Post Office (built in the 1930s). Flights between Modesto and San Francisco arrive and depart from the Modesto City-County Airport, while Amtrak trains stop in the city 12 times per day. Within Modesto, you can travel by public transportation on buses from the Modesto Area Express, Stanislaus Regional Transit and the San Joaquin Regional Transit District. When relocating to Modesto, be sure to research this vast area to discover an area that is perfect for you.

History:
The completion of the Central Pacific Railroad in 1870 led to the creation of Modesto at its western terminus. City planners originally intended to name the town Ralston after William Chapman Ralston, the railroad’s director. His modest objections to the honor, however, led to the new name of Modesto (Spanish for “modest”). Incorporated as a town in 1884, Modesto’s early growth coincided with the increase in wheat farming in the surrounding valley, and the population reached 4,500 in the early 20th century. Irrigation caused farmers to switch from grains to more water-dependent crops like nuts and fruits, especially wine grapes. In 1933, brothers Ernest and Julio Gallo opened a winery in Modesto that eventually became the largest such enterprise in the world. The late 20th century saw a rapid rise in population, which doubled in one decade to 200,000 by 2001.

Colleges/Universities:

• Institute of Technology
• Modesto Junior College
• California State University-Stanislaus

Interesting Facts:

• George Lucas, Modesto’s most famous native, set his 1973 film, “American Graffiti,” in Modesto. Although the film was shot in Petaluma, California, you can visit the American Graffiti Cruising Loop on 9th and 10th Streets.
• Modesto’s official motto is “Water Wealth Contentment Health,” which replaced the possibly inappropriate original choice: “Nobody’s got Modesto’s goat.”
• The Modesto A’s minor-league baseball team has historically included such players as Reggie Jackson, Rollie Fingers, Joe Morgan, Mark Maguire and Rickey Henderson.

Helpful Links:

• Modesto Convention and Visitors Bureau
• Modesto Moving Guide