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Modesto () is the
county seat A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or civil parish. The term is in use in Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, Taiwan, and the United States. The equivalent term shire town is used in the US st ...
and largest city of Stanislaus County, California, United States. With a population of 218,464 at the 2020 census, it is the 19th largest city in the state of California and forms part of the Sacramento-Stockton-Modesto Combined Statistical Area. Modesto is located in the Central Valley, south of
Sacramento ) , image_map = Sacramento County California Incorporated and Unincorporated areas Sacramento Highlighted.svg , mapsize = 250x200px , map_caption = Location within Sacramento ...
and north of
Fresno Fresno () is a major city in the San Joaquin Valley of California, United States. It is the county seat of Fresno County and the largest city in the greater Central Valley region. It covers about and had a population of 542,107 in 2020, maki ...
. Distances from other places include: north of
Merced, California Merced (; Spanish for "Mercy") is a city in, and the county seat of, Merced County, California, United States, in the San Joaquin Valley. As of the 2020 Census, the city had a population of 86,333, up from 78,958 in 2010. Incorporated on April 1 ...
, east of
San Francisco San Francisco (; Spanish for " Saint Francis"), officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the commercial, financial, and cultural center of Northern California. The city proper is the fourth most populous in California and 17th ...
, west of
Yosemite National Park Yosemite National Park ( ) is an American national park in California, surrounded on the southeast by Sierra National Forest and on the northwest by Stanislaus National Forest. The park is managed by the National Park Service and covers an ...
, and south of Stockton. The city is surrounded by rich farmland. Stanislaus County ranks sixth among California counties in farm production. It is home to Gallo Family Winery, the largest family-owned winery in the
United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territori ...
. Led by milk, almonds, chickens, walnuts, and corn silage, the county grossed nearly $3.1 billion in agricultural production in 2011. The
farm-to-table Farm-to-table (or farm-to-fork, and in some cases farm-to-school) is a social movement which promotes serving local food at restaurants and school cafeterias, preferably through direct acquisition from the producer (which might be a winery, brewer ...
movement plays a central role in Modesto living as in the Central Valley. Modesto has been honored as a
Tree City USA The Arbor Day Foundation is an American 501(c)(3) nonprofit membership organization dedicated to planting trees. The Arbor Day Foundation has more than one million members and has planted more than 350 million trees in neighborhoods, communities ...
numerous times. The Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index for 2011—which interviewed 1000 participants about their jobs, finances, physical health, emotional state of mind and communities — ranked Modesto 126 out of the 190 cities surveyed. In December 2009, ''
Forbes ''Forbes'' () is an American business magazine owned by Integrated Whale Media Investments and the Forbes family. Published eight times a year, it features articles on finance, industry, investing, and marketing topics. ''Forbes'' also r ...
'' ranked Modesto 48th out of 100 among "Best Bang-for-the-Buck Cities." In this ranking, Modesto ranked 8th in housing affordability and travel time, but it ranked 86th in job forecast growth and 99th in foreclosures.


History

The City of Modesto was originally a stop on the railroad connecting
Sacramento ) , image_map = Sacramento County California Incorporated and Unincorporated areas Sacramento Highlighted.svg , mapsize = 250x200px , map_caption = Location within Sacramento ...
to
Los Angeles Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, largest city in the U.S. state, state of California and the List of United States cities by population, sec ...
. When Modesto was founded in 1870, it was to be named Ralston after financier William C. Ralston. Ralston's modesty prompted him to ask that another name be found, and the town was named Modesto in recognition of his modesty. Modesto's population exceeded 1,000 residents in 1884. With fields of grain, the nearby
Tuolumne River The Tuolumne River (Yokutsan: ''Tawalimnu'') flows for through Central California, from the high Sierra Nevada to join the San Joaquin River in the Central Valley. Originating at over above sea level in Yosemite National Park, the Tuolumne ...
for grain barges, and railroad traffic, the town grew. Irrigation water came from dams installed in the foothills, and irrigated fields of vegetables and fruit and nut trees flourished. By 1900, Modesto's population was more than 4,500. During
World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...
, the area provided canned goods, powdered milk, and eggs for the US armed forces and Allied forces. For the next few decades, Modesto's population grew about two percent per year to over 100,000 in 1980, and over 200,000 in 2001. The city's official motto, "Water Wealth Contentment Health," is emblazoned on the downtown
Modesto Arch The Modesto Arch is a centennial slogan arch, built in 1912, to welcome automobile drivers to Modesto, California where it currently stands at the intersection of 9th and I Streets. The arch bears the city's motto, "Water, Wealth, Contentment, Hea ...
, which is featured in local photographs and postcards. The motto was selected in a contest held in 1911, with a $3 prize for the winner. (The original winning motto, "Nobody's got Modesto's goat", was later declined by town officials.) Modesto's motto is sometimes spoofed as "The land gets the water, the bankers get the wealth, the cows get contentment, and the farmers get the health."


Planning and environment

In 1885, Modesto enacted what is now considered to be the first
zoning Zoning is a method of urban planning in which a municipality or other tier of government divides land into areas called zones, each of which has a set of regulations for new development that differs from other zones. Zones may be defined for a si ...
ordinance. The ordinance's primary goal was to keep out laundries (which were primarily Chinese run), out of the city. After an arrested man filed to contest the constitutionality of the ordinance, the case escalated to the California Supreme Court which found the law to be constitutional. In the late 1980s Modesto embarked on an update to the city's
general plan Comprehensive planning is an ordered process that determines community goals and aspirations in terms of community development. The end product is called a comprehensive plan, also known as a general plan, or master plan. This resulting document e ...
pursuant to requirements of the State of California. The result was a comprehensive evaluation of alternative population and land use projections along with associated environmental impact analysis. Some of the environmental factors technically assessed were air quality,
water quality Water quality refers to the chemical, physical, and biological characteristics of water based on the standards of its usage. It is most frequently used by reference to a set of standards against which compliance, generally achieved through tr ...
, environmental noise,
soil contamination Soil contamination, soil pollution, or land pollution as a part of land degradation is caused by the presence of xenobiotic (human-made) chemicals or other alteration in the natural soil environment. It is typically caused by industrial activity ...
and visual impacts. Much of the soils in Modesto are classified as part of the Hanford series: (HbpA) fine
sandy loam Loam (in geology and soil science) is soil composed mostly of sand (particle size > ), silt (particle size > ), and a smaller amount of clay (particle size < ). By weight, its mineral composition is about 40–40–20% concentration of sand–sil ...
, moderately deep over silt. These soils are well-drained, moderately coarse-textured soils derived from
alluvium Alluvium (from Latin ''alluvius'', from ''alluere'' 'to wash against') is loose clay, silt, sand, or gravel that has been deposited by running water in a stream bed, on a floodplain, in an alluvial fan or beach, or in similar settings. ...
from granitic rock. The Hanford soils are important for the production of a wide variety of irrigated orchard, field, and truck crops. Vicinity watercourses include the Stanislaus River, the
Tuolumne River The Tuolumne River (Yokutsan: ''Tawalimnu'') flows for through Central California, from the high Sierra Nevada to join the San Joaquin River in the Central Valley. Originating at over above sea level in Yosemite National Park, the Tuolumne ...
and Dry Creek empties into the Tuolumne River. Area groundwater, which is the principal source of water supply in the city, has been historically impaired in a fashion that is spatially variable. Water from the nearby Modesto Reservoir is now used to augment city water. In various parts of the city and its perimeter the following
water pollutant Water pollution (or aquatic pollution) is the contamination of water bodies, usually as a result of human activities, so that it negatively affects its uses. Water bodies include lakes, rivers, oceans, aquifers, reservoirs and groundwater. Water ...
s have occurred from time to time: nitrates,
dibromochloromethane Dibromochloromethane is a colorless to yellow, heavy and nonflammable compound with formula . It is a trihalomethane In chemistry, trihalomethanes (THMs) are chemical compounds in which three of the four hydrogen atoms of methane () are replaced ...
, volatile organics, salinity,
total dissolved solids Total dissolved solids (TDS) is a measure of the dissolved combined content of all inorganic and organic substances present in a liquid in molecular, ionized, or micro-granular ( colloidal sol) suspended form. TDS concentrations are often report ...
and other pesticides. Each of these contaminants is not present citywide. The
EPA The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is an independent executive agency of the United States federal government tasked with environmental protection matters. President Richard Nixon proposed the establishment of EPA on July 9, 1970; it be ...
rates air quality in Modesto as a 23 on a scale to 100 (higher is better), making Modesto an unhealthy place to live for those with breathing difficulties. This is based on ozone alert days and number of pollutants in the air. In May 2010, ''Forbes'' magazine, in association with the
American Lung Association The American Lung Association is a voluntary health organization whose mission is to save lives by improving lung health and preventing lung disease through education, advocacy and research. History The organization was founded in 1904 to figh ...
, indicated that Modesto was one of the top 25 most polluted cities in the U.S.


Downtown revitalization

As of the 2000s, downtown Modesto (DOMO) has new attractions including the Gallo Center for the Arts and the new Downtown Plaza adjacent to Modesto Centre Plaza. Downtown Modesto has lost the Hotel Covell, the
art deco Art Deco, short for the French ''Arts Décoratifs'', and sometimes just called Deco, is a style of visual arts, architecture, and product design, that first appeared in France in the 1910s (just before World War I), and flourished in the Unite ...
Strand Theatre, and the Sears building. The historic streets of 10th and 11th streets that were the original locations of the cruising featured in ''American Graffiti'' have been designated by the City of Modesto as the Historic Cruise Route. This is now a tourist walk with information about Modesto's music, car and Graffiti culture. In 2014, the Walk of Fame was launched on the Historic Cruise Route with markers celebrating classic legends like George Lucas,
Gene Winfield Gene Winfield (born June 16, 1927) is an American automotive customizer and fabricator. In the mid-1960s, his designs caught the attention of the film community, resulting in a large body of his work appearing on screen, including in the iconic 1 ...
, Bart Bartoni and others. Classic Community Murals was launched by Modesto magazine ModestoView and the Peer Recovery Art Center to create a series of large scale murals celebrating the Modesto Classic Graffiti heritage. Many of these are on the Cruise Route. New business incentives have been created to enhance facades, signage, and permitting. A promenade is being designed to create a special entertainment zone along the corridor between the Modesto Centre Plaza and the Gallo Center for the Arts and the adjacent core streets of 10th, 11th and J Streets.


Geography

The city is located on the
Tuolumne River The Tuolumne River (Yokutsan: ''Tawalimnu'') flows for through Central California, from the high Sierra Nevada to join the San Joaquin River in the Central Valley. Originating at over above sea level in Yosemite National Park, the Tuolumne ...
and near the Stanislaus River. There is a small creek named Dry Creek, which is badly polluted by agricultural runoff and is adjacent to several parks. Rivers and lakes near
Waterford "Waterford remains the untaken city" , mapsize = 220px , pushpin_map = Ireland#Europe , pushpin_map_caption = Location within Ireland##Location within Europe , pushpin_relief = 1 , coordinates ...
are accessible for a kayak, or small
motorboat A motorboat, speedboat or powerboat is a boat that is exclusively powered by an engine. Some motorboats are fitted with inboard engines, others have an outboard motor installed on the rear, containing the internal combustion engine, the gea ...
, and there are several points of public access. This access was given as part of a government plan when
hydroelectric power Hydroelectricity, or hydroelectric power, is electricity generated from hydropower (water power). Hydropower supplies one sixth of the world's electricity, almost 4500 TWh in 2020, which is more than all other renewable sources combined an ...
dams were installed upstream for flood control,
irrigation Irrigation (also referred to as watering) is the practice of applying controlled amounts of water to land to help grow crops, landscape plants, and lawns. Irrigation has been a key aspect of agriculture for over 5,000 years and has been devel ...
, and electric power generation. The nearest large open
seaport A port is a maritime facility comprising one or more wharves or loading areas, where ships load and discharge cargo and passengers. Although usually situated on a sea coast or estuary, ports can also be found far inland, such as H ...
is the
Port of Stockton The Port of Stockton is a major deepwater port on the Stockton Ship Channel of the Pacific Ocean and an inland port located more than seventy nautical miles from the ocean, in Stockton, California on the Stockton Channel and San Joaquin River ...
, used for oceangoing ships that transport goods, particularly cement, fertilizer, and agricultural products, from California to overseas.


Climate

Modesto has a hot semi-arid climate (BSh) under the
Köppen climate classification The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by German-Russian climatologist Wladimir Köppen (1846–1940) in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen, notabl ...
. It has mild winters with moderate rainfall and long, hot, dry summers. Average January temperatures range from in the day to at night. Most of the rainfall occurs during the winter and the annual total is . The city does not have a full storm sewer system, and many streets flood during winter rain storms. Usually on average the weather does not go below 30°F and not above 103°F. Average July temperatures range from in the day to at night. During the summer months there can be multiple days in a row with high temperatures exceeding . This can pose health risks for people with weak constitutions or who ignore the dangers of heat stroke. Onshore breezes (known locally as the "delta breeze") moderate these high temperatures somewhat, with cooler air coming in after 8 or 9 pm on summer nights.


Demographics


2010

The
2010 United States Census The United States census of 2010 was the twenty-third United States national census. National Census Day, the reference day used for the census, was April 1, 2010. The census was taken via mail-in citizen self-reporting, with enumerators servi ...
reported that Modesto had a population of 201,165. The population density was . The racial makeup of Modesto was 130,833 (65.0%)
White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White o ...
, 8,396 (4.2%)
African American African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...
, 2,494 (1.2%) Native American, 13,557 (6.7%)
Asian Asian may refer to: * Items from or related to the continent of Asia: ** Asian people, people in or descending from Asia ** Asian culture, the culture of the people from Asia ** Asian cuisine, food based on the style of food of the people from Asi ...
(1.5% Filipino, 1.3% Asian Indian, 1.2% Cambodian, 0.7% Chinese, 0.6% Vietnamese, 0.5% Laotian, 0.2% Japanese, 0.2% Korean, 0.1% Hmong, 0.1% Pakistani), 1,924 (1.0%)
Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the Pacific Islands. As an ethnic/racial term, it is used to describe the original peoples—inhabitants and diasporas—of any of the three major subregions of O ...
, 31,244 (15.5%) from
other races Other often refers to: * Other (philosophy), a concept in psychology and philosophy Other or The Other may also refer to: Film and television * ''The Other'' (1913 film), a German silent film directed by Max Mack * ''The Other'' (1930 film), a ...
, and 12,717 (6.3%) from two or more races.
Hispanic The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad. The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to viceroyalties forme ...
or
Latino Latino or Latinos most often refers to: * Latino (demonym), a term used in the United States for people with cultural ties to Latin America * Hispanic and Latino Americans in the United States * The people or cultures of Latin America; ** Latin A ...
of any race were 71,381 persons (35.5%): 30.8% Mexican, 0.7% Puerto Rican, 0.6% Salvadoran, 0.5% Spaniard, 0.4% Spanish, 0.3% Nicaraguan, and 0.2% Guatemalan.
Non-Hispanic Whites Non-Hispanic whites or Non-Latino whites are Americans who are classified as "white", and are not of Hispanic (also known as "Latino") heritage. The United States Census Bureau defines ''white'' to include European Americans, Middle Eastern Ame ...
were 49.4% of the population in 2010, down from 83.1% in 1980. The Census reported that 198,210 people (98.5% of the population) lived in households, 1,189 (0.6%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 1,766 (0.9%) were institutionalized. There were 69,107 households, out of which 27,152 (39.3%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 33,230 (48.1%) were married couples living together, 10,774 (15.6%) had a female householder with no husband present, 4,904 (7.1%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 5,177 (7.5%)
unmarried Civil status, or marital status, are the distinct options that describe a person's relationship with a significant other. ''Married'', '' single'', '' divorced'', and ''widowed'' are examples of civil status. ''Civil status'' and ''marital stat ...
. 15,887 households (23.0%) were made up of individuals, and 6,221 (9.0%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.87. There were 48,908
families Family (from la, familia) is a group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its members and of society. Ideal ...
(70.8% of all households); the average family size was 3.38. The population was spread out, with 54,012 people (26.8%) under the age of 18, 20,838 people (10.4%) aged 18 to 24, 53,116 people (26.4%) aged 25 to 44, 49,691 people (24.7%) aged 45 to 64, and 23,508 people (11.7%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34.2 years. For every 100 females, there were 95.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.5 males. There were 75,044 housing units at an average density of , of which 39,422 (57.0%) were owner-occupied, and 29,685 (43.0%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 2.8%; the rental vacancy rate was 9.1%. 112,065 people (55.7% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 86,145 people (42.8%) lived in rental housing units. According to the 2011 American Community Survey 5-Year estimate, the median income for a household in the city was $49,852, and the median income for a family was $56,629. Males had a median income of $47,473 versus $37,629 for females. The per capita income for the city was $22,886. About 14.9% of families and 18.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 27.3% of those under age 18 and 9.5% of those age 65 or over. In September 2010, the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research released a study indicating that 32% of the population was obese vs. a statewide average obesity rate of 22.7%. Poverty was one of the factors listed as contributing to the high obesity rates.


2000

As of the census of 2000, there were 188,856 people, 64,959 households, and 46,640 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 67,179 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 69.6%
White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White o ...
, 25.6%
Hispanic The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad. The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to viceroyalties forme ...
or
Latino Latino or Latinos most often refers to: * Latino (demonym), a term used in the United States for people with cultural ties to Latin America * Hispanic and Latino Americans in the United States * The people or cultures of Latin America; ** Latin A ...
, 4.0%
African American African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...
, 1.2% Native American, 6.0%
Asian Asian may refer to: * Items from or related to the continent of Asia: ** Asian people, people in or descending from Asia ** Asian culture, the culture of the people from Asia ** Asian cuisine, food based on the style of food of the people from Asi ...
, 0.5%
Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the Pacific Islands. As an ethnic/racial term, it is used to describe the original peoples—inhabitants and diasporas—of any of the three major subregions of O ...
. There were 64,959 households, out of which 38.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.5% were married couples living together, 14.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.2% were non-families. 22.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.86 and the average family size was 3.36. In the city, the population was spread out, with 30.1% under the age of 18, 9.6% from 18 to 24, 28.9% from 25 to 44, 20.3% from 45 to 64, and 11.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females, there were 94.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.7 males.


Economy

Modesto has a large agricultural industry which is based on the fertile farmland surrounding the city. Modesto is home to the largest winery in the world:
E & J Gallo Winery E & J Gallo Winery is a winery and distributor headquartered in Modesto, California. It was founded in 1933 by Ernest Gallo and Julio Gallo, and is the largest exporter of California wines. E & J Gallo Winery is the largest family-owned wi ...
. The Gallo Glass Company, a company of Gallo Winery, is the largest wine bottle manufacturing company in the world. The company provides thousands of office and manufacturing jobs to Stanislaus County residents. Other major privately owned companies based in Modesto include
Foster Farms Dairy Crystal Creamery (formerly Foster Farms Dairy) was founded in 1901 by Max and Verda Foster in Modesto, California, a venture following their 1939 founding of Foster Farms. The company claims to be the "largest privately owned dairy in Califor ...
,
Royal Robbins Royal Robbins (February 3, 1935 – March 14, 2017) was one of the pioneers of American rock climbing. After learning to climb at Tahquitz Rock, he went on to make first ascents of many big wall routes in Yosemite. As an early proponent of bol ...
, international award winner Fiscalini Cheese, Sciabica Olive Oil, Acme Construction, Aderholt Specialty, and
5.11 Tactical 5.11 Tactical (pronounced "five eleven tactical") is an American apparel brand of outdoor clothing, footwear, uniforms and military tactics, tactical equipment, primarily targeting the market of military, law enforcement and public security#Emerge ...
(formerly a part of Royal Robbins, a United States brand of clothing consisting of
uniform A uniform is a variety of clothing worn by members of an organization while participating in that organization's activity. Modern uniforms are most often worn by armed forces and paramilitary organizations such as police, emergency services, ...
s and
tactical Tactic(s) or Tactical may refer to: * Tactic (method), a conceptual action implemented as one or more specific tasks ** Military tactics, the disposition and maneuver of units on a particular sea or battlefield ** Chess tactics ** Political tacti ...
equipment for military). A cannery downtown produces food which is usually shipped to
Sacramento ) , image_map = Sacramento County California Incorporated and Unincorporated areas Sacramento Highlighted.svg , mapsize = 250x200px , map_caption = Location within Sacramento ...
and
Fresno Fresno () is a major city in the San Joaquin Valley of California, United States. It is the county seat of Fresno County and the largest city in the greater Central Valley region. It covers about and had a population of 542,107 in 2020, maki ...
for transfer to rail or ship.
Ceres Ceres most commonly refers to: * Ceres (dwarf planet), the largest asteroid * Ceres (mythology), the Roman goddess of agriculture Ceres may also refer to: Places Brazil * Ceres, Goiás, Brazil * Ceres Microregion, in north-central Goiás ...
has a few cereal and snack factories in the area. There are several small steelworking companies in Modesto. In mid-2008, a number of road projects were underway, with roads being constructed, repaved or repaired, at an estimated total cost of nearly $120 million.


Principal employers


Crime

Rates of both violent crimes and property crimes are higher in Modesto than the state average. Of particular note is that Modesto ranks among the top car theft cities in the US. , Modesto ranked number 1 in car thefts per 100,000 people, although the city dropped to number 3 in 2013, behind Bakersfield and Fresno.In Modesto the crime rate is higher than 86% of California's cities.


Arts and culture

The
Rockabilly Rockabilly is one of the earliest styles of rock and roll music. It dates back to the early 1950s in the United States, especially the South. As a genre it blends the sound of Western musical styles such as country with that of rhythm and blu ...
genre of music originated in Modesto with the formation of Maddox Brothers & Rose on KTRB Radio in 1937. The "Hillbilly Boogie" sound, featuring the string slapping percussive sound by Fred Maddox, would become popular on a national scale and would later be the foundation for Rockabilly. Fred Maddox's bass is housed at the Experience Project Museum in Seattle, Washington. The city's annual Architectural Festival honors Modesto's history as a testing ground for mid-century modern architecture during the 1940s and 1950s. Modesto's mid-century buildings have been featured four times in Museum of Modern Art publications. Filmmaker George Lucas, who was born in Modesto, graduated from
Thomas Downey High School Thomas Downey High School (TDHS) is a High School in Modesto, California. It is one of the seven high schools in Modesto. Thomas Downey High is the second oldest high school in the city of Modesto and its doors opened to students in the Fall of 1 ...
in 1962 and attended Modesto Junior College, immortalized the city in his award-winning 1973 film ''
American Graffiti ''American Graffiti'' is a 1973 American coming-of-age comedy-drama film directed by George Lucas, produced by Francis Ford Coppola, written by Willard Huyck, Gloria Katz and Lucas, and starring Richard Dreyfuss, Ron Howard (billed as Ronny ...
''. Although it was not shot in Modesto, the film portrayed the spirit of cruising and friendship on Modesto's 10th and 11th Streets in 1962, and inspired a revival of interest in 1950s pop culture. Modesto celebrates Graffiti Summer annually and features the Historic Cruise Route and Walk of Fame of Graffiti Legends. Downtown Modesto features a series of Graffiti-themed and other cultural murals. Music festivals include SummerFest, the Downtown summer concert series, featuring
Chris Isaak Christopher Joseph Isaak (born June 26, 1956) is an American singer, songwriter, guitarist and occasional actor. He is widely known for his breakthrough hit and signature song " Wicked Game", as well as other songs such as "Blue Hotel", " Baby ...
,
Hootie & the Blowfish Hootie & the Blowfish are an American soft rock band that were formed in Columbia, South Carolina, in 1986. The band's lineup for most of its existence has been the quartet of Darius Rucker, Mark Bryan, Dean Felber, and Jim Sonefeld. The band w ...
,
The Doobie Brothers The Doobie Brothers are an American rock band formed in 1970 in San Jose, California, known for their flexibility in performing across numerous genres and their vocal harmonies. Active for five decades, with their greatest success in the 1970s, ...
and Styx. X-Fest, deriving from its real name
Xclamation Festival The Xclamation Festival or X Fest is an annual festival that takes place on the streets of downtown Modesto, California from 9th to 12th between J and H Streets, usually on the first Saturday in August. Begun in 2000 and organized by Chris Ricci Pr ...
, was a 21 and over music festival in downtown Modesto. Starting in 2000, X-Fest has evolved into a large outdoor event stretching 15 blocks and featuring the world's largest disco which covers four blocks on its own. In 2008 X-Fest featured 50 bands and a crowd of 15,000 people. Much of the profits end up in local non-profit charities. Some business owners and citizens of Modesto complain of rowdy and often drunk Mardi Gras atmosphere exhibited at X-fest. The last X-fest occurred in Modesto in 2015. Summers are also marked by the revival of ''
American Graffiti ''American Graffiti'' is a 1973 American coming-of-age comedy-drama film directed by George Lucas, produced by Francis Ford Coppola, written by Willard Huyck, Gloria Katz and Lucas, and starring Richard Dreyfuss, Ron Howard (billed as Ronny ...
'', the 1973 film written and directed by Modesto native George Lucas. Lucas' film paid homage to teenage life in 1962 based on his own experiences growing up in the city of Modesto. The city has realized the importance of its connection to the award-winning film, and the city is preparing new tourist attractions and events to welcome ''Graffiti'' tourists. The Modesto Convention and Visitors bureau report that the leading request for information is ''American Graffiti''-related. The annual festival, Graffiti Summer, celebrates this event and lasts the entire month of June, attracting thousands of visitors and car enthusiasts along with hundreds of classic and
antique cars An antique car is an automobile that is an antique. Narrower definitions vary based on how old a car must be to qualify. The Antique Automobile Club of America defines an antique car as over 25 years of age. However, the legal definitions for the ...
. Downtown Modesto has the Modesto Historic Cruise Route on 10th and 11th St, the Legends of the Cruise Walk of Fame, and the Classic Community Mural series of large scale art celebrating the American Graffiti history. Located in downtown Modesto is the State Theater with music acts and independent films. Downtown Modesto hosts a monthly Art Walk, with local artists displaying art for sale, artist demos, local gallery shows, in a multi-venue map self-guided tour.


Music and performing arts

The Modesto Symphony Orchestra, which finds its home at the Gallo Center, held their first performance when Modesto had a population of 17,000 in 1931 and continues to be a staple in the community. Not to be outdone by the Symphony, MoBand (Modesto Band of Stanislaus County), established in 1919, is one of the oldest, continuously performing bands in the U.S. The group performs a free 6-week summer concert-in-the-park series with its 130 volunteer musicians. Modesto is also home to Townsend Opera, founded in 1983 by the late Modesto-born opera singer Buck Townsend, and Modesto Performing Arts, as well as the Gallo Center for the Arts. Modesto is also home to the area's leading professional ballet company, Central West Ballet. The Mexican culture and traditions are displayed by the Ballet Folklorico Group "Casa Cultural Tradiciones". Folklorico groups are often at Modesto events, sharing their culture with traditional dance and colorful attire. The MAMA, Modesto Area Music Awards are held each October. Local radio stations and promoters nominate local bands and voting happens online. There is a black tie ceremony and trophies are given to winners in multiple categories. A lifetime achievement award is also presented. The MAMA’s were created by Chris Murphy and Chris Ricci to support and encourage local musicians.


Historical places


McHenry Mansion

The McHenry Mansion is a restored historic home located at Fifteenth and I Streets. The McHenry family built the house in 1883 after the patriarch of the family, Oramil McHenry, left twenty thousand dollars in his will. The mansion was listed on the
National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic ...
(NRHP) in 1978.


Hawke Castle

The Hawke Castle is a historic residence built in 1929. It was influenced by the Norman architecture, and is now the property of George Thayer Real Estate.


Crow House

or the Walter B. Wood House, was originally located at 814 Twelfth Street. The house was originally owned by Walter Wood and was constructed in 1884 in the Italianate style. The house has been removed from its original location, and modern renovation of the house has compromised its NRHP designation.


Robert Walton House

The Robert Walton House was constructed in 1957, as a development of Frank Lloyd Wright's New York Usonian Exhibition House concept.


El Viejo Post Office

The U. S. "El Viejo" Post Office is located on Twelfth and I Streets. Wall murals inside the post office were painted by Ray Boynton, a Work Projects Administration artist. The post office was listed in the NRHP in 1983.


Dry Creek Bridge

The Dry Creek Bridge, formerly on State Route 132, was recommended eligible for its design. The bridge is a major example of John B. Leonard's bridge designs.


Southern Pacific Railroad Depot

The Southern Pacific Railroad Depot was constructed in 1915 in the Mission style at the corner of J and Ninth Streets. The City of Modesto was established as a town by the Southern Pacific Railroad in 1870. The building has been restored and expanded as the City Transportation Center.


Tourism

Modesto is known for the following tourist attractions and historical sites: * McHenry Mansion – Built in the early 1880s by Robert McHenry, a local rancher and banker. The mansion is included on the
National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic ...
. Tours are given. * McHenry Museum – Across the street from the McHenry Mansion. It is filled with tidbits from Modesto's history. * George Lucas Plaza – ''
American Graffiti ''American Graffiti'' is a 1973 American coming-of-age comedy-drama film directed by George Lucas, produced by Francis Ford Coppola, written by Willard Huyck, Gloria Katz and Lucas, and starring Richard Dreyfuss, Ron Howard (billed as Ronny ...
''-inspired bronze statue made in honor of Modesto filmmaker George Lucas, located at Five Points (the intersection of McHenry Avenue, "J" Street, 17th Street, Downey and Needham). *
Gallo Center for the Arts The Gallo Center for the Arts is a performing arts center in Modesto, California. The building was formally opened on September 27, 2007 and features two theaters: the Mary Stuart Rogers Theater and the Foster Family Theater. The Gallo Center ho ...
– Center for the performing arts opened in 2007 and located in downtown Modesto at 1000 "I" Street. *
Downtown Modesto Downtown Modesto affectionately called "DoMo" by many Modesto residents is the principal administrative area and historic townsite of Modesto, California. Measuring a square-mile, it is bordered by the Needham and Downey Streets to the north, Was ...
– Known for having a variety of restaurants and night life, including 3 weekly farmer's markets. It also hosts a multi-venue Art Walk year-round on the third Thursday of the month, free to view with maps available.
The State Theatre
– Dating back to the 1920s, it was recently renovated and serves as a local performance arts center and as a theater specializing in independent and foreign films. * John Thurman Field – Renovated stadium, home of the
Modesto Nuts The Modesto Nuts are a Minor League Baseball team of the California League and the Single-A affiliate of the Seattle Mariners. They are located in Modesto, California, and are named for the several types of nuts grown in the region. They play the ...
baseball team (single "A" affiliate of the Seattle Mariners team). * Graceada Park neighborhood – An area of representative old homes (circa 1920s and earlier) with streets lined with large city-planted shade trees and a series of parks, a bandshell and other amenities. The name Graceada is based on two local residents, Grace Beard and Ada Wisecarver, who helped promote the idea of parks in the area and whose families donated the land for Graceada Park. This park was designed by John McLaren, who also designed and was the longtime superintendent of
San Francisco San Francisco (; Spanish for " Saint Francis"), officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the commercial, financial, and cultural center of Northern California. The city proper is the fourth most populous in California and 17th ...
's Golden Gate Park.


Sports

The
Modesto Nuts The Modesto Nuts are a Minor League Baseball team of the California League and the Single-A affiliate of the Seattle Mariners. They are located in Modesto, California, and are named for the several types of nuts grown in the region. They play the ...
Minor League Baseball Club is a class A California League. The Nuts are the Single A affiliate of the
Seattle Mariners The Seattle Mariners are an American professional baseball team based in Seattle. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) West division. The team joined the American League as an expansion team ...
and play 70 home games each season.
Track and field Track and field is a sport that includes athletic contests based on running, jumping, and throwing skills. The name is derived from where the sport takes place, a running track and a grass field for the throwing and some of the jumping eve ...
competition includes the
Modesto Relays The Modesto Relays, now known as the California Invitational Relays is an annual elite track and field meet. It is held about the second weekend in May. For 67 years, the meet was held at Modesto Junior College in Modesto, California, a track not ...
named after meet director Tom Moore after his death. 30
world records A world record is usually the best global and most important performance that is ever recorded and officially verified in a specific skill, sport, or other kind of activity. The book ''Guinness World Records'' and other world records organization ...
were set at the meet held at
Modesto Junior College Modesto Junior College (MJC) is a public community college in Modesto, California. It is part of Yosemite Community College District along with Columbia College. MJC, and Columbia College, belong to the California Community College system al ...
.


Government


Local government

Modesto is governed under a council-manager system. The Mayor is elected at-large. The six members of the
city council A municipal council is the legislative body of a municipality or local government area. Depending on the location and classification of the municipality it may be known as a city council, town council, town board, community council, rural counc ...
are elected from districts by the voters within the respective district. According to the city's most recent Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, the city's various funds had $357,631,225 in Revenues, $1,826,668,511 in total assets, and $876,459,686 in total liabilities. The city has adopted a policy to achieve and maintain a General Fund reserve at 8% of the fund's total operating expenditures for fiscal year 2017–2018. At the end of the fiscal year, the General Fund balance was $26,745,582 or 22.5% of total General Fund expenditures. Residents of Modesto also participate in the Government of Stanislaus County and elections for Stanislaus County Board of Supervisors district 1 as well as the Sheriff-Coroner, District Attorney, Assessor, Auditor-Controller, Treasurer-Tax Collector, and Clerk-Recorder. As of January 2013 these were represented by Supervisor William O'Brien, Sheriff-Coroner Adam Christianson, District Attorney Birgit Fladager, Assessor David Cogdill Sr., Auditor-Controller Lauren Klein, Treasurer-Tax Collector Gordon Ford, and Clerk-Recorder Lee Lundrigan. The current mayor and council members are: * Mayor: Sue Zwahlen * Council Members: Rosa Escutia-Braaton, Tony Madrigal, Chris Ricci, Bill Zoslocki, Jenny Kenoyer, and David Wright.


List of mayors

This is a non-exhaustive list of Modesto mayors by year. * 1923 Sol P. Elias. * 1952 Harry Marks. * 1960 Don D. Hammond. * 1979 Peggy Mensinger - First woman mayor. * 1987 Carol Whiteside. * 2000 Carmen Sabatino. * 2003 Jim Ridenour. * 2012 Garrad Marsh. * 2016 Ted Brandvold. * 2021 Sue Zwahlen.


Federal and state representation

In the California State Senate, Modesto is split between , and . In the California State Assembly, Modesto is split between , and . In the
United States House of Representatives The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the Senate being the upper chamber. Together they ...
, Modesto is in .


Education


City schools

Modesto City Schools Modesto City School District is a public school district based in Stanislaus County, California, United States, with an enrollment of approximately 32,000 students. Founded in 1871, the district consists of an elementary district and a high scho ...
was established for students in the community in 1871. The current enrollment is approximately 32,000 students. The district operates 23 elementary schools (K-6), four junior high schools (7–8), seven comprehensive high schools (9–12), and an alternative education program that includes an opportunity and continuation school, independent study and adult evening high school. The seventh comprehensive high school, Joseph Gregori High School, was recently completed. Modesto's oldest high school,
Modesto High School Modesto High School is a public high school in Modesto, California, United States. It offers the International Baccalaureate Program and the Avid program, Performing Arts Program and was the first public school to do so in the Central Valley of ...
, also offers an
International Baccalaureate The International Baccalaureate (IB), formerly known as the International Baccalaureate Organization (IBO), is a nonprofit foundation headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland, and founded in 1968. It offers four educational programmes: the IB D ...
program, and is the only high school in Stanislaus County accredited for this program. There are other elementary school districts within and adjacent to the limits of Modesto City Schools that feed into the high schools. They include Sylvan Union (serving the eastern portion of Modesto), Stanislaus Union, Hart-Ransom, Shilo and Paradise Elementary School Districts.


Private schools

*
Modesto Christian School Modesto Christian School is a private Christian school in Salida, California, on the outskirts of Modesto. It was formerly affiliated with the Assemblies of God;Private school directory, 2013–14, updated August 6, 2014, downloadable aPriv ...
(K–12), Central Catholic High School, Our Lady of Fatima Catholic School, St. Stanislaus Catholic School, Big Valley Christian School, and Grace Lutheran School are private religious schools located in Modesto. * ULCO Seminary (U.S.A.) has its international headquarters in Modesto.


Higher education

*
Modesto Junior College Modesto Junior College (MJC) is a public community college in Modesto, California. It is part of Yosemite Community College District along with Columbia College. MJC, and Columbia College, belong to the California Community College system al ...
is a two-year junior college in Modesto and has over 20,000 students enrolled and 21 inter-collegiate sports teams.
Community Business College
vocational college in Modesto providing vocational training and job placement services to the unemployed with non-profit tuition scholarships. Offers training in medical office, bookkeeping, property management, foreign languages, medical coding and solar technologies.


Media


Television stations

As part of the Sacramento-Stockton-Modesto television market, Modesto is primarily served by stations that are based mainly in
Sacramento ) , image_map = Sacramento County California Incorporated and Unincorporated areas Sacramento Highlighted.svg , mapsize = 250x200px , map_caption = Location within Sacramento ...
. They are listed below, with the city of license in bold: * MyTv26 Comcast26 Modesto/Stanislaus County. http://www.mytv26.tv/ Your Independent Public Access Television Station. *
KCRA KCRA-TV (channel 3) is a television station in Sacramento, California, United States, affiliated with NBC. It is owned by Hearst Television alongside Stockton-licensed MyNetworkTV affiliate KQCA (channel 58). Both stations share studios on T ...
Channel 3 (
NBC The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an American English-language commercial broadcast television and radio network. The flagship property of the NBC Entertainment division of NBCUniversal, a division of Comcast, its headquarters are l ...
affiliate) Sacramento *
KCSO-LD KCSO-LD (channel 33) is a low-power television station in Sacramento, California, United States, airing programming from the Spanish-language Telemundo network. Owned and operated by NBCUniversal's Telemundo Station Group, KCSO-LD maintains s ...
Channel 33 (
Telemundo Telemundo (; formerly NetSpan) is an American Spanish-language terrestrial television network owned by NBCUniversal Telemundo Enterprises, a division of NBCUniversal, which in turn is owned by Comcast. It provides content nationally with pr ...
affiliate) Sacramento *
KMAX-TV KMAX-TV (channel 31) is a television station in Sacramento, California, United States, affiliated with The CW. It is owned by the CBS News and Stations group alongside Stockton, California, Stockton-licensed CBS owned-and-operated station KOVR ...
Channel 31 (
The CW ''The'' () is a grammatical Article (grammar), article in English language, English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite ...
O&O) Sacramento *
KOVR KOVR (channel 13) is a television station licensed to Stockton, California, United States, broadcasting the CBS network to the Sacramento area. It is owned and operated by the network's CBS News and Stations division alongside CW affiliate ...
Channel 13 (
CBS CBS Broadcasting Inc., commonly shortened to CBS, the abbreviation of its former legal name Columbia Broadcasting System, is an American commercial broadcast television and radio network serving as the flagship property of the CBS Entertainm ...
O&O) Stockton *
KQCA KQCA (channel 58) is a television station licensed to Stockton, California, United States, serving the Sacramento area as an affiliate of MyNetworkTV. It is owned by Hearst Television (as the company's only MyNetworkTV affiliate) alongside NBC ...
Channel 58 ( My Network TV affiliate) Sacramento *
KTFK-DT KTFK-DT (channel 64) is a television station licensed to Stockton, California, United States, broadcasting the Spanish-language UniMás network to the Sacramento area. It is owned and operated by TelevisaUnivision USA alongside Modesto-license ...
Channel 64 ( TeleFutura affiliate) Stockton *
KTNC-TV KTNC-TV (channel 42) is a religious broadcasting, religious television station licensed to Concord, California, United States, serving the San Francisco Bay Area as an owned-and-operated station of Tri-State Christian Television (TCT). The stati ...
Channel 42 (
Estrella TV Estrella TV () is an American Spanish-language broadcast television network owned by the Estrella Media subsidiary of HPS Investment Partners, LLC. The network primarily features programs, the vast majority of which are produced by the network ...
affiliate) Concord *
KTXL KTXL (channel 40) is a television station in Sacramento, California, United States, affiliated with the Fox network. The station is owned by Nexstar Media Group, and maintains studios on Fruitridge Road near the Oak Park district on the southe ...
Channel 40 (
Fox Foxes are small to medium-sized, omnivorous mammals belonging to several genera of the family Canidae. They have a flattened skull, upright, triangular ears, a pointed, slightly upturned snout, and a long bushy tail (or ''brush''). Twelve sp ...
affiliate) Sacramento *
KUVS KUVS-DT (channel 19) is a television station licensed to Modesto, California, United States, broadcasting the Spanish-language Univision network to the Sacramento area. It is owned and operated by TelevisaUnivision USA alongside Stockton-lice ...
Channel 19 (
Univision Univision () is an American Spanish-language free-to-air television network owned by TelevisaUnivision. It is the United States' largest provider of Spanish-language content. The network's programming is aimed at the Latino public and includes ...
affiliate) Modesto *
KVIE KVIE (channel 6) is a PBS member television station in Sacramento, California, United States. The station is owned by KVIE, Inc., a community-based non-profit organization. KVIE's studios are located on West El Camino Avenue in the Natomas dist ...
Channel 6 (
PBS The Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) is an American public broadcaster and non-commercial, free-to-air television network based in Arlington, Virginia. PBS is a publicly funded nonprofit organization and the most prominent provider of educat ...
affiliate) Sacramento *
KXTV KXTV (channel 10) is a television station in Sacramento, California, United States, affiliated with ABC. Owned by Tegna Inc., the station maintains studios on Broadway, just south of US 50 at the south edge of downtown Sacramento, and its tra ...
Channel 10 (
ABC ABC are the first three letters of the Latin script known as the alphabet. ABC or abc may also refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Broadcasting * American Broadcasting Company, a commercial U.S. TV broadcaster ** Disney–ABC Television ...
affiliate) Sacramento *
KSPX-TV KSPX-TV (channel 29) is a television station in Sacramento, California, United States, airing programming from the Ion Television network. It is owned and operated by the Ion Media subsidiary of the E. W. Scripps Company, and maintains offices ...
Channel 29 (
ION Media Networks Ion Media (formerly known as Paxson Communications Corporation and Ion Media Networks) was an American broadcasting company that owned and operated over 71 television stations in most major American markets (through its television stations group ...
affiliate) Sacramento


Radio


FM stations

*
KMPO KMPO (88.7 FM) is a radio station broadcasting a Spanish-language public radio format. It serves the Modesto area of the northern San Joaquin Valley. The station is licensed to Modesto, in Stanislaus County, California and is owned by Radio Bili ...
88.7: World ethnic * KLOVE 89.7: AC Christian *
Air 1 Air1 is an American Christian radio network. Owned by the Educational Media Foundation (EMF), it primarily broadcasts contemporary worship music, and is a sister to the EMF's K-Love network. History In 1986, KLRD began broadcasting Christian ...
90.7 Christian (alternative/pop) *
KVIN KVIN (920 kHz) is a commercial AM radio station broadcasting an Oldies radio format. Licensed to Ceres, California, it serves the Stockton and Modesto radio markets. The station is owned by Threshold Communications and airs Top 40 hits from t ...
92.3: Oldies *
KOSO Koso may refer to: * A native American tribe also known as Timbisha * Koso (drink), traditional Japanese fermented drink * Koso (Naga surname), an Angami Naga surname * Koso (surname) * KOSO Koso may refer to: * A native American tribe also known ...
92.9: Country * KPHD 93.3: The Best Local Bands and all the Real News *
KBBU KBBU (93.9 FM) is a radio station broadcasting a Regional Mexican format. Licensed to Modesto, California, United States, the station serves the greater Modesto area. Bustos Media used to own the station. In September 2010, Bustos transferred ...
93.9: Regional Mexican *
KHOP KHOP is an FM radio station serving the Modesto and Stockton areas. It broadcasts on FM frequency 95.1 and is under ownership of Cumulus Media. KHOP refers to itself as KHOP @ 95-1 or All The Hits. Its studios are in Stockton and its transmitt ...
95.1: Top 40 (CHR) *
KMRQ KMRQ (96.7 FM) is a radio station broadcasting an active rock format. Licensed to Riverbank, California, United States, the station serves the Modesto area. The station is currently owned by iHeartMedia, Inc. Its studios and transmitter are l ...
96.7: Rock *
KWIN KWin is a window manager for the X Window System and a Wayland compositor. It is released as a part of KDE Plasma 5, for which it is the default window manager. KWin can also be used on its own or with other desktop environments. KWin can be c ...
97.7 & 98.3: Mainstream urban *
KQOD KQOD (100.1 FM) is a commercial radio station in Stockton, California. It carries an Rhythmic AC-leaning Classic hip hop radio format, and is owned by iHeartMedia, Inc. Its studios and offices are on Lancey Drive in Modesto. KQOD has an effect ...
100.1: Rhythmic oldies *
KMIX KMIX (100.9 FM, "La Tricolor 100.9") is a radio station broadcasting a Regional Mexican format. Licensed to Tracy, California, United States, it serves the Stockton area. The station is currently owned by Entravision Communications. History Th ...
100.9: Regional Mexican * KAMB 101.5: AC Christian *
KJSN KJSN (102.3 FM) is a commercial radio station in Modesto, California, known as "Sunny 102.3." It is owned by iHeartMedia, Inc., and broadcasts an adult contemporary radio format, switching to Christmas music for much of November and December. ...
102.3: Adult contemporary *
KATM KATM (103.3 MHz, Kat Country 103) is a commercial FM radio station in Modesto, California and also heard in the nearby cities of Stockton and Merced. The station is owned by Cumulus Media and airs a country music format. Its studios are in St ...
103.3: Country *
KHKK KHKK (104.1 FM) and KDJK (103.9 FM), known as The Hawk, are a pair of commercial radio stations in the Central Valley of California. They are owned by Cumulus Media and they simulcast a classic rock radio format. KHKK is licensed to Mod ...
104.1: Classic rock *
KHTN KHTN (104.7 FM) is a radio station broadcasting a Rhythmic Top 40 format. Licensed to Planada, California, United States, the station serves the Merced area. The station is owned by Stephens Media Group, through licensee SMG-Merced, LLC. Its st ...
104.7: Hip-hop *
KRVR KRVR (105.5 MHz) is a commercial FM radio station licensed to Copperopolis, California, and serving the Modesto and Stockton radio markets. Its studios and offices are on North Emerald Avenue in Modesto. The transmitter is on Route 4 between ...
105.5: Classic hits *
KGIG-LP KGIG-LP (104.9 FM, "104.9 The Gig") is a low-power FM radio station broadcasting a news/talk format with some music programming devoted to local bands. Licensed to Modesto, California, United States, the station is currently owned by Fellowship ...
104.9: Local-Bands & News / community radio


AM stations

* KCBC 770: Christian Talk/Programs * KMPH 840: Catholic radio *
KVIN KVIN (920 kHz) is a commercial AM radio station broadcasting an Oldies radio format. Licensed to Ceres, California, it serves the Stockton and Modesto radio markets. The station is owned by Threshold Communications and airs Top 40 hits from t ...
920: Oldies *
KESP KESP (970 AM) is an all-sports radio station in Modesto, California, United States. The station serves Modesto, Stockton, Lodi, and surrounding communities of the northern San Joaquin Valley. It is currently owned by Cumulus Media. Its studios ...
970: Sports *
KFIV KFIV (1360 AM) is a broadcast radio station in the United States. Licensed to Modesto, California, it has a talk format and is owned by iHeartMedia, Inc. Founded in 1950 as KMOD, the station became KFIV in 1957 and had a hit music format b ...
1360: Talk radio * KLOC 1390: Regional Mexican


Print media

* ''
The Modesto Bee ''The Modesto Bee'' is a California newspaper, founded in 1884 as the ''Daily Evening News'' and published continuously as a daily under a variety of names. Before its purchase by Charles K. McClatchy and McClatchy Newspapers in 1924, it merged ...
'': Modesto's daily newspaper, published by the
McClatchy Company The McClatchy Company, commonly referred to as simply McClatchy, is an American publishing company incorporated under Delaware's General Corporation Law and based in Sacramento, California. It operates 29 daily newspapers in fourteen states and ...
* ''Modestoview'' magazine, monthly entertainment magazine viewable on modestoview.com or in print for free pick-up at most restaurants, cafes, and offices in Modesto.


Transportation


Rail

Modesto station Modesto station is a staffed Amtrak station in Modesto, California. It serves the on the ''San Joaquin (Amtrak), San Joaquin'' line. Designed by Pacific Design Associates of Modesto and VBN Architects of Oakland, the $2.4 million depot was built o ...
, east of downtown Modesto, is served by
Amtrak The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, doing business as Amtrak () , is the national passenger railroad company of the United States. It operates inter-city rail service in 46 of the 48 contiguous U.S. States and nine cities in Canada ...
'' San Joaquin'' intercity rail service. Future plans call for
Altamont Corridor Express The Altamont Corridor Express (also known as ACE, formerly Altamont Commuter Express) is a commuter rail service in California, connecting Stockton and San Jose during peak hours only. ACE is named for the Altamont Pass, through which it runs ...
service at the
Modesto Transportation Center The Modesto Transportation Center is a bus terminal and former train station located in downtown Modesto, California. History The Central Pacific Railroad was built through Modesto in 1870, and was taken over by the Southern Pacific in 1884. I ...
by 2023, with
California High-Speed Rail California High-Speed Rail (also known as CAHSR or CHSR) is a publicly funded high-speed rail system currently under construction in California in the United States. Planning for the project began in 1996, when the California Legislature and Gover ...
later serving the station as well. The large industrial region south and east of the city is served by the
Modesto and Empire Traction Company The Modesto and Empire Traction Company is a Class III short-line railroad operating in California's San Joaquin Valley. It is owned by the Beard Land & Investment Company; the Beard family has always owned the railroad. The Beards also creat ...
, a short line railroad, with a web of industry tracks and many customers. At one time, Modesto was the operational center of the
Tidewater Southern Railway The Tidewater Southern Railway was a short line railroad in Central California in the United States. For most of its history, it was a subsidiary of the Western Pacific Railroad. It was originally built as an interurban system, connecting to th ...
, which had its main line down the center of Ninth Street, a major north–south street. A city ordinance passed by the city council kept electric power lines over this section of street activated long after the railroad had converted to steam power. In 2000, the last trains ran down Ninth Street. Now the railroad (owned by the
Union Pacific Railroad The Union Pacific Railroad , legally Union Pacific Railroad Company and often called simply Union Pacific, is a freight-hauling railroad that operates 8,300 locomotives over routes in 23 U.S. states west of Chicago and New Orleans. Union Paci ...
since 1983) no longer passes through Modesto.


Local transit

The Stanislaus Regional Transit Authority operates local bus service and paratransit in Modesto, regional service in Stanislaus County, and commuter routes connecting to Bay Area Rapid Transit and Altamont Corridor Express stations.


Air

Modesto is served by the
Modesto City-County Airport Modesto () is the county seat and largest city of Stanislaus County, California, United States. With a population of 218,464 at the 2020 census, it is the 19th largest city in the state of California and forms part of the Sacramento-Stockton ...
that lies east of
California State Route 99 State Route 99 (SR 99), commonly known as Highway 99 or, simply, as 99 (without any further designation), is a north–south state highway in the U.S. state of California, stretching almost the entire length of the Central Valley. Fr ...
within the city limits. SkyWest Airlines (operating as
United Express United Express is the brand name for the regional branch of United Airlines, under which six individually owned regional airlines operate short- and medium-haul feeder flights. On October 1, 2010, UAL Corporation and Continental Airlines merged t ...
) provided air service to San Francisco International Airport, however commercial service stopped in June 2014. The airport is used for manufacturing and the shipping industries throughout California and the United States.


Highways and roads

Interstate 5 Interstate 5 (I-5) is the main north–south Interstate Highway on the West Coast of the United States, running largely parallel to the Pacific coast of the contiguous U.S. from Mexico to Canada. It travels through the states of Californi ...
and
California State Route 99 State Route 99 (SR 99), commonly known as Highway 99 or, simply, as 99 (without any further designation), is a north–south state highway in the U.S. state of California, stretching almost the entire length of the Central Valley. Fr ...
provide major highway access to Modesto.
California State Route 132 State Route 132 (SR 132) is a state highway in the U.S. state of California that connects the Central Valley with the Sierra Nevada foothills and the California Gold Country. Its western segment also connects the city of Modesto with the San Fr ...
links the city to Interstate 580, providing commuter access to highways into the Bay Area. California State Route 108 connects to
Oakdale, California Oakdale is a city in the San Joaquin Valley and Stanislaus County, California. It is part of the Modesto Metropolitan Statistical Area. Oakdale goes by the slogan "Cowboy Capital of the World." The population was 23,181 at the 2020 census, up f ...
and east to the foothills. The city has added many roundabouts in an effort to ease traffic congestion within the town with varying degrees of success.


Notable people

*
Evin Agassi Evin Agassi, also written as Evin Aghassi (Syriac: ܐܝܒ̣ܢ ܐܓܣܝ, born September 1945), is an Assyrian-American singer who has released over 20 albums during his career.Assyrian American Assyrian Americans ( syr, ܣܘܼܖ̈ܵܝܹܐ ܐܲܡܪ̈ܝܼܟܵܝܹܐ) refers to individuals of ethnic Assyrian ancestry born in or residing within the United States of America. Assyrians are an indigenous Middle-Eastern ethnic group native to ...
singer who settled in the city in the 1970s. *
James Algar James Algar (June 11, 1912 – February 26, 1998) was an American film director, screenwriter, and producer. He worked at Walt Disney Productions for 43 years and received the Disney Legends award in 1998. He was born in Modesto, California ...
, film director. *
Chidi Ahanotu Chidi Obioma Ahanotu (born October 11, 1970) is a former American football defensive end in the NFL. He was originally selected with the fifth pick of the sixth round of the 1993 NFL Draft by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers out of California; he spe ...
, former NFL player. *
Jack Angel Jack Angel (October 24, 1930 – October 18, 2021) was an American voice actor, comedian, and radio personality. He provided voice-overs for animation and video games. Angel had voiced characters in shows by Hasbro and Hanna-Barbera such as '' S ...
, voice actor: Teddy in ''
A.I. Artificial Intelligence ''A.I. Artificial Intelligence'' (also known as ''A.I.'') is a 2001 American science fiction film directed by Steven Spielberg. The screenplay by Spielberg and screen story by Ian Watson were based on the 1969 short story "Supertoys Last All ...
'', AstroTrain in ''Transformers'' films, Nikki in ''
Balto Balto (1919 – March 14, 1933) was a Siberian Husky and sled dog belonging to musher and breeder Leonhard Seppala. He achieved fame when he reportedly led a team of sled dogs driven by Gunnar Kaasen on the final leg of the 1925 serum run to ...
''. *
Dan Archer Daniel G. Archer (born September 29, 1944) is a former American football offensive tackle in the American Football League (AFL). he played college football at the University of Oregon, and then professionally for the Oakland Raiders in 1967 an ...
, NFL player. *
Sonny Barger Ralph Hubert "Sonny" Barger, Jr. (October 8, 1938 – June 29, 2022) was an American outlaw biker, author and actor who was a founding member of the Oakland, California chapter of the Hells Angels Motorcycle Club in 1957. After forming the O ...
, Oakland chapter founder of the
Hells Angels Motorcycle Club The Hells Angels Motorcycle Club (HAMC) is a worldwide outlaw motorcycle club whose members typically ride Harley-Davidson motorcycles. In the United States and Canada, the Hells Angels are incorporated as the Hells Angels Motorcycle Corporatio ...
. * Derrick Barry, drag queen, Britney Spears impersonator, Rupaul's Drag Race season 8 contestant. * Nick Bassett (musician), Nick Bassett, multi-instrumentalist (bassist of Nothing (band), Nothing, guitarist of Whirr (band), Whirr), film and television composer. * Ginger Gonzaga, actress and comedian Eric Bell (baseball), Eric Bell, former MLB pitcher. * Tony Boselli, football player, University of Southern California, second pick in 1995 NFL Draft by the Jacksonville Jaguars, five-time Pro Bowler and three-time first-team All-Pro; born in Modesto. * Shawn Boskie, former MLB player; played his junior college ball at Modesto Junior College. * David V. Brewer, lawyer and judge. * Lincoln Brewster, Christian musician and worship pastor, attended Grace M. Davis High School. * Esto Bates Broughton, one of the first women to serve in the California State Assembly. * James Broughton (1913–1999), poet and poetic filmmaker. * Isaiah Burse, NFL player. * Erin Cafaro, 2008 Olympic gold medalist for women's eight crew; graduate of
Modesto High School Modesto High School is a public high school in Modesto, California, United States. It offers the International Baccalaureate Program and the Avid program, Performing Arts Program and was the first public school to do so in the Central Valley of ...
, Class of 2001. * Meghan Camarena, YouTube personality, ''The Amazing Race (American TV series), The Amazing Race'' contestant, and television host * Carol Channing, three-time Tony Award-winning actress and singer. * Bryson DeChambeau, golfer. * Joe Dillon, MLB player for the Florida Marlins, Milwaukee Brewers, and Tampa Bay Rays. * Cam de Leon, artist. * Stephen Dunn (sound engineer), Stephen Dunn, sound engineer. * Jack Elam (1919–2003), actor, epitome of the "bad guy" in western films; attended
Modesto Junior College Modesto Junior College (MJC) is a public community college in Modesto, California. It is part of Yosemite Community College District along with Columbia College. MJC, and Columbia College, belong to the California Community College system al ...
and had a brother who taught there. * Christopher Evans (outlaw), Chris Evans and his young partner John Sontag, notorious train robbers, operated a Livery yard, livery stable in Modesto in early 1890s. * Jim Fairchild, musician, guitarist, songwriter of Grandaddy, All Smiles and Modest Mouse. * Steve Forrest (musician), Steve Forrest, musician. * Ernest Gallo and Julio Gallo, winemakers. * Don Gile, former MLB player. * Tony Graziani, Philadelphia Soul quarterback, graduate of
Thomas Downey High School Thomas Downey High School (TDHS) is a High School in Modesto, California. It is one of the seven high schools in Modesto. Thomas Downey High is the second oldest high school in the city of Modesto and its doors opened to students in the Fall of 1 ...
. * Visco Grgich, former NFL player. * Ralph Griswold, computer scientist. * Bradin Hagens, MLB player. * Chuck Hayes, basketball player, Kentucky Wildcats men's basketball, Kentucky, Houston Rockets, Sacramento Kings and Toronto Raptors. * Lester Hayes, football player, Oakland Raiders. * Kirby Hensley, founder of the Universal Life Church. * J.P. Howell, pitcher for the Los Angeles Dodgers. * Bill Koski, former MLB player. * Brad Kilby, former MLB pitcher. * Kamara James, Olympic fencer. * Morgan James, singer. * Jason Jimenez, former MLB player. * Ray Lankford, St. Louis Cardinals outfielder, graduate of Grace M. Davis High School. * Chandra Levy, intern at Federal Bureau of Prisons in Washington D.C., whose 2001 disappearance was a major news story. *Marcia Lucas, film editor. * George Lucas, film director, producer, screenwriter, studio mogul, graduate of
Thomas Downey High School Thomas Downey High School (TDHS) is a High School in Modesto, California. It is one of the seven high schools in Modesto. Thomas Downey High is the second oldest high school in the city of Modesto and its doors opened to students in the Fall of 1 ...
, and former student at
Modesto Junior College Modesto Junior College (MJC) is a public community college in Modesto, California. It is part of Yosemite Community College District along with Columbia College. MJC, and Columbia College, belong to the California Community College system al ...
. * Richard Edmund Lyng, former Secretary of Agriculture. * Jason Lytle, musician, songwriter of indie-rock bands Grandaddy and Admiral Radley. * Roger Maltbie, golfer and television sportscaster, born in Modesto. * James Marsters, actor, graduate of Grace M. Davis High School. * Michael Medina, boxer. * Joseph Meyer (songwriter), Joseph Meyer, song writer. * Kerry McCoy (musician), Kerry McCoy, musician, guitarist and member of Deafheaven. * Jason McDonald, former MLB player. * Michael McDonald (fighter), Michael McDonald, top-ranked bantamweight professional MMA fighter, competing for Ultimate Fighting Championship. Graduate of Grace M. Davis High School. * Caralee McElroy, musician. * Joan L. Mitchell, Joan Mitchell, co-inventor of the JPEG digital image format. * Shane Minor, country music artist. * Donovan Morgan, wrestler. * Boaz Myhill, West Bromwich Albion F.C, West Bromwich Albion and Wales national football team, Wales goalkeeper (birthplace). * Carol Neblett, operatic soprano. * Reeves Nelson, professional basketball player. * Madison Nguyen, politician. * Travis Oates, actor, director, voice actor (voice of Piglet in Winnie the Pooh animated film and television show), script writer. * Adrian Oliver, basketball player. * Kristin Olsen, politician. * Timothy Olyphant, actor, ''Deadwood (TV series), Deadwood'' and ''Justified (TV series), Justified'', 1986 graduate of Fred C. Beyer High School. * Ashley Paris, Ashley and Courtney Paris, WNBA basketballers. * Heath Pearce, professional soccer player for New York Red Bulls in Major League Soccer, graduate of Peter Johansen High School. * Lindsay Pearce, contender on ''The Glee Project,'' Elphaba in Wicked (musical), Wicked on Broadway * Scott Peterson and Laci Peterson - A married couple at the center of a 2002 criminal case, in which Scott was convicted of murdering Laci. * Brandon Pettit, convicted of murdering his parents. * Suzy Powell-Roos, three-time track and field Olympian and American record holder in women's discus, graduate of
Thomas Downey High School Thomas Downey High School (TDHS) is a High School in Modesto, California. It is one of the seven high schools in Modesto. Thomas Downey High is the second oldest high school in the city of Modesto and its doors opened to students in the Fall of 1 ...
. * Harve Presnell, Golden Globe Award-winning actor and singer, ''The Unsinkable Molly Brown (musical), The Unsinkable Molly Brown'', ''Saving Private Ryan'', ''Fargo (1996 film), Fargo'', born in Modesto in 1933, graduate of
Modesto High School Modesto High School is a public high school in Modesto, California, United States. It offers the International Baccalaureate Program and the Avid program, Performing Arts Program and was the first public school to do so in the Central Valley of ...
. * Jennie Phelps Purvis (d. 1924), writer, suffragist, social reformer * Arthur Riggs (geneticist), Arthur Righs, geneticist. * Jeremy Renner, Academy Award-nominated actor, ''The Hurt Locker'', ''American Hustle''. Graduate of Fred C. Beyer High School. * Kenny Roberts, three-time FIM 500 cc Grand Prix motorcycle racing champion, two-time AMA Dirt Track Grand National Champion. *
Royal Robbins Royal Robbins (February 3, 1935 – March 14, 2017) was one of the pioneers of American rock climbing. After learning to climb at Tahquitz Rock, he went on to make first ascents of many big wall routes in Yosemite. As an early proponent of bol ...
, iconic rock climber. Founder of Royal Robins clothing line which spun off to the 5.11 clothing line. * Joe Rudi, professional baseball player, three-time Gold Glove-winning outfielder with 1970s champion Oakland Athletics, Oakland A's * Larry Scott (radio personality), Larry Scott, DJ. * Mark Spitz, nine-time Olympic swimming gold medalist. * Byron Storer, former NFL fullback. * Nate Sudfeld, NFL quarterback. * Zach Sudfeld, Zack Sudfeld, NFL player with the New England Patriots, graduated from Modesto Christian High School * Alistair Sylvester, ice skater. * Florence Owens Thompson (1903–1983), subject of iconic Great Depression photograph ''Migrant Mother'' by Dorothea Lange, settled in Modesto in 1945. * Ann Veneman, 27th U.S. United States Secretary of Agriculture, Secretary of Agriculture. * Tisha Venturini, member of gold medal U.S. women's national soccer team at 1996 Olympic Games; from Grace M. Davis High School. * Gabe Vincent, NBA player. * Darlene Vogel, actress. * Louis Waldon, film actor. * Ashley Walker (basketball), Ashley Walker, basketball player, attended Grace M. Davis High School, star player on UC Berkeley women's team 2005–2009, plays professionally overseas. * Butch Walts, tennis player. * Ron Whitney, Olympian. * Paul Wiggin, former NFL player. *
Gene Winfield Gene Winfield (born June 16, 1927) is an American automotive customizer and fabricator. In the mid-1960s, his designs caught the attention of the film community, resulting in a large body of his work appearing on screen, including in the iconic 1 ...
, legendary hot rod builder, automotive designer, movie car designer, also known as "The King Of Kustoms." * Kenneth L. Worley, medal of honor recipient. * Floyd Zaiger, fruit breeder.


Sister cities

Modesto's sister cities are: * Aguascalientes City, Aguascalientes, Mexico * Khmelnytskyi, Ukraine, Khmelnytskyi, Ukraine * Kurume, Japan * Laval, Mayenne, Laval, France * Mengzi City, Mengzi, China * Vernon, British Columbia, Vernon, Canada * Vijayawada, India These programs are run by the non-profit Modesto Sister Cities International.


In popular culture

*The first season of ABC's drama ''American Crime (TV series), American Crime'' is set in Modesto. *The 1973 film ''
American Graffiti ''American Graffiti'' is a 1973 American coming-of-age comedy-drama film directed by George Lucas, produced by Francis Ford Coppola, written by Willard Huyck, Gloria Katz and Lucas, and starring Richard Dreyfuss, Ron Howard (billed as Ronny ...
'' is set in Modesto. *"Modesto" is the name of a song by Beck, from his ''Stereopathetic Soulmanure'' album. *"St. Modesto" is a song by Chris Walla from his ''Field Manual'' album. *The 2009 film ''Janky Promoters'' is set in Modesto. *The 2009 film ''Monsters vs. Aliens'' is set in Modesto. *The 2017 music video for the Macklemore song "Glorious (Macklemore song), Glorious" is set in Modesto. *Adele mentions Modesto in her new single "Wild Wild West". *The 2006 NOFX song "60% Intentional" mentions Modesto, featured on the album Wolves in Wolves' Clothing. *A 2022 episode of the paranormal documentary show ''A Haunting'' titled: "Daydreams and Nightmares" (Season 11 episode 3) tells the case of a costume store under the same name owned by Dana Walters that located in the city and believed to be haunted. *The character Ensign Brad Boimler from the television series ''Star Trek: Lower Decks'' was raised on his family's raisin vineyard in Modesto.


See also

* Central Valley (California) for general information about the region * List of U.S. cities with large Hispanic populations


References


Further reading

* B.J. Osborn, ''Modesto: An Informal History''. IUniverse, 2003.


External links

*
Historical photos of Modesto, CA

Official Modesto Police website

Historic Modesto

Modesto Convention and Visitors Bureau

Modesto CA Online
{{Authority control Modesto, California, Cities in Stanislaus County, California County seats in California San Joaquin Valley Incorporated cities and towns in California Populated places established in 1884 1884 establishments in California