08/28/2026
Map of the Month: Plan of San Joaquin City, 1850 (MC2:4-25)
Our featured map for August reflects an early attempt to develop a city from scratch during the California Gold Rush.
San Joaquin City was established in late 1849 along the west bank of the San Joaquin River, south of present-day Tracy and Manteca. The town became an important stopping point for miners traveling to the southern mines, especially after a ferryboat crossing called Durham Ferry opened just north of the town in 1850. As the town quickly grew, residents believed it might one day rival Stockton.
While many Gold Rush towns quickly disappeared, San Joaquin City endured as inland shipping point for riverboats transporting grain farmed in the western San Joaquin Valley. Although this 1850 city plan was not developed initially, the city was laid out in a similar fashion in 1869. The city continued to grow until around 1879, when the new railroad service from Martinez to Fresno reduced river traffic in the area.
The arrival of the Southern Pacific Railroad on the valley’s west side, combined with a change in the course of the San Joaquin River, ultimately contributed to the city’s decline in the early 20th century. Durham Ferry is now the location of an outdoor education center operated by San Joaquin County.
Despite mold and insect damage, the map itself has an equally interesting journey. It was discovered inside a business letter book belonging to Elias Grimes, who spent time in California during the 1840s. That volume eventually made its way to the Hawaii State Archives, which later donated the map to the California State Archives.
http://gencat.sos.ca.gov/minerva/permalink-d.html?key=2283
