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Settled in 1870 by the Central Pacific Railroad, Modesto is located in California's agriculturally rich Central Valley. The new town was to be named after the prominent California banker W. C. Ralston, but, as city lore and legend tell it, his "modest" refusal led to the name Modesto. Originally a wheat-producing region, the city blossomed with the arrival of irrigation, and fruit orchards and vineyards soon grew in abundance. The county seat of Stanislaus County, Modesto became an agricultural hub, with the motto "Water Wealth Contentment Health" emblazoned on an iconic arch at the town's entrance. California's original junior college is located here along with E. & J. Gallo Winery, the world's largest privately held winery, family run since 1933. Twice named an All American City, Modesto inspired native son George Lucas when he made his classic American Graffiti in 1973.
About the author
Carl Baggese is a former newspaper reporter and editor who maintains www.historicmodesto.com. This volume of historic imagery includes photographs from his collection as well as from the extensive archive at the McHenry Museum and the Faces of Stanislaus Project. These images, many of which have never been published before, show Modesto as it evolved from a small farming community into a modern Central Valley city.
