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The site of San Joaquin City (San Joaquin County Route J3)

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San Joaquin City is a ghost town which was once located on Kasson Road (San Joaquin County J3) along the San Joaquin River.  The community was plotted in 1849 and would become an early Gold Rush transportation hub after the opening of Durham Ferry in 1859.  San Joaquin City would lose much of the importance it had when Central Pacific Railroad service connected Martinez and Fresno circa 1879.  Much of population of San Joaquin City would relocate to nearby Vernalis on the Southern Pacific Railroad West Side line during the late 1880s.  Durham Ferry would later be replaced by a bridge over the San Joaquin River in 1902. 

San Joaquin City can be seen on the blog cover near neighboring Stanislaus City and Tuolumne City on the 1873 Bancroft's map of California.  Below San Joaquin City can be seen on the 1935 Division of Highways Map of San Joaquin County at the intersection of Durham Ferry Road and Kasson Road.  




The history of San Joaquin City and Durham Ferry

San Joaquin City was a small town that was plotted along the San Joaquin River in 1849.  The community was located near the future site of Durham Ferry.  Postal Service would open in 1851 but would shutter a short time thereafter in 1852.  

San Joaquin City can be seen on the 1857 Britton & Rey's map of California.  The community is shown to be near Stanislaus City and Tuolumne City.  The names suggest there some a common river themed naming convention afoot within northern San Joaquin Valley.  


Durham Ferry was established a short distance north of San Joaquin City by two business partners in 1859.  The Durham Ferry Store was known for selling groceries, liquor and second-hand mining tools.  Most of the tools on-stock at Durham Ferry were purchased from busted miners returning to San Francisco Bay from the Sierra Nevada foothills.  For a time, Durham Ferry was competitive with Stockton as a travel corridor to the Southern Mines located on the Stanislaus River in the Sierra Nevada foothills.  

Below an E. Clampus Vitus historic plaque can be seen as it is displayed on modern Airport Way (San Joaquin County Route 3) east of the San Joaquin River (courtesy HMbg.org).


San Joaquin City and the trail to Corral Hollow Pass can be seen in greater detail on the 1873 Bancroft's map of California.  Postal Service in the community would reopen in 1874.  The importance of San Joaquin City and Durham Ferry would begin to decline heavily after 1879.  During said year the Central Pacific Railroad opened service running from Fresno to Martinez.  Traffic was no longer required to disembark and use the ferry at the San Joaquin River to reach Modesto.  


San Joaquin City and Durham Ferry are both displayed on the 1882 Bancroft's map of California.  The community and ferry are shown to be at the intersection of what is now Kasson Road and Durham Ferry Road.  A road from Durham Ferry is shown running eastward through Stanislaus City and what is now Caswell Memorial State Park to Salida.  


Much of the community of San Joaquin City would relocate to Vernalis siding when it was plotted along the Southern Pacific Railroad's West Side line.  Post Office service would move to Vernalis in 1888.  

Vernalis can be seen approximately three miles southwest of San Joaquin City on the 1895 Britton & Rey's map of San Joaquin County.  Both communities along with Durham Ferry are shown to be in Township 3 South/Range 6 East.  The map displays San Joaquin City still was a formal town plot. 


Despite most of the community moving away San Joaquin City would stay populated enough well into the twentieth century to often appear on maps.  In 1902 a bridge was constructed at the San Joaquin River as a replacement for Durham Ferry.  Said bridge can be seen north of San Joaquin City on the 1915 United States Geological Survey map of Vernalis.  San Joaquin City is shown with only five remaining structures. 


San Joaquin City can be seen at the intersection of Kasson Road and Durham Ferry Road on the 1935 Division of Highways map of San Joaquin County.  


In 1960 the sites of San Joaquin City and Durham Ferry would be commissioned into County Route J3.  Said County Route began at California State Route 132 in Stanislaus County and followed Kasson Road into San Joaquin County.  Within San Joaquin County the highway followed Durham Ferry Road over the San Joaquin River into Stockon.  From Stockton the highway continued north to Lodi via West Lane and Hutchins Street to California State Route 12.  

County Route J3 can be seen mapped below on cahighways.org.  Durham Ferry Road east of the San Joaquin River was renamed to Airport Way sometime in the 1960s.  The name is reference to Stockton Metropolitain Airport which was last renamed in July 1964.  


During November 1962 California Historical Landmark Number 777 was placed on Kasson Road at the site of San Joaquin City.  The original plaque reported stolen in 2005 and formally replaced in February 2020.  The plaque and the vacant site of San Joaquin City can be seen below.  




Below the junction of San Joaquin County Routes J3 and J4 can be seen near the site of Durham Ferry.  To the left a portion of County Route J4 is carried by Durham Ferry Road whereas a right-hand turn takes traffic to Airport Way. 



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