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The City of Oakdale is located in Stanislaus County, California, approximately 15 miles northeast of Modesto at the base of the foothills of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. With a current city population of approximately 17,500, Oakdale takes pride in its small town atmosphere and is a balanced community of residential and commercial properties with a full range of services, shopping and recreation.
Oakdale enjoys a moderate climate throughout the year with winter temperatures ranging from the mid 30's to the high 60's and summer temperatures from the 70's to the low 100's.
Oakdale offers a variety of housing options from established neighborhoods to new subdivisions currently under construction. Homes with acreage are available just outside city limits.
The Oakdale Joint Unified School District has four elementary schools, the newest opened fall of 2005. Along with excellence in academic pursuits, students through high school in Oakdale receive the additional benefits of music and sports programs, along with club activities and competitions like the Academic Decathlon.
Oakdale is the gateway to Yosemite National Park and the Sierra Nevada foothills from Highway 120. The Stanislaus River winds through town offering opportunities for water sports and fishing. Nearby lakes are popular destinations for boating and water skiing. Camping, hiking, hunting, fishing, and skiing are available within an hour's drive in the nearby Sierras. Several community theater companies also thrive in the surrounding area.
In-city recreation includes an 18-hole country club golf course, and numerous city and recreational parks. Oakdale hosts a professional Rodeo the second weekend in April, and the Oakdale Chocolate Festival the third weekend in May each year.
Situated near the Stanislaus River, Oakdale, so named for the groves of oak trees that line the hills, boasts an impressive history. In 1848, gold was discovered along the Stanislaus River by the Indians living in the area. The stampede to mine the gold sent representatives of the Stockton and Visalia Railroad to the location that is now Oakdale. After purchasing land they were able to extend the railroad from Stockton to the gateway of the mines. Andrew Jackson Patterson owned a large tract of land there, a parcel of which he offered to the railroad, and Oakdale came into being in November, 1871.
In 1853, Francis Marion Cottle, along with his uncle and his son, drove a herd of cattle to this section, made it their home, and thus became the first settlers. In 1865, they purchased thousands of acres of land east of the present Oakdale railroad tracks. The area became part of the newly created Stanislaus County on April 1, 1854.
As the railroad cleared the land along the river edge to make way for the tracks, some of the magnificent oaks were used to build the Stockton State Hospital in 1854, one of the first in the state.
With the railroad extended now to Oakdale, the town quickly became a freight center that created businesses for the town. Blacksmith, wagon shops and livery stables began operating to service the wagon teams, hotels, chop houses, and general stores opened to accommodate the teamsters. Farmers raised hay and barley to feed the animals. By 1880, there were five hundred residents, and 1886 saw one thousand inhabitants including three doctors and a dentist. Churches were established; the Methodist Church had its first pastor in 1881, followed by the Free Methodist church in 1891. As churches were built, they began to play an important role in the development of the town. Prior to 1900, the social life of the community consisted of various clubs; literary, choral, dramatic, dancing and skating. Growth meant education, so an elementary school was built in 1881 with three teachers to tutor the students.
Oakdale was incorporated into a city in 1906. An irrigation system was brought in by 1909, enabling ranchers to plant fruit and almond trees, followed by stockmen raising sheep, cattle, hogs and poultry, and operating dairy farms. Today, Oakdale is diverse, being both agricultural and industrial.
With the Stanislaus River and Woodward Reservoir nearby, recreation and outdoor sports are available to everyone. The waters offer rafting, swimming, sailing, boating and fishing. For those who prefer terra firma, there are several riverside parks for camping. As professional rodeo men and women moved into Oakdale, the interest in rodeos grew. The Saddle Club started putting on rodeos in the spring, and the city became known as the “Cowboy Capital of the World”.
Oakdale residents have much to be proud of. . .their agriculture, industry, well-kept homes, and the peaceful, picturesque countryside that brought so many of their forefathers to this location.
Oakdale Rodeo
The Oakdale Rodeo was the first outdoor rodeo in the Western United States, and since 1954, has been held, rain or shine. Oakdale earned the title "Cowboy Capital of the World" because of the number of successful Professional Rodeo Association cowboys who lived here. Today, the contestants, which have grown in number to over 400 and now include girl barrel racers, are often professional athletes instead of the ranch-born and bred contestants of the earlier days. Over the years, as the winner’s purse has increased, so has the pride of the Oakdale Saddle Club, as it presents this superior exhibition. So plan to be with us every year on the 2nd weekend of April to share in the festivities of the Oakdale Rodeo.
Learn more about this city
City of OAKDALE, CA official site
City of OAKDALE, CA chamber of commerce
City of OAKDALE, CA general information
City of OAKDALE, CA yellow pages
City of OAKDALE, CA newspaper
County of STANISLAUS, CA official site
State of California official site