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The first known humans to inhabit the local area, were the Laquisimne Indians
of the many Yokut tribes in the San Joaquin Valley. Indians inhabited this territory
perhaps for as long as 12,000-25,000 years. ("Yokuts" means person or persons.)
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| 1769 - 1772 First Europeans 1823 |
The first European men to invade the more or less tranquil lifestyle of the
Indians were the Spanish renegades--deserters from military forces in 1769. Don Pedro
Fages arrived in the San Joaquin Valley in 1772 and made the first written report of the
conditions here. By 1813, after the favorable reports by Fages, Spanish Franciscan friars
who were accompanied by military men entered the Valley to round up the renegades, convert
the "savages," and search for suitable mission sites. Curious of these new
people, the Indians welcomed the newcomers and many became followers of the Spanish
intruders. By 1823, the Mexican Revolution had given the Spanish complete control of
California.
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The Indians were moved to Mission San Jose to be educated. After some time, a
baptized Indian named Estanislao decided that the Indians were too passive--allowing
others to take over the direction of their lives. Estanislao and his followers rebelled
against the Spanish and fled to the San Joaquin Valley, past the site which later became
the French encampment of Livermore. They settled by a river which he named Stanislaus.
Their encampment was located at what is now the Spring Creek Country Club at the edge of
Ripon.
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| 1829 Massacre at "Spring Creek" |
On May 5, 1829, Sergeant
Sanchez left the Presidio at San Francisco with forty men and reinforcements from San Jose
to recapture "their" Indians. After three days of fierce fighting, the defeated
Sanchez went back to the Presidio in disgrace. Estanislao and his warriors celebrated
their victory. On May 29, General Mariano Vallejo undertook to destroy the rebellious
Indians with the help of calvary, artillery and reinforcements from Monterey. This time,
only Estanislao and a few of his fellow brave men survived. After Estanislao's defeat,
José Jesus, another deserting neophyte, was made chief. The Mokelumne, Consumnes and
Siyakumnes, all led by Chief José Jesus, continued to plunder and raid the missions and
cattle ranches. However, he eventually became friends with Captain Charles Weber and they
signed a peace treaty, ending the uprisings.
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| Spanish enthusiasm for
converting the Indians and building missions completely evaporated when other ethnic
groups invaded the San Joaquin Valley. Americans, English, and Russians traveled westward
to California, lured by stories of rich land and plentiful game.
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| The first documented legal
European owner of Ripon land was William Gulnack, a native New Yorker of Danish descent.
He and a friend, Peter Lassen who was born in Denmark, formed a partnership in 1842. Later
Gulnack developed a business relationship with Captain Charles Weber, the same man who had
secured a peace treaty with Chief Jesus and who later helped found the Port of Stockton.
Gulnack furnished money and secured credit, while Weber supplied the enthusiasm, energy
and know-how of merchandising. This started out to be a promising partnership. They opened
a general store, a blacksmith shop, and a flour mill in San Jose. Then they expanded:
manufactured their flour into sea biscuits to sell to merchant seamen; started a salt
works near San Francisco Bay, a shoe factory, and the Weber House hotel. Gulnack became
overwhelmed by all the business activities and sold out to Weber for some flour and a
little cash.
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| 1844 Gulnack--first title holder of Ripon land |
Longing to find a quieter life,
in 1843, Gulnack took his son, his friend Lassen, their cattle, horses, and mules and set
out for the San Joaquin. On June 12, 1844, Gulnack obtained a land grant (Land Grant No.
20) for over 48,000 acres. Shortly after Gulnack procured the grant, he gave the northern
half (Stockton) to Weber.
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| At about the same time, Captain
John C. Fremont and his core of topographical engineers went through the Stockton and
Ripon areas with their surveying equipment to make maps to send to Washington. They
followed the Stanislaus river from its source in the Sierra to a point where it empties
into the San Joaquin at a place now part of Ripon. Captain Fremont fell in love with the
San Joaquin Valley.
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| With the blessings of the U. S.
government, Capt. Fremont fought to overthrow the Mexican government. Most
Mexican-Americans fought against the Americans, though not strenuously. Since they had
close intermarriage and friendship ties, it was a toned-down, small-scale civil war.
However, when Gulnack returned to his homestead, everything had been burned to the ground,
his livestock slaughtered or stolen, and Lassen's body had four arrows in the back. With
the grant improvement deadline due, the discouraged Gulnack sold the remaining half of his
ranch to Weber for a $60.00 grocery bill charged at Weber's San Jose store. So, on
April 3, 1845, Ripon land became Weber property.
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| 1846 California gains its independence from Mexico |
The war continued, and on June
14, 1846, Capt. Fremont and a small group of soldiers seized the town of Sonoma and raised
the Bear Flag. On July 4th, 1846, Fremont proclaimed the independence of California.
On August 15, 1846, California was declared a Territory of the United States.
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| 1857-1870 Ripon land acquired by Hughes 1872 |
The
City of Ripon, originally known as Murphy's Ferry, was one of several river crossings that
sprang up in 1850 to carry gold seekers and settlers to and from the Stanislaus River. Up
through 1857, ranches and farms were getting a solid foothold along the Stanislaus River.
A settler named W. H. Hughes bought a settler's right to 160 acres by the Stanislaus
River, and by 1870, acquired another 761 acres encompassing practically all of what is now
Ripon. Establishing Stanislaus City, he built a home for his family at the river (at the
end of Robert Avenue). Hughes soon divided his property and sold the first lots in
Stanislaus City. The city became permanently established when he granted a right-of-way,
including a depot site, to the Southern Pacific Railroad in 1872. The settlement was then
renamed Stanislaus Station. In 1912, a new station was built to the north of this original
structure (near Locust Avenue).
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| 1862 First School |
The
first school was a renovated old shack which had been a residence. Some years later, a new
school was built in a grove of locust trees which were planted
to protect the school from the sun. This school, known as the Crow School, started in
Ripon in 1862, and it was located about two miles from the town.
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| 1874 Stanislaus City renamed Ripon |
The
nucleus of the town was started in 1874, when a man named Amplias
B. Crooks, born in Ripon, Wisconsin, came to this area and started a store. Not
pleased with the name Stanislaus City, he renamed it Ripon after his birthplace. The name
was officially changed on December 21, 1874.
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| 1875 First Post Office established |
Crooks
had the post office established in 1875 under the name of Ripon and had himself appointed
the postmaster. Ripon, at this time, consisted of a hotel, blacksmith shop, a school, two
warehouses and fourteen homes.
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| 1885 First bridge across the Stanislaus at Ripon
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Murphy's Ferry continued to be the only way to cross the river until a wooden bridge was built in 1885. This bridge was replaced with a concrete bridge in 1905. Murphy Road also got its name from this crossing and was known, until not long ago, as Murphy's Ferry Road. The first brick building, the General Store and Warehouse, was erected by Perry Yaples, another of the early settlers, who fired the brick in the summer of 1886. (Evidence of the remains of the kiln was seen during the reconstruction of Main Street in the summer of 1995) The Odd Fellows, Mt. Horeb Lodge #58, held meetings upstairs. By 1906, the building became the McKee and Reynolds Store of general merchandise. This building still stands on East Main Street.
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| 1899 Ripon Cemetery Association established |
Perry Yaple's home was built next to a common burying ground. When the land was donated for a cemetery, the Women's Improvement Club was organized in 1884 to care for the graves. The Ripon Cemetery Association was established on July 2, 1899. The oldest grave belongs to Luizann Roberts, daughter of J.W. and C.A. Roberts, who died at the age of 14 months on February 24, 1861.
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| 1909 SSJID organized |
Frederick H. Kincaid was elected in 1909 to be the first Ripon
director to serve on the South San Joaquin Irrigation District. The SSJID is still an
important part of the continuing development of Ripon.
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| 1910 Ripon Union High School opens |
Ripon Union High School opened on September 1, 1910, in the
Odd Fellows Hall above McKee and Reynolds store. Students came from Manteca and Escalon
before either of those towns had high schools. On April 22, 1911 and again on June 1,
1911, bond issues failed to carry for a new building; however later, a holding committee
was formed to acquire and hold land for a school. On June 1, 1916, a third bond issue
was passed and the building of the high school was started on August 1, 1916. In
regard to the details of the "Holding Committee," it has been stated that Mr.
Alney J. Nourse actually bought the land and held it.
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| 1910 Bank of Ripon |
The history of Ripon's agricultural and industrial development
has been a varied one. The Bank of Ripon was founded by Alney J. Nourse in 1910. About
1912, Ripon was a railroad stop for the purpose of transporting grain and cattle. At this
time, the community relied mainly upon dry farming for its support.
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| 1912 Markham Building  |
George Markham and his sister Mary (brother and sister to
Helen Markham) opened a restaurant in their home on the corner of Main and Stockton. After
much hard work and success, the Markhams built the Markham Building in 1912, moving to the
upstairs of the building. They tore down their old house to build the First National Bank.
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| 1916 First Holland Church |
Somewhere around 1916, the first Holland settlers came, attracted by the rich farm lands. These were mainly immigrants from the Netherlands, and soon wrote to their families in the "Old Country" and encouraged them to come to California. This group of ten families and nine single men built the first "Holland Church" on the corner of Locust and First Streets. The official name of the church was the First Christian Reformed Church of Ripon, California. The builder was Lambert Ubels, and he was married two years later--the first wedding in that church. The early day minister was Reverend Hoekenga, and he preached three sermons on Sunday, two in Dutch and one in English. After 1924, the First Reformed Church of Ripon moved to the corner of Second Street and Orange Avenue.
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| 1921 Ripon Fire Department |
The years between 1920 and 1930 brought progressive
development. In 1921, the Ripon Fire Department was formed and Meyenberg Bros. built the
first milk plant in the community.
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| 1923 Chamber of Commerce |
The Chamber of Commerce was formed in 1923 for the purpose of
encouraging additional persons to live in the city.
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| 1925 Ripon Sanitary District |
In 1925, the Ripon Sanitary District was formed by purchasing
45 acres of sewer disposal land near the Stanislaus River, south of town, with a $30,000
bond issue. Meyenberg Bros. built a second milk plant and the original plant was sold to
the Pet Milk Company. Then the Nestle Company purchased the plant and moved from Salida to
Ripon in 1929. In 1930, Meyenberg came back and built a plant on Stockton Avenue (this
building was destroyed by fire in 1994).
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During the depression years, the W.P.A. put in curbs and
gutters in the city and built an additional industrial sewer line. Extensive plantings of
watermelons and a variety of truck crops were followed shortly by vineyards and orchards.
Today, the farming community of Ripon is made up primarily of almond orchards and grape
vineyards.
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| 1945 City of Ripon incorporated |
The City of Ripon was incorporated in 1945, with the Chamber
of Commerce as the leading sponsor and financial backer. The City Council met for their
first meeting on December 4, 1945 at the Ripon Improvement Club. The next meeting was held
on December 11, at the office of the Justice of the Peace of Ripon Township. From
December 18, 1945 to January 21, 1947, the council met at the Ripon County Water
District. From February 1, 1947, the council met at the Women's Improvement Club which had
originally purchased the first "Holland Church" building to use for their club
meetings. The club donated the building to the city as a memorial to those who had served
their country during World War II. On March 18, 1947, the property at 311 First
Street was deeded to the City of Ripon from the Ripon Chamber of Commerce.
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From 1947 to 1991, the building was used as Ripon's City Hall
until the new one was built on Wilma Avenue. The "old" city hall
was then loaned back to the Chamber of Commerce.
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The steady influx of people of Holland descent has continued
through the years, bringing not only immigrants directly from the Netherlands, but also
Hollanders who had settled first in other areas of the United States and Canada. The
period of 1930 to 1940 saw continued slow growth of the city, especially with the coming
of more Holland settlers. As their number increased, another church and a private high
school were added to their educational and religious facilities.
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| 1944 Ripon Water District |
Considerable changes in the civic structure of Ripon developed
between 1940 and 1950. In 1944, the Ripon County Water District was formed and the Water
Company was purchased from the Alney J. Nourse Estate at a cost of $32,500. This money was
borrowed from the Bank of America to be paid back from revenue income. The loan was
written on lined tablet paper--in pencil, and signed by George M. Markham. The name of the
bank does not appear on the "document."
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At the time of acquisition, the City had
318 users, and the water system was found in the following condition:
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Today, the area incorporated comprises about 4.3 square miles.
The principal object of incorporation was to get police protection, to operate the water
company, and to expand the sanitary district. A five-man council was elected; C.B.Tawney,
John A. Thiemann, G.S. Tornell, H. Madsen and W. Schut. Mr. Hans Madsen was elected
by the Council to be the first Mayor. The Water District voted to have the City operate
the water company and Mr. L. S. Brady was hired as City Clerk.
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| 1947 First Constable |
The first Police Chief was Avon Graham, appointed on February
1, 1946. His salary was $150 a month and he was paid five cents a mile to use his own car.
The first patrolman was Harry Miner, hired in May of the same year. Chief Graham resigned
in June because he "was thoroughly dissatisfied with the present enforcement program
and questioned his ability to continue under the existing demands of the office."
After that, Patrolman Miner's salary was increased to $200 per month, provided he was
available and on call 24 hours per day and would be directly responsible to the Acting
Police Commissioner.
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By August, Patrolman Miner had submitted a letter requesting a
desk, some chairs, and phone for the jail. Bit by bit, the Ripon Police Department
acquired these items, as well as a typewriter, a pair of hand cuffs, and other necessary
items needed to provide adequate protection for the growing community. The city was unable
to purchase a siren because none were available due to a shortage of supplies during the
war. Patrolman Miner purchased a coal-burning stove for the jail with his own money and
was later reimbursed the $8. Juvenile delinquency and petty crime were the major problems
in Ripon in 1946.
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Following World War II, the Ripon Lions Club inaugurated a
drive for public subscriptions to build the Ripon Memorial Library Building. When
completed, this building was dedicated to all the service men from the Ripon area who
served in the Armed Forces During World War II. The building has since been enlarged to
four times its original size. This library is part of the San Joaquin County Public Library System.
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| City Government |
The City of Ripon started with a commission type of
administration in which each Councilman was a Commissioner of a branch of the City
Government. The Mayor was the spokesman for the Council, one Councilman was Commissioner
of Police, one Commissioner of Finance, one Commissioner of Streets and one Commissioner
of the Water Department. As the offices of Mayor and Councilmen were not paying positions,
it was difficult for them to take time away from their businesses and jobs to take care of
city affairs. As a result, on December 17, 1953, the city government was changed to a City
Administrator type with Mr. L.S. Brady named as the first City Administrator. This form of
City Administration is still operating in Ripon today.
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| 1961 Beginnings of the annual Almond Blossom Festival |
The years following the 1950's saw continued steady growth in
Ripon. Small manufacturing shops developed to meet the needs of the almond industry which
had grown tremendously, and several small housing subdivisions had to be added to fill the
needs that were created with the industrial growth in Ripon. In 1960, the Simpson-Lee
Paper Company opened an $8 million plant to manufacture fine papers. To celebrate the
acquisition of the new industry which would provide a sizeable payroll, interested
citizens and the Chamber of Commerce planned a weekend of festivities that culminated with
a parade on Saturday, September 30, 1961. This celebration proved to be the forerunner of
Ripon's Annual Almond Festival, first held in 1963 on the
last weekend in February. The Festival has continued to grow every year to the present
time.
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The stability of the earliest settlers has remained a
characteristic of the Community of Ripon. Its growth has been slow but steady; the
population has increased from approximately 600 in 1939 to
13,908 in 2006. Ripon is quite
proud of its quality of life. It boasts a small-town atmosphere with an abundance of parks
and wide, tree-shaded streets. With an eye to the future, Ripon provides adequate schools
and is continually improving its public facilities to meet the needs of a growing
community.
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