unWired Community Spotlight: Oakdale, CA

unWired Community Spotlight is a series highlighting the communities that make California a great place to live. unWired is proud to provide fast and reliable Internet to homes and businesses in Oakdale and the surrounding areas.

Oakdale, a city located in the heart of the San Joaquin Valley, is known for its thriving agricultural industry, cattle ranching, and rich history in cowboy culture. Founded in 1871, Oakdale was born when the Stockton and Visalia Railroad met the Copperopolis Railroad. The site of Taylor’s Ferry Crossing can be found in Oakdale, which was a crossing of the Stanislaus River on the 19th century Stockton – Los Angeles Road.

The city is also known for its cattle ranching; many cattle ranches operate in the area and Oakdale proudly claims the title of “Cowboy Capital of the World”. The Oakdale Cowboy Museum showcases the area’s ranchers and rodeo cowboys and cowgirls, featuring historic photographs, saddles, rodeo artifacts, and cowboy gear. The Oakdale Rodeo is also a favorite event for locals and tourists alike, occurring during the second weekend in April.

In addition to its cowboy culture, Oakdale is known for its agricultural production. The city was nominated for an award for having the most almond trees per capita per square mile in the state of California, and is home to the ConAgra Foods Hunt’s plant, which is one of the largest tomato processing plants in the world. Top agricultural exports in the area include almonds, dairy and poultry.