Tracy CA Real Estate and Homes – Community Information
Start Your Utility Services in Tracy, CA: City of Tracy Finance Department
http://www.ci.tracy.ca.us/
Tracy, California Community
Tracy is the second most populated city in San Joaquin County, California, United States. The population was 82,922 at the 2010 census. Tracy is located inside a geographic triangle formed by Interstate 205 on the north side of the city, Interstate 5 to the east, and Interstate 580 to the southwest; this has given rise to Tracy’s motto, now recorded on the city’s website: “Think Inside the Triangle”.
Community Overview
The City of Tracy, with a population of 82,900 is centered in a triangle formed by the major interstates of 580, 205 and 5. Tracy is conveniently situated just an hour from Sacramento, San Francisco and San Jose and just a few hours from Los Angeles. If it is recreation you seek, Tracy is also convenient to the Bay Delta, Yosemite, Tahoe and the San Francisco Bay.
The City of Tracy has established itself as an important suburb to the San Francisco Bay Area region with its solid base of small businesses, national retailers and restaurants. With an ongoing commitment to providing high-quality, economical, responsive services to the local community, Tracy is well-positioned for future commercial, office and industrial development.
Tracy, CA History
In 1869 the Central Pacific Railroad (now Southern Pacific) completed a rail line through the area which is now known as Tracy. The rail line ran from Sacramento through Stockton then over the Altamont Pass and then by ferry service to San Francisco. Shortly after the line was built, a new town sprung up nine miles from Stockton and became known as Lathrop Junction. Lathrop consisted of a roundhouse, railroad shop, yards and hotels for feeding railroad employees. The community became the center of railroad business and the headquarters for the Central Pacific Railroad in the San Joaquin Valley.
The railroad found it necessary to build a coaling station at the base of the Altamont Pass, just fourteen miles to the west of Lathrop. The new station was called Ellis and by 1870 it had about 45 buildings serving the needs of the railroad and its employees and their families.
In 1878 construction of a new rail line was started from Oakland around the shores of San Francisco Bay, through Martinez to connect to the Central Pacific at a point three miles to the east of Ellis. The line had been built to make possible greater efficiency by avoiding hills and to eliminate the expense of helper engines. The result of the new rail line was the founding of Tracy on September 8, 1878, named for Lathrop J. Tracy, a grain merchant and railroad director in Mansfield, Ohio.
Soon after the establishment of the new line connecting in Tracy, the railroad discontinued the coaling station at Ellis and employees and their families were moved to Lathrop and to the new Tracy station. The town of Ellis moved bag and baggage to Tracy including moving two hotels.
Tracy continued to grow as a railroad center. A new line through Los Banos was the fastest and least expensive way to Los Angeles. In March of 1894 railroad headquarters at Lathrop were moved to Tracy. All of the railroad equipment including engines and buildings were moved. Thus, Tracy’s beginning is in fact the story of a railroad.
Tracy was incorporated in 1910 and it grew rapidly after the first irrigation district was established in 1915. Although railroad operations began to decline in the 1950s, Tracy continued to prosper as an agricultural area. Today, the City seal reflects this history of railroads and agriculture.
School Districts
Three main school districts serve the city of Tracy. The largest and most recognized is the Tracy Unified School District. This school system incorporates many elementary and middle schools as well as six Tracy high schools: Tracy High School, Merrill F. West High School, Delta Charter High School, Millennium Charter High School, John C. Kimball High School, and Mountain House High School. Tracy’s expelled students attend the Willow community day school, and the Tracy One Program, or Community One. The other two school districts are: Lammersville Joint Unified School District and Jefferson School District which incorporates the south side of Tracy and includes four schools: Jefferson Middle School, Tom Hawkins Elementary School, Monticello Elementary School and Anthony C. Traina School.
City of Tracy GIS Website
GIS technology incorporates geographical features with data in order to allow for mapping, analyzing and assessing real world problems. The key word to this technology is Geography. As an example, GIS allows you to not only find schools, businesses or other geographical locations, but it will also provide information like school name, level of education taught, or student capacity.
City of Tracy Parks Map
The Tracy Park System offers over 252 acres of developed park and open space areas for public enjoyment. Every attempt has been made to provide facilities and programs for all ages, physical abilities and levels of participation.
City of Tracy Crime Map
CrimeMapping.com provides valuable information about recent crime activity in the City of Tracy.
Tracy Chamber of Commerce
Programs to Help Your Business Thrive – Education, Events, Networking and Groups
Tracy, California Cost of Living
Visit Sperling’s Best Places for info on Tracy, California cost of living, education statistics, crime rates, health, commute times, and more.
Shopping & Dining
Tracy offers many opportunities for shopping and dining whether it’s in the Downtown Tracy area between 6th and 11th streets, at the Tracy Outlets (I-205 and MacArthur exit), or at the West Valley Mall on Naglee Rd.
Downtown Tracy CA
West Valley Mall, Tracy CA
Tracy CA Outlets
Culture & Arts
The Grand Theatre Center for the Arts is an amazing facility due its thoughtful development as a professional arts organization and educative center within City government, as well as an important public resource as an economic redevelopment project in downtown Tracy. Hundreds of community leaders, arts patrons, educators and parents contributed to the planning process that ultimately designed the amenities and programming of the Center.
This municipal interdisciplinary arts center is the only one of its kind in the state of California offering professional and community-based fine arts programming through arts education, exhibitions, and performances of all kinds, and is one of only a handful of similar facilities in America.
The City Council appointed Tracy Arts Commission is committed to encourage, promote and stimulate the growth of broad-based arts and cultural programs in the community. Programming includes annual Music in the Park, Summer Concert Series, and the Tracy Arts & Cultural Festival.
Tracy Branch Library
The Tracy Branch Library offers a circulating collection of library materials in English, Spanish, Hindi, and Punjabi. They also offer computer workstations for general and internet use, printing, and free Wi-Fi service. Newspapers are available for browsing and magazines are available for checkout. The library has a reference collection, self-service express checkout machines, a book magnifier, and a copy machine.
Hotels & Lodging
Looking to visit? Find the best hotels in Tracy, California at TripAdvisor.
Established Home Communities:
- Edgewood
- Elissagaray Ranch
- Glenbriar Estates
- Harvest Glen
- Hidden Lakes
- Lillegard Estates
- Linne Estates
- Redbridge Community
- Regency Square
- Victoria Park
- Starflower by Standard Pacific Homes
New Home Communities:
- Maplewood by William Lyon Homes
- The Bungalows by Woodside Homes
- The Falls at Yosemite Vista by Bright Homes
- Ventana by TRI Pointe Homes
- Primrose by Standard Pacific
- Trinity Lane by Pulte Homes
- Quail Run by Glenbriar Homes
- Southgate by Bright Homes
(page excerpts from http://atthegrand.org, http://www.ci.tracy.ca.us, wikipedia.org)