A Brief History of Modesto, CA

Modesto was originally a stop on the railroad that connected Sacramento to Lost Angeles. It was founded in 1870 and was to be named for William C Ralston, a financer of many projects in early California. However, he declined the suggestion and a Spanish-speaking railroad worker at the naming ceremony said that Ralston was "Muy modesto", meaning "very modest". Instead, the town was named Modesto.