Little Manila: Filipinos in California's Heartland

Overview

Known as “The City of Gold,” Stockton became a major hub for Filipino immigrants coming to the U.S at the turn of the 20th century. By the 1930s, this lively area had the largest population of Filipinos outside of the Philippines. Many worked as farm laborers traveling up and down the west coast harvesting fruit and vegetables in California, Oregon, and Washington and then working in the canneries in Alaska during the winter. But Stockton was where Filipinos could always return home.