About Lodi

Name Change, Incorporation
and Mission Statement:

On August 25, 1869 the official map of the town of Mokelumne was filed with the San Joaquin County Recorder. Later there was confusion between the towns of Mokelumne, Mokelumne City, and Mokelumne Hill, so the Posted Office requested a name change. On March 21, 1874 Assembly Bill 639 changed the town’s name from Mokelumne to Lodi. Horse racing was a popular recreational activity in the area during that time and folklore has it that “Lodi” was the name of a successful racehorse. Lodi was incorporated as a General Law City on December 6, 1906 and since 1948 has operated under a Council/Manager form of government. The City has a five-member City Council comprised of members elected at large. Each council member is elected for four years with staggered terms. Each year in December, the mayor is selected by council members for a one year term. The City’s mission statement is: “The City of Lodi’s purpose is to enhance the quality of life for Lodi residents, reflecting our high community standards.”

Grapes, Flowers, and Trees:

In 1907 the first Tokay Carnival was held from September 19 to 21. This tradition has continued to the present time, though it is now called the Grape Festival. Early in Lodi’s history, growers prospered by farming grain and watermelons. By the late 1880s farmers began focusing on other crops, but none excelled like grapes – with Zinfandel and Tokay standing out above the rest. In the 1960s consumer tastes changed, the Tokay was no longer favored by wineries, and Lodi began focusing on producing quality varietal winegrapes. The area’s transition to premium wines got a credibility boost when the Lodi Appellation was approved in 1986. Wineries can now label their wines with “Lodi” listed as the grapes’ origin. In addition to wines, major commodities of the Lodi area include processed foods, nuts, fruit, and milk. With 80,000 acres of family-owned vineyards, Lodi has produced an annual crop worth $300 million and made itself a point-of-interest for tourism. The rose is Lodi’s official flower and the crepe myrtle is designated as Lodi’s official tree.

Community, Services, and Slogan:

Lodi is home to approximately 62,500 residents and is centrally located in California’s San Joaquin Valley. Adjacent to Highway 99, it is 34 miles south of Sacramento and 90 miles east of San Francisco. Lodi is a full service city within an area of 12.69 square miles that believes in reasonable growth control to maintain the warm ambiance of the community. Demographics are: 64% Caucasian, 27% Latino and 5% Asian, with more than 2,000 people of Pakistani heritage.

Lodi is located on the mainline of the Union Pacific Railway. Amtrak passenger rail service is available at Lodi Station in the downtown area. Lodi has owned and operated its electric system since 1910, and provides municipal water service 100% from groundwater pumped by approximately 26 wells, producing 5 billion gallons per year.

Lodi enjoys a mild year-round climate. The average high temperature is 74 degrees and the low temperature is 44 degrees. Average rainfall is 16 inches. The elevation is 51 feet.

The residents of Lodi take immense pride in their community and are active in all aspects of civic life, which is evident in the slogan its citizens dubbed for their home: “Livable, Lovable, Lodi”. A restored historic downtown boasts unique shops, fine restaurants, and a movie theater. The City of Lodi operates year-round parks, recreation, leisure, and community services programs. Lodi has 27 parks including Lodi Lake, fed by the Mokelumne River, which serves as the City’s northern boundary.