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THE STORY: This medal commemorates the 125th anniversary of the founding of Modesto, California. In
1870, the railroads were building lines into the San Joaquin Valley and sent William C. Ralston to look for central locations
to build rail stations so trains could pick up produce and other goods efficiently. Ralston picked the site now known as Modesto due to its proximity to the San Joaquin, Stanislaus and Tuolumne Rivers. It was an ideal location and when the time came to pick a name for the new town, it was suggested it be named after Ralston. He humbly refused and it is said one of the people in attendance
said he was "mucho modesto" (very modest). The people took to the name and Modesto was born. The medal features
a bust of Ralston and the "Modesto Arch", its most famous landmark.
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