Escalon (Spanish: Escalón,[5] meaning "Step")[6] is a city in San Joaquin County, California, United States.

Founder John Wheeler Jones is said to have come upon the name in a book in the Stockton Free Library and liked it so much that he gave it to the town.

[8] Before the advent of the railroad, the traveler in riding over the French Camp road to the Stanislaus River would notice far out on the plains a large two-story brick house.

It was the home of "Johnny" Jones, who crossed the plains in 1852 and pitched his tent where Escalon now stands, the country at that time being Government land covered with sage brush.

He acquired the amount of land allotted to settlers and started to farm it, planting the first grain ever grown in the Escalon country.

He began raising cattle for market and purchased more land until he owned 8,000 acres, a tract more than three miles square.

In those days all freight carried from Stockton to the mines above Sonora went via the French Camp road, and many of the teamsters boarded and lodged at his farm.

The four-horse stage was brought forward by the hostler and James Jones, popularly called 'Jim, 'took the ribbons.

Leaving there about 9:00 o'clock A. M., driving out the old French Camp Road, we arrived at the Jones home place, the brick house, about noon.

With hospitality, an attribute of the Jones family, we sat down to a feast, fit for a king, and did full justice to it.

"[10] As soon as the town was surveyed, Jones built a good-sized hotel to accommodate the prospective buyers who came by stage from Stockton, which was located about where the Presbyterian Church now stands.

The post office and the first store were started by Mrs. Charles Jordan, wife of the station agent, on ground now occupied by the Tuolumne Lumber Company.

The second store was built by merchant Nelson Leighton; it was a large two-story building facing the railroad.

He was the first real estate agent and grain dealer in the town, and built many of the dwellings for rent and sale.

They carried out successfully a Fourth of July celebration in 1913, were active in the formation of the irrigation district, saw the Union high school erected, installed a lighting system; succeeded in getting the supervisors to lay some splendid streets, the town not being incorporated, and held a successful community fair in 1917.

Fish, secretary ; and W. F. Searcy, treasurer ; September 8, 1914, H. L. MacPherson, president; J. H. Martin, vice-president; E. AV.

A. Coley, succeeded in getting the people to bond the district for a small sum and the money was used in purchasing a lot in 1903 and erecting a two-room schoolhouse.

The school has had a steady and substantial growth during its first decade and in 1914 it was found necessary to provide larger accommodations for the pupils.

The citizens voted for more bonds, the present grammar school grounds were purchased and a handsome building was constructed of hollow tile.

The number of students continued to increase and last year an additional four class rooms were built' at a cost of $18,000.

Mrs. Grace Taylor Pearce has been principal for the past nine years and under her administration the school has been placed on the accredited list of the county.

Services were first held in the Community hall, but in 1915 the trustees purchased the pioneer gram- mar school building and fitted it up for church purposes.

The former Tidewater Southern Railway comes west from Manteca parallel to Highway 120 until it hits McHenry Avenue and heads south out of town.

Two trains will meet and pass on opposing rails through town, often backing up traffic along Highway 120 for over 20–30 mins.

The Santa Fe Railway San Francisco Chief served Escalon as a flag stop until 1971, when it ended passenger rail service to the town.

[16] Some of the largest employers in Escalon include DeRuosi Nut, GoldRiver Orchards, Grower's Choice, and Roche Bros Inc.

Major employers in the city include: Escalon's downtown along Main St. has been a focal point of the town since inception.

Since the late 20th century, Main Street has been the subject of redevelopment led by local businessman, Mike DeRuosi.

Voters approved the unification and on March 15, 1966, the San Joaquin Board of Supervisors created what would soon become the Escalon Unified School District, effective July 1, 1967.

This building stood on site of the present church until it was torn down to make room for the new structure, which was completed and dedicated on Sunday, April 10, 1921.