1868Government
The town was founded around 1868 when the first transcontinental railroad was extended to the area after a dispute between the president of the Central Pacific Railroad, Leland ...
1869History
In 1869, the area was renamed in honor of the family of Leland Stanford's wife, Jane Stanford (née Lathrop), and her brother, Charles Lathrop, who worked for Leland as an engine...
1871Architecture
In 1871, a post office opened in Lathrop.
1879History
This generated steady growth in the area, with the population increasing to about 600 by 1879.
1886Disaster
In February 1886, the railroad's hotel caught fire and was destroyed.
1889History
On August 14, 1889, former Chief Justice of California David S.
1970History
Residential growth slowed during the 1950s and 1960s, but picked up again in the subsequent decades, doubling in population to 2,137 in 1970 and reaching 6,841 by 1990.
1989Government
Lathrop was incorporated in 1989, and its first General Plan adopted in 1991.
2004Culture
It was conceived as part of the Central Lathrop Specific Plan (CLSP), adopted on November 9, 2004, to develop “a vibrant and livable community” across approximately 1,521 acres ...
2008Education
=== High schools ===
Lathrop High School, under Manteca Unified School District, was the first secondary school in Lathrop; it opened in 2008.
2014Military
In April 2014, electric car maker Tesla announced that it would be opening a warehouse in Lathrop, in a 430,000 sq ft (40,000 m2) building that was once a Chrysler distribution ...
2023History
In 2023, the US Census Bureau estimated that the median household income was $118,605, and the per capita income was $36,037.
2024Education
A second high school, River Islands High School, opened in 2024 as part of the Banta Unified School District.