Almanac note · History and culture
Newman has a founder, a festival, and a school-bus first
Newman connects Simon Newman, West Side farm-town life, the Fall Festival, the West Side Theatre, and a converted Model T school-bus story.
Newman sits on the West Side of the Central Valley, about 30 miles southwest of Modesto. Simon Newman founded it in 1888. It became a city in 1908, so the name is tied right to the person who helped start the town.
The city has long leaned into small-town traditions. Its annual Fall Festival, rural flavor, and downtown places like the West Side Theatre help keep the town from feeling like just another stop on Highway 33.
One detail is especially fun: Newman points to California’s first school bus as part of its local history. It was a converted 1916 Ford Model T. That kind of practical fix says a lot about rural life, where getting kids to school took local problem-solving.
Newman’s older slogan was “The Cream Pitcher of the Pacific.” Its current motto came from the city’s 100-year celebration: “Honoring the Past, Celebrating the Present, Building for the Future.” That fits a town that still talks about its founder, schools, farms, theater, and future plans in the same breath.
Where to see it
Downtown Newman, the West Side Theatre, and Highway 33.
Official sources
Official source trail
Reviewed July 2, 2026
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Connected places
Where it fits on the map
Open a place page for the county layer, nearby places, and other California entries tied to that local page.
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