Downtown Modesto is the central business district

Central business district

A central business district is the commercial and often geographic heart of a city. In North America this part of a city is commonly referred to as "downtown" or "city center"...

 and historic townsite

Townsite

A townsite is a legal subdivision of land for the development of a town or community. In the historical development of the United States, Canada, and other former British colonial nations, the filing of a townsite plat or plan was often the first legal act in the establishment of a new town or...

 of Modesto, California

Modesto, California

Modesto is a city in, and is the county seat of, Stanislaus County, California. With a population of approximately 201,165 at the 2010 census, Modesto ranks as the 18th largest city in the state of California....

. The area is bordered by Needham and Downey Streets to the north, Washington Street to the west, Sierra Drive and Morton Boulevard to the south, and Morton Boulevard - Burney Street to the east. Downtown Modesto has been recently modernized with such buildings as the Gallo Center for the Arts

Gallo Center for the Arts

Gallo Center for the Arts is a performing arts center located in downtown Modesto, California. Opened in September of 2007, the arts center hosts dances, performers, and plays. It is located on 1000 I Street....

, and has been symbolic with such towers as the Double Tree Hotel and the Modesto City Hall.

Early history

In 1870, when the location for Modesto was chosen, a square mile townsite with streets

Streets

Streets are the plural of street, a type of road.Streets or The Streets may also refer to:* The Streets, alias of Mike Skinner, a British rapper* Streets , a rock band fronted by Kansas vocalist Steve Walsh...

 aligned with the railroad was laid out.
In the late 19th century, the townsite was full with homes

Homes

Homes may refer to:*the plural form of "home";*an abbreviation of "homie".HOMES may refer to:*a mnemonic for remembering the names of five Great Lakes....

, hotels, and stores. The McHenry Mansion

McHenry Mansion

The McHenry Mansion is a restored historic residence built in the Victorian-Italianate style and located in the historic downtown of Modesto, California.-History:...

 was one of Modesto's first residences.
By the early 20th century, by the citizens' demand

Demand

- Economics :*Demand , the desire to own something and the ability to pay for it*Demand curve, a graphic representation of a demand schedule*Demand deposit, the money in checking accounts...

, all streets in the townsite

Townsite

A townsite is a legal subdivision of land for the development of a town or community. In the historical development of the United States, Canada, and other former British colonial nations, the filing of a townsite plat or plan was often the first legal act in the establishment of a new town or...

 and vicinity were paved with asphalt

Asphalt

Asphalt or , also known as bitumen, is a sticky, black and highly viscous liquid or semi-solid that is present in most crude petroleums and in some natural deposits, it is a substance classed as a pitch...

. In an attempt to revitilize Downtown Modesto in the 1960s

1960s

The 1960s was the decade that started on January 1, 1960, and ended on December 31, 1969. It was the seventh decade of the 20th century.The 1960s term also refers to an era more often called The Sixties, denoting the complex of inter-related cultural and political trends across the globe...

, many historic buildings were demolished, and few were spared.

Residential Area

The residential area

Residential area

A residential area is a land use in which housing predominates, as opposed to industrial and commercial areas.Housing may vary significantly between, and through, residential areas. These include single family housing, multi-family residential, or mobile homes. Zoning for residential use may permit...

 is south of 5th Street and east of G Street. Many Victorian

Victorian architecture

The term Victorian architecture refers collectively to several architectural styles employed predominantly during the middle and late 19th century. The period that it indicates may slightly overlap the actual reign, 20 June 1837 – 22 January 1901, of Queen Victoria. This represents the British and...

, Italianate, Craftsman

American Craftsman

The American Craftsman Style, or the American Arts and Crafts Movement, is an American domestic architectural, interior design, landscape design, applied arts, and decorative arts style and lifestyle philosophy that began in the last years of the 19th century. As a comprehensive design and art...

 and Mission

Mission Revival Style architecture

The Mission Revival Style was an architectural movement that began in the late 19th century for a colonial style's revivalism and reinterpretation, which drew inspiration from the late 18th and early 19th century Spanish missions in California....

 style homes

Homes

Homes may refer to:*the plural form of "home";*an abbreviation of "homie".HOMES may refer to:*a mnemonic for remembering the names of five Great Lakes....

 are proudly mixed with elegant commerces in this lively modern downtown

Downtown

Downtown is a term primarily used in North America by English speakers to refer to a city's core or central business district ....

.