In 1846, during American conquest of California, John Brown -nicknamed Juan Flaco - rode from Los Angeles to San Francisco in four days to warn Commodore Stockton of the siege of Los Angeles, and troops were sent to secure the city. This 'Paul Revere of California,' who lived in Stockton from 1851 to 1859, is buried in the former Citizen's Cemetery near this site.

Citation from California Office of Historic Preservation