Fresno: America's Fruit Basket
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Old Fresno Water Tower |
ORIENTATION
Fresno is located in the center of California, approximately 200 mi (320 km) away from each of San Francisco, Sacramento and Los Angeles. Easily accessible destinations along the Pacific coast of California include San Luis Obispo, Monterey and Santa Cruz, which are all approximately 150 mi (240 km) away. Nearby cities in the San Joaquin Valley are Merced, 60 mi (100 km) to the north, and Bakersfield, 110 mi (176 km) to the south.
HISTORY
The Yokut Indians were the original inhabitants of the San Joaquin Valley, but like many other tribes in North America, they fared poorly upon the arrival of Europeans. An estimated population of 18,000 dwindled to under 600 in the late 19th century due to displacement and disease.
The first Europeans to find the site of Fresno were the Spanish, who arrived in the mid 19th century looking for mission sites. The area remained relatively undeveloped until two major events changed its history. In 1846, California became the property of the United States, and in 1848, gold was discovered in northern California. The subsequent gold rush brought thousands of people to the central part of the territory, many of whom stayed after the rush ended.
Agriculture came to the Fresno area in 1870 with the first irrigation ditches, however the city's status as a raisin capital came about by accident. A particularly dry year led an entire crop of grapes to dry on the vine. The resulting raisins were exported to San Francisco, where they became a big hit and made the area famous.
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| Old Town
Clovis Photo Courtesy of the Fresno County Office of Tourism |
Fresno stayed a frontier town for several decades afterwards, until multiple fires and a large flood threatened the area's stability. This led residents to realize that a more organized government was necessary and the city of Fresno was officially incorporated in 1885.
Agriculture would continue to dominate the history of Fresno. Orange, apple and fig orchards thrived in the area and turned Fresno county into America's fruit basket. During the Great Depression, the area served as a beacon to mid-western farmers fleeing the Dust Bowl, who were enticed by its rich farm land. Here they found a place to prosper, and the area continued to grow, taking Fresno's population of approximately 144,000 in 1930 to 276,000 by 1950. This steady, strong growth has continued through to today and Fresno is one of the fastest growing cities in the United States.
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| Climate
data from the Western Regional Climate Center |
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CLIMATE
Fresno sits in the subtropical climate belt and has very warm summers and mild winters, while rarely experiencing freezing temperatures. Average high temperatures during June, July and August are between 91 and 97° F (33-36° C). Like many other cities in central and southern California, summers are very dry and sunny with almost no rain from May to October. The “rainy” months are still quite dry with approximately 8 of the annual 11 inches (280 mm) of rainfall in Fresno falling from November through April. Average winter high temperatures, between November and February, tend to range from 53 to 63° F (12-17° C). Because of its sheltered location in the San Joaquin Valley, winds are mild. However, this can lead to problems with smog, and air quality can at times become as much of a problem as it is in larger centers such as Los Angeles and Houston.
TRANSPORTATION
The major highway to Fresno is California State Route 99, which runs directly through the city and connects to Interstate 5 at its north and south ends. Highway 41 also crosses the city and is the major route to travel to Yosemite National Park from Fresno. The Fresno-Yosemite International Airport has flights from most major cities in western North America, and sees traffic of about one million passengers per year.
Travelers from the San Francisco Bay Area who want a more leisurely trip through the San Joaquin Valley can take one of the six daily trains from Amtrak, which runs the San Joaquins line through Fresno. Bakersfield is the southern terminal point on this line.
Greyhound bus lines offers service to Fresno from most major California centers, and Transportes InterCalifornias has daily round trip service from Fresno to Los Angeles and Tijuana.
For traveling inside Fresno, visitors can take advantage of the Fresno bus system, known as Fresno Area Express, or FAX. Getting around the city and area by car is easy, and Fresno has a number of car rental agencies, or if you prefer, taxis are plentiful and can be an easier way to travel within the city.
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Fresno Tower Theatre for the Perfoming Arts |
Arts/Entertainment
The cultural center of Fresno is the Tower District, anchored by the Tower Theatre for the Performing Arts. Opened as a Fox movie palace in 1939, this magnificent art deco building now plays host to live performances. Accenting the area are a multitude of restaurants, independent book stores, theater troupes and night clubs, including blues and jazz venues.
The Old Town Clovis district strives for a laid-back historical feel, with renovated period buildings, cobblestone streets and old fashioned street lamps. Like the Tower District, it also has its share of restaurants, cafes, antique shops and nightclubs.
A thriving arts scene includes the Fresno Ballet, Fresno Grand Opera and Fresno Philharmonic Orchestra, which share the William Saroyan Theatre. This theater is also home to traveling productions and concerts. The venue for major concerts in Fresno is the SaveMart Center, which is located on the California State University Fresno campus.
Fresno is home to over two dozen museums and art galleries, including the Fresno Art Museum and the Fresno Metropolitan Museum of Art, History and Science. The Downing Planetarium at Fresno State University has weekend shows looking into the mysteries of the universe, and free telescope stargazing sessions.
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SaveMart Center at Fresno State |
The sunny summer climate makes Fresno an ideal golf destination, with about two dozen public golf courses to choose from in the area. Other outdoor recreational facilities include miles of cycling trails, numerous city pools and tennis courts. The Granite Park sports complex contains a number of baseball diamonds, soccer fields and volleyball courts.
At 52 acres, Wild Water Adventures is the area's biggest water park. Ten different rides, including a wave pool, promise wet and wild fun. As well, the park offers fishing areas and a family recreation area with beach volleyball courts and picnic grounds.
Fresno's professional sports teams include the AAA baseball Fresno Grizzlies, who play in downtown Grizzlies Stadium and the AA hockey Fresno Falcons, who make the SaveMart Center their home. The Fresno State Bulldogs are the representatives of California State University Fresno in the Western Athletic Conference of the NCAA and compete in a number of different sports, including football and basketball.
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The Big Fresno Fair |
The highlight of the year for community activities is The Big Fresno Fair, which is held annually for two weeks in October. It features a carnival and a midway, daily live entertainment, horse racing and thousands of square feet of exhibitions.
Another big event is the Kingsburg Swedish Festival, held the third weekend in May. Celebrating the culture of some of the region's first settlers, the festival is filled with traditional food, crafts and entertainment.
The Rogue Performance Festival is Fresno's stop for the Fringe Festival circuit. The event is a showcase for offbeat and original entertainment and takes place every year in mid-March.
AROUND FRESNO
Fresno and area's grape crop doesn't all go into raisins and the region is
also home to a thriving wine industry. The nearby Madera
Wine Trail showcases some of central California's best viticulture.
Numerous area wineries offer tasting tours and special events such as wine
and chocolate weekends.
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| Friant Dam
at Millerton Lake Photo Courtesy of the Fresno County Office of Tourism |
Millerton Lake, 20 mi (32 km) northeast of Fresno, offers fishing, boating and swimming. Miles of hiking trails wind around the lake, offering a great view of the Sierra Nevada foothills. Wildlife is plentiful here, with one of the largest bald eagle populations in California. Deer, coyotes and mountain lions are also common here.
