Fresno, California

Fresno is a city in the San Joaquin Valley of California, United States. It is the largest city in the Central Valley region and the most populated city in Central California. Fresno covers about 114.7 square miles and had a population of 542,107 as of the 2020 census. This makes it the fifth-most populous city in California and the 34th-most populous city in the nation.

The city was named for the many ash trees along the San Joaquin River. Fresno was founded in 1872 as a railway station for the Central Pacific Railroad and became an official city in 1885. Today, it is an important economic center for Fresno County and the San Joaquin Valley, where much of the area is dedicated to large farms.

Fresno is near the center of California. It is about 220 miles north of Los Angeles, 170 miles south of the state capital, Sacramento, and 185 miles southeast of San Francisco. Famous natural places such as Yosemite National Park, Kings Canyon National Park, and Sequoia National Park are not far from the city.

In 2020, more than half of Fresno’s people, about 50.5%, identified as Hispanic, making it one of the largest cities in the United States with a majority Hispanic population.

History

The original people of the San Joaquin Valley were the Yokuts people and Miwok people. They traded with other Native American tribes, including the Chumash from the Central California coast.

The first European to visit the valley was Pedro Fages in 1772. Fresno County was created in 1856 after the California Gold Rush and was named for the many ash trees along the San Joaquin River.

In 1872, the Central Pacific Railroad built a station that grew into the town of Fresno. The city was officially incorporated in 1885. Fresno became an important place for learning, with Fresno City College starting in 1910 and California State University, Fresno growing from a teachers college.

Fresno became one of America’s largest cities in the 1960s and continues to grow today.

Geography

Fresno covers an area of 116 square miles (300 km²), with most of it being land and a small part being water. The city is close to many beautiful places, such as Yosemite National Park, Sierra National Forest, and several lakes including Bass Lake, Shaver Lake, and Huntington Lake. It’s also near the coast, with places like Monterey and Big Sur just a few hours away.

Fresno has many parks, including Woodward Park with its Shinzen Japanese Gardens, Roeding Park home to the Fresno Chaffee Zoo, and Kearney Park. The city has busy streets and historic buildings, especially in areas like the Fulton Mall and the Tower District, which is known for its theaters, shops, and restaurants.

Neighborhoods

Downtown

Downtown Fresno has many old and beautiful buildings. Fulton Street was the main street for many years and now has lots of public art. In 2017, cars were allowed back on Fulton Street, but the area still keeps its friendly, walkable feel.

Tower District

The Tower Theatre is a famous old theater in the Tower District. This area has many small shops, restaurants, and theaters. It’s also a place where many community events happen, like car shows and festivals.

Woodward Park

Woodward Park is a big park with many things to do, like a lake, playgrounds, trails, and a special garden from Japan. It’s a favorite place for people to relax and have fun.

Fig Garden

Old Fig Garden is a neighborhood with beautiful homes and lots of trees. It has special events like a Christmas light show and a nice swim club.

Climate

Fresno has warm, dry summers and cool, mild winters. The summers can get very hot, with temperatures often reaching above 90°F (32°C). Winters are gentle, with cold nights but not usually very freezing. The city gets about 11 inches (279 mm) of rain each year, and snow is very rare.

Demographics

Fresno is the larger principal city of the Fresno-Madera CSA, a Combined Statistical Area that includes the Fresno (Fresno County) and Madera (Madera County) metropolitan areas, which had a combined population of 922,516 at the 2000 census.

Fresno is home to many different communities, such as Armenians and Hmong people. In 1920, Armenians made up 9% of Fresno's population. The Hmong community in Fresno is one of the largest in the United States, with over 24,000 people.

2020

The 2020 United States census reported that Fresno had a population of 542,107. The racial makeup was 33.2% White, 7.6% African American, 2.4% Native American, 14.7% Asian, 0.2% Pacific Islander, 26.8% from other races, and 15.2% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino people made up 50.5% of the population.

The census reported that 98.1% of the population lived in households, with smaller numbers in group quarters and institutions.

There were 175,944 households. About 39.7% included children under 18, and many were led by married couples or single parents. The average household size was 3.02.

The age distribution showed 27.7% under 18, with the median age at 32.2 years. There were 184,226 housing units, most of which were occupied.

In 2023, the median household income was $66,804, and about 16.3% of families were below the poverty line.

2010

The 2010 United States census reported that Fresno had a population of 494,665. The racial makeup was 49.6% White, 8.3% African American, 1.7% Native American, 12.6% Asian, and 22.6% from other races, with 46.9% being Hispanic or Latino.

The Census reported that most people lived in households, with some in group quarters and institutions.

There were 158,349 households. About 43.3% had children under 18, and many were led by married couples or single parents. The average household size was 3.07.

The age distribution showed 30.1% under 18, with the median age at 29.3 years. There were 171,288 housing units, most of which were occupied.

Economy

Fresno is an important center for the area known as Metropolitan Fresno. It helps connect the San Joaquin Valley and the larger Central Valley region. Many areas around Fresno focus on growing crops.

In 1958, Bank of America chose Fresno to introduce the first BankAmericard credit card, which later became known as Visa.

Some big companies that started in Fresno include Pelco, Foster Farms, and Cargill.

Top employers

According to the city's 2023 report, the biggest places that employ people in Fresno are listed here:

Arts and culture

Fresno has many places where people can enjoy art, music, and fun events. There are theaters like the Azteca Theater, Tower Theatre, and Warnors Theatre, as well as special music groups such as the Fresno Philharmonic and Youth Orchestras of Fresno.

The city also has interesting museums to visit, including the Forestiere Underground Gardens, Fresno Art Museum, and the Fresno Chaffee Zoo. Every year, Fresno hosts exciting events like The Big Fresno Fair, an anime convention called Ani-Me Con, and a Christmas Tree Lane lighting in December.

Performing arts and music

• Artists' Repertory Theatre
• Children's Musical Theatreworks
• Center State Productions
• Fresno Philharmonic
• Philip Lorenz International Keyboard Concerts
• Roger Rocka's Dinner Theater & 2nd Space Theatre (Good Company Players)
• Rogue Festival
• Shine! Theatre
• Stageworks of Fresno
• Woodward Shakespeare Festival
• Youth Orchestras of Fresno

Theaters

• Azteca Theater
• Crest Theatre
• Liberty Theatre
• Tower Theatre – Tower Theatre for the Performing Arts
• Warnors Theatre – Warnor's Center for the Performing Arts
• Wilson Theatre – currently Cornerstone Church
• Veteran's Memorial Auditorium
• Paul Shaghoian Memorial Concert Hall - Clovis North High School

Museums

• African-American Museum of the San Joaquin Valley
• Arte Américas
• Armenian Museum of Fresno
• Discovery Center
• William Saroyan House Museum
• Forestiere Underground Gardens
• Fresno Art Museum
• Kearney Mansion Museum
• Legion of Valor Museum
• Meux Home Museum
• Old Fresno Water Tower Tourist Center
• Fresno Chaffee Zoo
• Sierra Endangered Cat Haven (Fresno County)

Events

• Ani-Me Con (every spring) Fresno's only anime convention.
• Armenian Grape Blessing (August)
• ArtHop (first Thursday of every month)
• The Big Fresno Fair, 12 days October, the largest event in the Central Valley attracting over 600,000 visitors
• Taco Truck Throwdown
• Christmas Tree Lane Every December
• Fresno LGBT Pride Parade, every June, first held in 1991
• Grizzly Fest April/May
• Valley DevFest (Fall)
• Vintage Days March or April
• Greek Fest three days every September

Sports

The Save Mart Center is a large arena at California State University, Fresno. It is where the Fresno State Bulldogs men's basketball and women's basketball teams play, and it also hosted the Fresno Falcons ice hockey team for a few years. The arena is also used for concerts and other events.

Margie Wright Diamond is where the Fresno State softball team plays. This team has done very well, even winning a national championship. The field is named for Margie Wright, who helped lead the team to many big games, including a win in the 1996 Atlanta Summer Olympics.

Peter Beiden Field is the home of the Fresno State baseball team, which has also won a national title. Valley Children's Stadium is a big football stadium where many fans come to watch Fresno State Bulldogs football games.

Woodward Park in Fresno is where high schoolers compete in Cross Country and where BMX races are held. Ratcliffe Stadium at Fresno City College is used for track and field and football games.

The Fresno Yacht Club, started in 1959, holds a sailing event every July on Huntington Lake and sails on Millerton Lake.

Government

See also: Government of Fresno County, California

Fresno has a strong-mayor form of government. The mayor, who leads the city, is chosen directly by the voters. There are seven city council members who represent different areas of the city. Both the mayor and council members can serve up to two terms, each lasting four years. They do not belong to any political party while in office. The current mayor is Jerry Dyer, who is a Republican. If something happens to the mayor, the Council President steps in until a new election.

City Council

• District 1 - Annalisa Perea
• District 2 - Mike Karbassi (Council President)
• District 3 - Miguel Arias (Council Vice President)
• District 4 - Tyler Maxwell
• District 5 - Brandon Vang
• District 6 - Nick Richardson
• District 7 - Nelson Esparza

Before 1901, Fresno had a different system of local leaders called a ward system.

Courts

Fresno is the main city for Fresno County and has an important courthouse. One of the federal courts for the Eastern part of California is located in Fresno, in a building named after Robert E. Coyle. This building replaced an older one in 2006. There is also a state appeals court building in Fresno, named after George N. Zenovich.

Politics

As of 2016^[update], more voters in Fresno choose the Democratic Party.

State and federal representation

Fresno’s citizens are represented in the California State Senate by Anna Caballero and Shannon Grove. In the California State Assembly, they are represented by David Tangipa, Esmeralda Soria, and Joaquin Arambula. In the United States House of Representatives, Fresno is represented by Jim Costa and Vince Fong.

Education

Fresno has many places where people can go to learn. The main public university is California State University, Fresno. There are also several private schools, such as Alliant International University, California Christian College, and Fresno Pacific University.

For students who want to study for shorter periods, there are community colleges like Fresno City College and Clovis Community College. There are also career colleges such as University of Phoenix and DeVry University.

Most public schools in Fresno are part of the Fresno Unified School District, but some areas are served by other school districts. There are also private schools, including Fresno Christian High School, San Joaquin Memorial High School, and Fresno Adventist Academy.

Media

Newspapers

• The Business Journal
• The Fresno Bee
• The Community Alliance

Radio

• KMJ, AM 580, 50,000-watt and FM 105.9, is Fresno's first radio station; it began broadcasting in 1922. Its powerful 50,000-watt signal can be heard throughout much of California.
• KYNO AM 940, 50,000-watt oldies station
• KFIG AM 1430, 5,000-watt ESPN affiliate
• 88.1 KFCF is Fresno's Pacifica station, and one of Fresno's few non-commercial, non-corporate radio stations.
• 89.3 KVPR, provides National Public Radio Programming & classical music throughout the Central California region.
• 90.7 KFSR is another non-commercial, non-corporate station that plays a full spectrum format, including Jazz, eclectic, Armenian, and others. Based on the CSUF campus.
• 94.9 KBOS-FM More commonly known as B95 – Fresno's Hip-Hop Station

Television

To avoid interference with existing VHF television stations in the San Francisco Bay Area and those planned for Chico, Sacramento, Salinas, and Stockton, the Federal Communications Commission decided that Fresno would be a UHF island (only have UHF television stations).

The first Fresno television station to begin broadcasting was KMJ-TV, which debuted on June 1, 1953. KMJ-TV is now known as NBC affiliate KSEE. Other Fresno stations include ABC O&O KFSN-TV, CBS affiliate KGPE, The CW affiliate KFRE-TV, FOX affiliate KMPH-TV, MNTV affiliate KMSG-LD, PBS member station KVPT, Telemundo O&O KNSO, Univision O&O KFTV-DT, and Estrella TV affiliate KGMC.

In partnership with the City of Clovis, the City of Fresno opened the Community Media Access Collaborative (CMAC) in April 2012, a public, education and government access television station.

Infrastructure

Since 2010, dry times in California have made it harder for Fresno and the whole Central Valley to get enough water. The city gets its water from Millerton Lake and Pine Flat Reservoir. This water goes to two special places where it is cleaned before people can use it.

Transportation

Fresno is connected by several important roads. State Route 99 runs north to south and links the main cities in California's Central Valley. State Route 168, called the Sierra Freeway, goes east to Clovis and Huntington Lake. State Route 41, known as the Yosemite Freeway, comes from Atascadero in the south and leads north to Yosemite National Park. State Route 180, the Kings Canyon Freeway, travels from the west through Mendota, then east through Reedley to Kings Canyon National Park.

Fresno is the largest city in the U.S. without a direct link to an Interstate highway. When the Interstate Highway System was built in the 1950s, it was decided to place Interstate 5 on the west side of the Central Valley, skipping many cities including Fresno. Because of growing traffic, there are plans to improve State Route 99 and possibly add it to the Interstate system as Interstate 7 or 9.

Fresno Area Express (FAX) is the main public transit system in Fresno. It runs eighteen bus routes and a special service called FAX15, which started in 2017 with buses every 15 minutes on certain streets. The FAX Q line, a faster bus service, began in 2018 and runs every 10 minutes on main roads. Fresno also has bus services from nearby areas like Clovis, Fresno County, and Visalia. Long-distance buses are available from Greyhound and Megabus. The Yosemite Area Regional Transportation System added summer trips to Yosemite National Park in 2015.

Fresno had horse-drawn and later electric streetcars from the late 1800s until 1939. A plan for modern light rail was not approved in 1987.

Fresno Yosemite International Airport (code: FAT) offers regular flights for about 2.7 million passengers each year. Fresno Chandler Executive Airport (code: FCH), built in the 1920s, is used for private planes. Sierra Sky Park Airport (code: E79) is a special neighborhood where people can land their planes on wide streets and park them at home.

Amtrak Gold Runner provides train service to Fresno, stopping at the historic Santa Fe Railroad Depot in downtown. Fresno is planned to be a stop on the future California High-Speed Rail. Freight trains are operated by BNSF Railway and Union Pacific Railroad, and the San Joaquin Valley Railroad also runs trains through the area.

In popular culture

In the 1970s, a song called "Walking Into Fresno" was written about the city by a guitarist named Bill Aken. It was recorded by Bob Gallion for a radio and TV show in Wheeling, West Virginia.

In 1986, a funny TV mini-series named Fresno featured many famous actors. It made fun of popular TV dramas from that time.

Fresno was also mentioned in the 2009 animated movie Monsters vs. Aliens. Two films, Unfriended from 2014 and Fresno Smooth from 2000, are set in the city.

A creature called the Fresno nightcrawler was first talked about in Fresno in 2007.

Notable people

Main article: List of people from Fresno, California

Fresno, California, has been home to many famous people who have made their mark in different fields. Some of these individuals became well-known in sports, entertainment, and other areas. The city has a rich history of notable residents who have contributed to its culture and identity.

Twin towns – sister cities

Fresno has many sister cities around the world. These include:

• Guadalajara in Mexico
• Kōchi in Japan (since 1965)
• Münster in Germany (since 1984)
• Morogoro in Tanzania (since 1992)
• Verona in Italy (since 2000, a friendship)
• Vagharshapat, also called Etchmiadzin, in Armenia (since 2009)
• Châteauroux in France (since 2016)
• Taishan in China
• Afula-Gilboa in Israel
• Taraz in Kazakhstan (relationship inactive)
• Torreon in Mexico