Here’s a trick question for you – have you been to Fresno City? No, I’m not talking about today’s City of Fresno. And I’m not talking about Fresno City College either. Because today on KVPR’s Central Valley Roots, we go in search of the original Fresno City – one that vanished 150 years ago.
The year was 1855. Fresno County didn’t even exist. But it was this year, where a small settlement emerged along the Fresno Slough. It was somewhat optimistically called "Fresno City." The Fresno Slough is a natural waterway that connects the Kings River to the San Joaquin River, near Mendota. Back before the railroad, California’s rivers were the state’s primary means of moving goods. So it’s no surprise that Fresno City emerged here, at the head of navigation on Fresno Slough.
Fresno City was a stop on the Butterfield Overland Mail route, and even had telegraph service and a hotel – the Casa Blanca. A flood in 1862 damaged the town, but things really changed with the arrival of the railroad. Today’s City of Fresno was founded by the Central Pacific Railroad in 1872, roughly 30 miles away, and the original Fresno City simply vanished. All you’ll see today is a historical marker along Highway 180 at James Road – about halfway between Kerman and Mendota.
