Back in 2020, the Creek Fire destroyed thousands of acres of forest and many historical sites in Fresno County, including Cressman's store. While the owners are working to rebuild the 120-year old landmark, one of our listeners asked us about the history of the area. Today on KVPR’s Central Valley Roots, the story of Mountain Rest and Pine Ridge.
In 1866, the Woods Brothers and their partner John Humpreys got a concession from Fresno County to build a toll road from the low foothills area to Pine Ridge. Chinese laborers helped build the steep and windy Tollhouse Road, giving birth to the town of Tollhouse. The road was a lucrative business, as loggers needed to get their products from the forest to market. At the top of the grade grew the community of Mountain Rest, where the oak forest and chaparral gives way to conifers.
In 1881, Mary Jane Waite opened a restaurant and hotel here, giving travelers a chance to rest before they made their way to the sawmills ahead. Waite had lost her husband five years earlier in a sawmill accident, and many locals simply called Mountain Rest “Widow Waite’s.”
In 1904, Ammon Cressman settled in the area, planting an apple orchard, and opening a store, saloon and hotel just above Mountain Rest. With the advent of cars, Cressman also began selling gasoline. The store remained serving customers until the devasting fire in September 2020.
While the store was destroyed, other landmarks bearing historic names remain in the area. They include the Pine Ridge school just above the store on Auberry Road, as well as the Mountain Rest fire station, just below it on Tollhouse Road.
