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Fresno, California
Flag Seal
Nickname: Fresno, the All American City & Raisin Capital of the World
Location in the state of California
Coordinates: 36°46′54″N 119°47′32″W / 36.78167, -119.79222
Country	United States
State	California
County	Fresno
Government
- Mayor	Alan Autry
Area
- City	104.8 sq mi (271.4 km²)
- Land	104.4 sq mi (183.3 km²)
- Water	0.4 sq mi (1.1 km²)
Elevation	308 ft (94 m)
Population (2006)
- City	481,035
- Density	4,097.9/sq mi (1,582.2/km²)
- Urban	625,000
- Metro	1,002,284
Time zone	PST (UTC-8)
- Summer (DST)	PDT (UTC-7)
Area code(s)	559
FIPS code	06-27000GR2
GNIS feature ID	0277606GR3
Website: www.fresno.gov

Fresno is the sixth-largest city in California and the county seat of Fresno County, with an official Census Bureau estimated population of 481,035 as of July 1, 2006. It is located in the expansive Central Valley.^[1] The city is the cultural and economic center of the Fresno metropolitan area. Following Sacramento Fresno is the second-largest metropolitan area in California's Central Valley with a population of 1,002,284.

Contents 1 Government 1.1 Mayor 1.2 President, Board of Trustees 1.3 City Council 1.4 Courts 2 Economy 3 Geography 4 Climate 5 Demographics 6 Education 7 Origins and history 8 Neighborhoods 8.1 Downtown 8.2 Sunnyside 8.3 Old Fig Garden 8.4 Tower District 8.5 Cultural Arts District 8.6 Huntington Boulevard 8.7 Van Ness 8.8 Kearney Boulevard 8.9 Sierra Sky Park 8.10 Brookhaven 8.11 Blackstone Avenue 8.12 Unincorporated communities 9 Cultural and commercial attractions 10 Notable residents 11 Media 11.1 Newspapers 11.2 Magazines 11.3 Radio 11.4 Television 12 Sister cities 13 Transportation 13.1 Highways 13.2 Airports 13.3 Rail 13.4 Public transportation 14 See also 15 References 16 External links

[edit] Government

Fresno has a modified strong-mayor form of local government, with a Mayor (Executive branch) and seven City Council members (Legislative branch) elected for no more than two, four-year terms. The current mayor, Alan Autry was first elected in November 2000, re-elected on March 2, 2004, and will serve until January 2009.

[edit] Mayor

See also: List of mayors of Fresno, California

2000-present Alan Autry 1993-2000 Jim Patterson 1989-1993 Karen Humphrey 1985-1989 Dale Doig 1977-1985 Dan Whitehurst 1969-1977 Ted C. Wills 1965-1969 Floyd H. Hyde 1964-1965 Wallace Henderson (acting)

1958-1964 Arthur L. Selland † 1957-1958 C. Cal Evans 1949-1957 Gordan D. Dunn 1947 Glenn M. Devore (acting) 1941-1947 Z.S. Leymel † 1937-1941 Frank A. Homan 1929-1937 Z.S. Leymel 1925-1929 A.E. Sunderland

1921-1925 Truman C. Hart 1917-1921 William F. Toomey 1912-1917 Alva E. Snow 1909-1912 Chester Rowell † 1908-1909 Ed. F. Bush (acting) 1905-1908 W. Parker Lyon 1901-1905 L.O. Stephens

† Died in office

[edit] President, Board of Trustees Previous to 1901, Fresno was governed by a board of trustees. 27 Oct 1895-1901 C.J. Craycroft 15 Apr 1889-unknown A.J. Pedlar 31 Oct 1887-15 Apr 1889 A.M. Clark 25 Apr 1887-31 Oct 1887 W.L. Graves 27 Oct 1885-25 Apr 1887 William Faymonville

[edit] City Council City council is made up of seven members, elected by district: District 1 (west-central) - Blong Xiong District 2 (northwest) - Brian Calhoun District 3 (southwest) - Cynthia Sterling District 4 (east-central) - Larry Westerlund District 5 (southeast) - Mike Dages District 6 (northeast) - Jerry Duncan District 7 (central) - Henry T. Perea

[edit] Courts

Fresno is the seat of the 5th Appellate District of the State Court of Appeal, the Fresno County Superior Court and the Fresno Division of the United States District Court for the Eastern District of California. In 2006, a new federal courthouse building was opened in the downtown area.

[edit] Economy

Fresno serves as the economic hub of Fresno County and California’s Central Valley. While the unincorporated area and rural cities surrounding Fresno remain predominantly tied to large-scale agricultural production, urban/suburban Fresno has undergone significant economic transformation in recent years.

Agriculture’s decreasing role in the urban economy is reflected in the decreasing reliance on agricultural employment in the County. Currently, just twenty percent of employment results from agriculture, a significant decrease from just 20 years ago. This transformation has led to increased friction between rural and urban interests, as land is converted to non-agricultural use and resources such as water go increasingly to more urban uses such as industry and housing.

The City’s current economy is led by Fresno’s position as the hub for education, healthcare, government and professional services for the Central Valley of California. Construction employment has rapidly expanded as residential and commercial construction underwent a recent prolonged period of expansion. Food processing has led the manufacturing sector with such notable companies as Sun-Maid, David Sunflower Seeds, Kraft Foods, Foster Farms Dairy, and the Foster Farms poultry company. Companies specializing in machinery manufacturing, medical devices and water technology are also present. Distribution has many centers in the city, led by the 80 acre site of the Gap Pacific Distribution Center. Public sector employment is also a major contributor to the city’s economy with the City of Fresno, Fresno Unified School District, the County of Fresno, Community Hospitals and the regional operations center of the Internal Revenue Service as the largest employers.

[edit] Geography

Fresno is located at 36°46′54″N, 119°47′32″W (36.781549, -119.792113).^GR1

The United States Census Bureau reports Fresno as having a total area of 271.4 km² (104.8 mi²) with 99.58% land covering 270.3 km² (104.4 mi²), and .042% water, 1.1 km² (0.4 mi²).

Fresno's location, very near the geographical centre of California, places the city a comfortable distance from several of the major recreation areas and urban centres in the state. Just 60 mi (100 km) south of Yosemite National Park, it is the nearest major city to the park. Likewise, Kings Canyon National Park is 60 mi (100 km) and Sequoia National Park is 75 mi (120 km).

Because it sits at the junction of Highways 41 and 99 (41 is the park's southern access road, and 99 branches east from Interstate 5 to serve the urban centers of the San Joaquin Valley), the city is a major gateway for visitors coming from Los Angeles. The city also serves as an entrance into Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks via Highway 180.

Fresno has three large public parks, two located in the city limits and one in county land to the southwest. Woodward Park, which features the Shinzen Japanese Gardens, numerous picnic areas and several miles of trails, is located in North Fresno and is adjacent to the San Joaquin River Parkway. Roeding Park, located near Downtown Fresno, is home to the Chaffee Zoological Gardens, and Rotary Playland and Storyland. Kearney Park is the largest of the Fresno region's park system and is home to historic Kearney Mansion and plays host to the annual Civil War Revisited, the largest reenactment of the Civil War in the west coast of the U.S.^[2][3]

[edit] Climate

Fresno has relatively mild winters and very hot summers.^[4] December low temperatures average 37.0 °F (2.8 °C) with July high temperatures averaging 98.6  °F (35.9 °C), though summer temperatures regularly soar to highs of 105 °F (40 °C) or more. Summers provide considerable sunshine, with July peaking at 97 percent of the total possible sunlight hours; conversely, January is the lowest with only 46 percent of the daylight time in sunlight. Average annual precipitation is 11.23 in (28.52 cm); rainfall is concentrated in the winter and spring seasons, with the summers typically being very dry. Most of the wind rose direction occurrences derive from the northwest, as winds are driven downward along the axis of the California Central Valley; in December, January and February there is an increased presence of southeastern wind directions in the wind rose statistics.^[5] Fresno meteorology was selected in a national U.S. Environmental Protection Agency study for analysis of equilibrium temperature for use of ten-year meteorological data to represent a warm, dry western United States locale.^[6]

Monthly Normal and Record High and Low Temperatures
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Norm High °F/°C	54.0 12.0	61.7 16.3	66.6 18.9	75.0 23.3	84.2 28.2	92.7 32.7	98.6 35.9	96.6 34.9	90.0 31.6	79.7 25.6	64.6 17.2	53.6 11.9
Norm Low °F/°C	37.4 3.6	40.5 5.2	43.3 7.2	47.3 9.1	53.6 12.7	60.3 16.2	64.9 18.9	63.7 18.3	58.6 15.8	50.5 11.1	42.4 5.7	37.0 2.8
Precip in/cm	2.16 5.49	2.12 5.38	2.2 5.59	0.76 1.93	0.39 0.99	0.23 0.58	0.01 0.03	0.01 0.03	0.26 0.66	0.65 1.65	1.1 2.79	1.34 3.40
Source: USTravelWeather.com [7]

[edit] Demographics

As of the census^GR2 of 2000, there were 427,652 people, 140,079 households, and 97,915 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,582.2 km² (4,097.7 mi²). There were 149,025 housing units at an average density of 551.3 km² (1,427.9 mi²). The racial makeup of the city was 50.17% White, 8.36% Black or African American, 1.58% Native American, 11.23% Asian (mostly Hmong), 2.54% Filipino, 23.36% from other races, and 5.16% from two or more races. 39.87% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 140,079 households out of which 40.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.1% were married couples living together, 17.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.1% were non-families. 23.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.99 and the average family size was 3.57.

In the city the population was spread out with 32.9% under the age of 18, 11.8% from 18 to 24, 28.8% from 25 to 44, 17.2% from 45 to 64, and 9.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 28 years. For every 100 females there were 96.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 93.0 males.

The median income for a household in the city was US$32,236, and the median income for a family was US$35,892. Males had a median income of US$32,279 versus US$26,551 for females. The per capita income for the city was US$15,010. About 20.5% of families and 26.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 36.5% of those under age 18 and 10.7% of those age 65 or over.

[edit] Education

Four-year institutions

• California State University, Fresno
• Fresno Pacific University (Private/Mennonite Brethren)
• University of California, San Francisco - Fresno Medical Education Program
• San Joaquin College of Law (Private)
• Mennonite Brethren Biblical Seminary
• California Christian College (Private/Baptist)
• Alliant International University (Private)
• National University
• University of Phoenix
• Maric College - Fresno

Two-year institutions

• Fresno City College
• Willow-International Community College Center
• San Joaquin Valley College
• Heald College

Career colleges

• Institute of Technology (Private)

K-12

• Fresno Unified School District (Public)
• Clovis Unified School District (Public)
• Central Unified School District (Public)
• West Fresno Elementary School District (Public)
• Fresno Christian (Private)
• Carden School Of Fresno (Private)
• San Joaquin Memorial High School (Private)
• Sanger Unified School District (Public)
• St Anthony Elementary School (Private)
• Fairmont Private School (Private)

[edit] Origins and history

The County of Fresno was formed in 1856. It was named for the abundant mountain ash trees lining the San Joaquin River. Fresno is the Spanish word for white ash trees. The county was much larger than it is today as part of Tulare County, comprising its current area plus all of what became Madera County and parts of what are now San Benito, Kings, Inyo, and Mono counties.

Millerton, then on the banks of the free-flowing San Joaquin River and close to Fort Miller, became the county seat after becoming a focal point for settlers. Other early county settlements included Firebaugh's Ferry, Scottsburg, and Elkhorn Springs.

The San Joaquin River flooded on Christmas Eve, 1867, inundating Millerton. Some residents rebuilt, others moved. Flooding also destroyed the town of Scottsburg that winter. Rebuilt on higher ground, Scottsburg was renamed Centerville.

In 1867, Anthony Easterby purchased land bounded by the present Chestnut, Belmont, Clovis and California avenues. Unable to grow wheat for lack of water, he hired Moses J. Church in 1871 to build an irrigation canal. Church then formed the Fresno Canal and Irrigation Company, a predecessor of the Fresno Irrigation District.

In 1872, the Central Pacific Railroad established a station near Easterby's farm for its new Southern Pacific line. Soon there was a store. Around the station and the store grew the town of Fresno Station, later called Fresno. Many Millerton residents, drawn by the convenience of the railroad and worried about flooding, moved to the new community. Fresno became an incorporated city in 1885.

Two years after the station was established, county residents voted to move the county seat from Millerton to Fresno. When the Friant Dam was completed in 1944, the site of Millerton became inundated by the waters of Millerton Lake. In extreme droughts, when the reservoir shrinks, ruins of the original county seat can still be observed.

In the nineteenth century, with so much wooden construction and in the absence of sophisticated firefighting resources, fires often ravaged American frontier towns. The greatest of Fresno's early-day fires, in 1882, destroyed an entire block of the city. Another devastating blaze struck in 1883.

The Fresno Municipal Sanitary Landfill was the first modern landfill in the United States, and incorporated several important innovations to waste disposal, including trenching, compacting, and the daily covering of trash with dirt. It was opened in 1937 and closed in 1987. Today, it has the unusual distinction of being a National Historic Landmark as well as a Superfund Site.^[8]

Before World War II, Fresno had many ethnic neighborhoods, including Little Armenia, German Town, Little Italy, and China Town. During 1942, in what is now North Fresno, was an assembly center for the relocation of many Japanese Americans.^[9] Row crops and orchards gave way to urban development particularly in the period after World War II; this transition was particularly vividly demonstrated in locations such as the Blackstone Avenue corridor.

Fictional residents of the town were portrayed in a 1986 comedic mini series titled "Fresno", featuring Carol Burnett, Dabney Coleman, Teri Garr and Charles Grodin, along with numerous other celebrities. The mini series was presented as a parody of the prime time soap operas popular in the 1980s.

In 1995, the FBI's Operation Rezone sting resulted in several prominent Fresno and Clovis politicians being charged in connection with taking bribes in return for rezoning farmland for housing developments. Before the sting brought a halt to it, housing developers could buy farmland cheaply, pay off council members to have it rezoned, and make a large profit building and selling inexpensive housing. Sixteen people were eventually convicted as a result of the sting.^[10]

[edit] Neighborhoods

[edit] Downtown

Through the 1990s, downtown was one of the last remaining examples of untouched architecture in California, but it has recently been subjected to a mixed revitalization effort.^{[citation needed]} While many of the buildings that were once abandoned for many years have been remodeled, many have been demolished or are under threat of being demolished to be replaced with new structures. Recently added new structures such as Grizzlies Stadium, now Chukchansi Park and the Federal Courthouse, and plans to eventually erect new high-rise buildings, threaten the unique and increasingly rare twentieth century architecture.

A victim of this redevelopment was the Vagabond Hotel, unique in its relevance in popular culture. The Vagabond, which had a pool that was an important location in modern skateboarding history and a prime example of mid-century modern googie "roadside" architecture, was demolished in 2004 and replaced by concrete commercial lots and lofts in 2006. The old Army Induction Center, which was used during the Vietnam War, was also recently destroyed in the next development project on H St and Amador.

The historic Fulton Mall and Chinatown are two downtown areas which still retain an exceptional amount of historic buildings and architecture of contextual, associative and memorial value in comparison with other cities of California and the Western United States, and are being considered for preservation as historic districts.

Currently under construction downtown is "Old Armenian Town," which advertises office space and lofts with completion expected in 2007.

[edit] Sunnyside

One of Fresno's first affluent areas, Sunnyside is located on Fresno's far east side, bounded by Chestnut Avenue to the West. While now considered less affluent than other sections of Fresno, it is still home to notable residents.

[edit] Old Fig Garden

A historic community set among mature trees, Old Fig Garden has long been one Fresno's most prestigious neighborhoods. The Fig Garden is an area of approximately 6 mi², once on the northern fringe of Fresno, but the city has since incorporated all of the surrounding land, making Fig Garden a county "island." The city's annual "Christmas Tree Lane" is found on a section of Van Ness Boulevard during the holiday season.

[edit] Tower District

Centered around the Historic Tower Theatre, just north of downtown Fresno, this vibrant and culturally diverse area of shops and homes has been restored after a significant decline in the mid-1990s. The initial origin of the Tower District began with small shops and services that flocked to the area shortly after World War II. The neighborhood became known as a district, following the advant of the re-opening of the Tower Theater in the late 70's, showing second and third run movies, plus the classics. The primary landmark businesses, The Tower Theater, The Chicken Pie Shop, The Daily Planet, Livingstons, and Castillo's were the principal businesses that created the anchor presence for the area. Other small small shops such as the Rib Rack, Bobby West Fashions, Me&Ed's Pizza, Mayfair Market, and Drug Fair supported the surrounding residential area with an array of products and services.

The Tower District passed slowly and quietly through the 80's without little fanfare in the Central Valley. Mayfair Market, a major anchor business closed in 1984. At the turn of the decade, Tower Theater owner, Dottie Abbott, an arts and entertainment preservationist renovated the family-owned Tower Theater, creating a significant increase in business interest in the area five years later.

Tower businesses opened shortly thereafter becoming anchor businesses during the early 90's. The Tower District became the pre-dominant locale in Central California through 1990 - 1995-6. Landmark businesses of the 90's were the Java Cafe and Butterfield Brewing Company. However, corporate interest in the area gave rise to the coming of a "corporate feel" in the tower district, rather than a small community-based arts an entertainment culture, causing many smaller businesses to anticipate future problems and face closure.

Many businesses experienced problems with at-risk and many youth who were believed to be a contributing factor toward problems with declining business profits during the mid 90's Some businesses within the surrounding areas within the zone of influence felt a high degree of business zoning regulation and control by area business committees.

Despite the problems, many small business owners remained, becoming landmark businesses in their own right. The Revue Cafe, Peach Pit, Cuca's, and Veni Vidi Vicci continue to operate currently through October 2007. Some businesses closed due to older operators who experienced health problems and passed the business on to relatives, closing their doors. Dotty Abbott (2003), The Game Preserve (2000) and others have moved over the years, having taken their turns as small business operators.

The Tower District became a hub for major community events called, Jamaica My Weekend, Mardi Gras in February, Car Shows, A Taste of The Tower, Halloween in the Tower, and the newly opened Farmer's Market on the NorthWest Corner of Olive and Van Ness. An array of shows permeates the Tower District annually.

The neighborhood features restaurants and nightclubs, as well as many independent shops and bookstores. Today, the Tower District serves as the center of Fresno's LGBT community.

[edit] Cultural Arts District

The Cultural Arts District is a local arts and entertainment district, similar to Fresno's Tower District. The distinction between the two areas are two major historic theaters, the Warnor's Theatre and The Tower Theatre. The Cultural Arts District was developed in many ways a response to the response of the advent of the emerging Tower District of the mid to late 80's. Many business owners experienced a loss of prestige and revenue as art and restaurant goers moved northward in search of entertainment and culture in a safe and friendly atmosphere.

Downtown Fresno often was plagued in the 80's with a transient population, crime, and poor patronage by many residents who reside in North Fresno. The Cultural Arts District was not referred to as a district until the early 90's where Rose Marie Caglia, managing Theater Director was the principle and driving element toward the emergence of an Arts and Culture district that would surround the Warnor's Theatre. Tenants within the Warnor's Theatre complex occupied space within the theatre complex with assistance from Warnor's Theatre, where public events, artists, professionals, and other business persons visited the historic theatre, gaining knowledge about the problems associated with preservation of local culture, the need for the arts, and entertainment in Downtown Fresno.

Theatre Director, Rose Marie Caglia was responsible for the sponsoring and development of two major arts projects. The first, The Cultural Arts District Mural was developed in conjunction with Project Manager, Mark D. Mejia, and Artist, Jamie A. Ortega. The mural featured a 20 x 120 foot mural, designed to represent the cultural arts and entertainment present in Fresno, California. A large keyboard playing music, along with local artist, Jeff Henry, a Ballerina, Shakespere, and performing arts logos made-up the mural. Mejia and Ortega placed the words, "CULTURAL ARTS DISTRICT" on the top of the mural, so as to ensure continued reinforcement of the name, rather than offshoot names that were offered by groups that signified terms that lacked substance or appeal to the residents and businesses who worked daily within the Cultural Arts District.

The mural was the second largest mural of its kind, second only to John Sierra's mural on the Downtown Fresno State Building. A second mural, Amazing grace was commissioned by Caglia, developed by Mejia, and painted by Ortega in 1993, signifying the commitment to music as a driving force within the area. The mural, Amazaing Grace was probably a determining factor in the emergence of several religious organizations that were responsible for the sustainment of many shops, services, and business within the Cultural Arts District. Local organiztions, Arte Americas and the African American Cultural and Historic Museum were able to develop funding streams, establishing themselves as the pre-dominant centers for Hispanic and African-American culture in the Central Valley.

Many shops and business continue to open within the Cultural Arts District. Artisans who were in awe of the projects have since moved into the area, creating a name for themselves, painting airbrush images of psychedellic images of figures and images, reminiscient of the 60's and 70's era. Artwork continues to be a major contributing factor in the presence and continued growth seen in the area.

[edit] Huntington Boulevard

Homes from the early 20th century line this boulevard in the heart of the historic Alta Vista Tract. The surrounding streets, Kerckhoff and Balch Avenues, have homes from the Arts and Crafts era which, like the downtown, are being renovated and brought back to their historic roots. During Christmas, the homes along the boulevard are adorned with lights and decorations. The nation's tallest living Christmas Tree, located at Huntington and 6th Street, is the highlight of the event.

[edit] Van Ness

Van Ness Avenue transforms from a downtown "main street" into a boulevard that leads to Fresno's most expensive and expansive estates. As it passes through the Tower District and Old Fig Garden there are many historic homes and estates of gradually increasing profile to be seen.

[edit] Kearney Boulevard

Named after early 20th century entrepreneur and billionaire M. Theo Kearney, Kearney Boulevard extends from Fresno Street in downtown Fresno about 20 mi (32 km) west to Kerman, California. The part of the road within the city limits features large, early 20th century homes. A small, two-lane rural road for most of its length, Kearney Boulevard is lined with tall palm trees.^[11]

[edit] Sierra Sky Park

Formed in 1946, Sierra Sky Park Airport is a residential airport community born of a unique agreement in transportation law to allow personal aircraft and automobiles to share certain roads. Developer William Smilie thus created the nation's first planned aviation community. Still in operation today, the public use airport provides a unique neighborhood which spawned interest and similar communities nationwide.

[edit] Brookhaven

An older part of the city, the southwest side of Fresno is known for housing the lowest-income residents of the city. Home to the city's many housing projects this part of Fresno is also home to most of Fresno's large gang population. Efforts to reduce the crime rate in this area have met with moderate success, as Police Chief Dyer's anti-gang operations "Bulldog" and "Dogpound" have arrested some 4000 gang members. On September 18, 2007 the Fresno city council voted to officially name the neighborhood Brookhaven.^[12]

[edit] Blackstone Avenue

Blackstone Avenue is the major North-South artery of Fresno. Blackstone Ave. is formed by two one-way streets Abby St. and Blackstone Ave. merging into one just north of Olive Ave. After the merger, Blackstone is a 6-laned street zoned solely for business and tends to house more retail businesses rather than office space as does Shaw Avenue. Blackstone stretches from Divisadero (which starts Downtown Fresno and the diagonalization of downtown streets) and just north of Nees Ave in the North where it ends and Friant Rd. picks up. Blackstone serves as an East-West divider for many of Fresno's major Avenues, because of its location in the center of Fresno. Blackstone is home to River Park, Manchester Center and many of Fresno's attractions including the first McDonald's franchise restaurant opened by Ray Kroc. The restaurant is still operating. It is located at the southwest corner of Shields and Blackstone Aves. The Ave is also popular for cruising on weekends, with many cruisers driving near and around River Park. It's equivalent to Kings Canyon Ave. in Fresno, and Crenshaw Ave. in Los Angeles, CA.

[edit] Unincorporated communities

• Calwa
• Highway City
• Pinedale

[edit] Cultural and commercial attractions

Fresno Metropolitan Museum

The Met displays traveling exhibitions, shows from its own collection, lectures and other outreach programming. The museum also has a science center called the Reeves ASK Science Center that was developed in partnership with San Francisco's Exploratorium. The museum's historic home in The Fresno Bee Building is currently closed for renovations, and is scheduled to reopen in late 2007. In the meantime, the Reeves ASK Science Center has been relocated to 933 Van Ness Avenue in downtown Fresno. The Met participates in Fresno's ArtHop program, and hosts outreach events and fund raisers on an annual basis, including First Friday Films, Christmas at the Met and a science-education based Bubble Festival.

Arte Américas

Arte Américas is a local Latino cultural center. Arte Américas was founded in 1987 by artists and teachers "To make the Central Valley a flourishing place for Latino arts." It presents art exhibits and the performing arts.

Fall Wine Cornucopia

The only exhibition of all San Joaquin Valley wines, regional art, and gourmet foodstuffs presented to the people of the San Joaquin Valley and beyond. The Fall Wine Cornucopia occurs every October in Downtown Fresno. The San Joaquin Valley produces 60% of all of the wine in California, and much of that production is centered around Fresno.

Fresno Art Museum

The museum is located in Radio Park, and puts up a rotating series of exhibits. It participates in the monthly Art Hop, and has a variety of film programs, including classic films, anime, and international selections. Fresno Art Museum is also home to Rhythms of Art, a ground-breaking program founded by Fresno composer and jazz pianist Armen Nalbandian, in which music is composed and performed for featured exhibits. Additionally, the museum hosts the Fresno Poets' Association readings in the Bonner Auditorium.

Fresno Grand Opera

The Fresno Grand Opera produces internationally-acclaimed opera and world-class concerts.

Fresno Philharmonic

The Fresno Philharmonic, under the baton of music director, Theodore Kuchar, is a non-profit organization whose sustainability depends on contributions from the community. It is the largest professional orchestra between San Francisco and Los Angeles, with its stated mission, to provide high-quality classical music and music education programs to audiences and school children throughout the Central Valley.

Fresno Arts Council’s monthly Art Hop

The Fresno Arts Council holds a monthly featuring artists in the Fresno area and is held every first Thursday of the month. One of the biggest art events takes place during the annual Rogue Performance Festival in March.

Save Mart Center

The Save Mart Center is a newer professional-level indoor arena (cap:16,000) completed in 2003, located at the Shaw Avenue and Hwy 168 interchange in NE Fresno. It has hosted a wide range of music acts, from The Rolling Stones to The Who to Madonna, as well as a huge variety of other events. It is currently the home of the Fresno State Men's & Women's Basketball teams and the Fresno Falcons hockey team of the ECHL.And the WWE wrestling has been to the center 4 times}

Forestiere Underground Gardens

The Forestiere Underground Gardens in northwest Fresno near Highway 99, is a spectacular subterranean creation built by Baldasare Forestiere over a period of 40 years. It features nearly one hundred chambers, passageways, courts and patios, dug beneath the hard pan soil. Fruit-bearing trees planted below the ground protrude through openings at ground level. Forestiere resided here, benefiting from cooler temperatures during the high heat of the Central Valley in summer as well as warmer conditions within the ground during winter. The Gardens are an impressive example of non-traditional vernacular architecture. Forestiere's creation and his story offer parallels to Simon Rodia and the Watts Towers, both Italian-immigrants born in 1879, settling in California and creating one-of-a-kind residences by hand and in seclusion. For a fictionalized account of Forestiere and his obsession, see the short story "The Underground Gardens" by T. Coraghessan Boyle, published in The New Yorker, (May 25, 1998).

Fresno Filmworks

Fresno Filmworks brings films to Fresno that would not generally be seen at the movie mega-plexes. They show foreign, art, and independent films from around the world on the second Friday of each month (December is the only exception) and in May they hold a three day long Annual Film Festival. All showings are at the historic Tower Theatre.

Fresno Reel Pride

Fresno Reel Pride is one of the oldest and largest LGBT film festivals in the United States. Now located in the historic Tower Theatre and at the nearby Starline, Reel Pride is a celebration of gay and lesbian cinema and has been recognized as a premiere cultural event in central California. Fresno Reel Pride presents an annual five-day film festival each September in addition to special film screenings throughout the year.

Rogue Festival

The Rogue is a non-juried arts festival that celebrates the independent performer and artist. This typically-in-March annual event comprises theatre, music, dance, film, performance art, puppetry, spoken word, storytelling, visual arts and more. It has the typical elements of a Fringe Festival... but with a "21st century sensibility".

Blossom Trail

The 67-mile Blossom Trail offers arguably the best look at what makes the Fresno area unique, with a plunge into some of the most productive agricultural land in the world. The annual Blossom Trail kickoff comes each February, and motorists and hikers through the farm country can come upon stunning displays of blossoming peach, nectarine, plum, orange, and almond trees in full bloom.

Simonian Farms

This 1901 family farm, located along the Blossom Trail, grows and sells more than 100 varieties of fruits and vegetables. Outside is a large collection of antique farm equipment.

Christmas Tree Lane

Every December, Van Ness Boulevard, between Shields and Shaw Aves, is transformed into a magical Christmas Wonderland. The two miles long display includes decorations of some 140 homes and 300 trees.

Meux Home Museum

Built in 1889 by Dr. Thomas Richard Meux, this Victorian structure is one of Fresno's oldest and best preserved family homes. It boasts dozens of custom features, including an octagonal master bedroom, a turreted roof and intricate gingerbread ornamentation.

Kearney Mansion Museum

Located in Kearney Park, Kearney Mansion is one of the most historic sites in the Central Valley for the story that it tells-the integral role that M. Theo Kearney played in the agricultural history of the San Joaquin Valley, and his formation of the California Raisin Growers Assocciation.

Professional sports

Club	Sport	Founded	League	Venue
Fresno Grizzlies	Baseball	1998	Pacific Coast League	Chukchansi Park
Fresno Falcons	Hockey	1946	ECHL	Save Mart Center
Central Valley Coyotes	Arena Football	2002	af2	Selland Arena
Fresno Fuego	Soccer	2003	USL Premier Development League	Chukchansi Park

[edit] Notable residents

[edit] Media

[edit] Newspapers

• The Business Journal (Fresno)
• The Fresno Bee
• The Undercurrent
• The Charger

[edit] Magazines

• Fresno Magazine
• Imagine Magazine

[edit] Radio

KMJ was Fresno's first radio station; it began broadcasting in 1922. Over the years its powerful 50,000-watt signal could clearly be heard throughout much of California. Here are the Fresno radio stations currently broadcasting:

FM Stations

KAAT KALZ KBHH KBOS KFCA KFCF KFJK KFNO KFSR KHGE KJFX

KJWL KJZN KLBN KLLE KLVY KMAK KMGV KMMM KMQA KOKO KOND

KOQO KQKL KRDA KRZR KSEQ KSJV KSKS KSOF KSXE KVPR KWYE

AM Stations

KAVT KBIF KCBL KEYQ KFIG

KFPT KGST KHOT KIRV KMJ

KQEQ KTNS KWRU KXEX KYNO

[edit] 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 FCC decided that Fresno would only have UHF television stations. The very first Fresno television to begin broadcasting was KMJ-TV, now known as KSEE, Channel 24, which began broadcasting on June 1, 1953. Here are the Fresno television stations currently on the air:

[edit] Sister cities

Fresno has eight sister cities, as designated by Sister Cities International, Inc. (SCI).

• Kochi, Japan
• Lahore, Pakistan
• Mashhad, Iran
• Morogoro, Tanzania
• Münster, Germany
• Taraz, Kazakhstan
• Torreón, Mexico
• Verona, Italy
• Catubig, Samar, Philippines
• Bongabong, Oriental Mindoro, Philippines

[edit] Transportation

[edit] Highways

Fresno is served by a main north/south freeway California State Highway 99. Other highways include the California State Highway 168 (Sierra Freeway), which is an east-west bound freeway that leads to the city of Clovis and Huntington Lake, California State Highway 41 (Yosemite Freeway/Eisenhower Freeway) that comes into Fresno from the south via Atascadero, and California State Highway 180 (Kings Canyon Freeway) that comes from the west via Mendota and from the east in Kings Canyon National Park.

Fresno is known for being the largest American city not directly linked to an Interstate highway. Perhaps in light of this, but probably more because of increasing traffic on Interstate 5 on the west side of the Central Valley, much discussion has been made to upgrade CA-99 to interstate standards and, eventually, incorporate it into the interstate system, most likely as Interstate 9. Major improvements to signage, lane width, median separation, vertical clearance, and other concerns are currently underway.

[edit] Airports

Fresno Yosemite International Airport (FAT)/(FYI), until recently "Fresno Air Terminal", provides regularly scheduled commercial airline service. The airport serves an estimated 1.3 million passengers annually to domestic and two international destinations.

Fresno Chandler Executive Airport (FCH) is located 2 mi (3 km) southwest of Downtown Fresno. Built in the 1920s, it is one of the oldest operational airports in California. The airport currently serves as a general aviation airport.

Sierra Sky Park Airport, located in Northwest Fresno, is a privately owned airport, but is open to the public. The airport was America's first aviation community. Extra-wide streets surrounding the airport allow for residents of the community to land, taxi down extra-wide avenues, and park in the driveway at home.^[13]

[edit] Rail

Passenger rail service is provided by Amtrak San Joaquins. The main passenger rail station is the recently renovated historic Santa Fe Railroad Depot located in Downtown Fresno. The Bakersfield-Bay area mainlines of the BNSF and UP railroads cross in Fresno; the San Joaquin Valley Railroad also operates former Southern Pacific branchlines heading west and south out of the city.

[edit] Public transportation

Public transit is provided by the Fresno Area Express. It consists entirely on buses serving the greater Fresno metropolitan area. Intercity and long-distance bus service is provided by Greyhound and Orange Belt Stages.

The city once provided trolley service during the late 19th and early 20th century. Known as the Fresno City Railway Company and later the Fresno Traction Company, the service operated horse-drawn streetcars from 1887 to 1901. Electric streetcars were introduced in 1903. The electric streetcars were used until 1939.^[14]

[edit] See also

• Fresno County Library
• Japanese American internment

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• City of Fresno Official website
• City of Fresno Developer's Guide for Downtown Housing
• Guide to Historic Architecture in Fresno, California at FresnoHistory.org
• Fresno Arts Council
• Fresno City and County Historical Society
• Fresno Convention & Visitor Bureau
• Greater Fresno Area Chamber of Commerce
• Central Valley Independent Media Center
• Fresno Magazine Website
• Fresno Jobs Community Board
• Fresno Wiki

Coordinates: 36.781549° N 119.792113° W

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