El Prado, California facts for kids

Quick facts for kids El Prado
Former settlement
El Prado Location in California
Country	United States
State	California
County	Fresno County
Elevation	377 ft (115 m)

El Prado was once a small community in Fresno County, California. It was located about 6 miles (10 km) north-northwest of Clovis. This spot was important because it was where two major train lines met: the San Joaquin and Eastern Railroad and the Southern Pacific Railroad.

The area where El Prado was located sits at an elevation of 377 feet (115 meters) above sea level. Its main purpose was to serve as a "switch yard" for the Southern Pacific Railroad and the San Joaquin and Eastern Railroad. A switch yard is like a parking lot for trains, where tracks can be changed to move trains from one line to another.

When it was first built, El Prado was known as "Nopac Siding." But soon after, its name was changed to El Prado, which means "The Meadow" in Spanish. Even though it was a small place, El Prado continued to appear on maps until at least 1922.

A Look Back: El Prado's Story

In January 1913, there was a disagreement at El Prado. This happened between the railroad police from the Southern Pacific Railroad and members of a group called the Industrial Workers of the World (I.W.W.). The I.W.W. members were trying to share information and pamphlets with train passengers and workers passing through El Prado. The railroad police tried to stop them, leading to a conflict over the sharing of these materials.