Fresno, California facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

"Fresno" redirects here. For other uses, see Fresno (disambiguation).

Quick facts for kids

Fresno

City

Fresno skyline with the Sierra Nevada

Fresno Bee Building

Warnors Theatre

Santa Fe Depot

Flag

Seal

United States

Region

Railway station

May 1872

Incorporated

October 21, 1885

Named for

Spanish for "ash tree"

Government

• Type

Strong Mayor

Area

• City

116.00 sq mi (300.43 km²)

• Land

114.79 sq mi (297.30 km²)

• Water

1.21 sq mi (3.13 km²) 1.04%

Elevation

308 ft (94 m)

Population

(2020)

• City

542,107

• Rank

89th in North America
34th in the United States
5th in California

• Density

4,722.60/sq mi (1,823.43/km²)

• Urban

717,589 (US: 61st)

• Urban density

4,510.0/sq mi (1,741.3/km²)

• Metro

1,164,909 (49th)

Demonym(s)

Fresnan

Time zone

UTC−08:00 (Pacific)

• Summer (DST)

UTC−07:00 (PDT)

ZIP Codes

93650, 93701–93712, 93714–93718, 93720–93730, 93737, 93740, 93741, 93744, 93745, 93747, 93750, 93755, 93760, 93761, 93764, 93765, 93771–93779, 93786, 93790–93794, 93844, 93888

Area code

559

FIPS code

06-27000

GNIS feature IDs

277606, 2410546

Fresno is a large city in the San Joaquin Valley of California, United States. It's the main city of Fresno County and the biggest city in the wider Central Valley area. Fresno covers about 115 square miles (300 km²) and had a population of 542,107 people in 2020. This makes it the fifth-largest city in California and the 34th-largest in the United States.

The city got its name from the many ash trees (fresno in Spanish) that grew along the San Joaquin River. Fresno started in 1872 as a railway station for the Central Pacific Railroad and became an official city in 1885. Today, it's an important economic center for Fresno County and the San Joaquin Valley, especially known for its huge farms. Fresno is located near the middle of California. It's about 220 miles (354 km) north of Los Angeles, 170 miles (274 km) south of Sacramento, and 185 miles (298 km) southeast of San Francisco. Famous national parks like Yosemite National Park, Kings Canyon National Park, and Sequoia National Park are also close by.

History of Fresno

The first people to live in the San Joaquin Valley were the Yokuts people and Miwok people. They traded goods with other Native American tribes in California, including those living near the coast.

The old Fresno County Courthouse, built in 1875

The first European to explore the San Joaquin Valley was Pedro Fages in 1772. Fresno County was created in 1856, and it was named after the many ash trees (fresno in Spanish) found along the San Joaquin River.

In 1867, a big flood on the San Joaquin River damaged the town of Millerton. Some people rebuilt, while others moved. That same winter, flooding also destroyed Scottsburg on the nearby Kings River. When it was rebuilt on higher ground, Scottsburg was renamed Centerville.

In 1870, Moses Church created an irrigation system to bring water to farms. He formed the Fresno Canal and Irrigation Company. In 1872, the Central Pacific Railroad built a station near a large wheat farm. Soon, a store opened near the station, and this small settlement grew into the town of Fresno Station, later just called Fresno. Many people from Millerton moved to Fresno because of the railroad and to avoid floods. Fresno officially became a city in 1885.

Fresno High School in 1896

Two years after the railway station was built, people in the county voted to move the county seat (the main government town) from Millerton to Fresno. When the Friant Dam was finished in 1944, the area where Millerton once stood was covered by Millerton Lake. If there are very dry years and the lake shrinks, you can sometimes still see the old town's ruins.

In the 1800s, many American towns were built with wood, and there weren't good ways to fight fires. Fresno had big fires in 1882 and 1883 that destroyed parts of the city.

In 1910, Fresno High School became the first high school in California to offer college-level classes. This helped local students who wanted to go to college but couldn't move far away. This program eventually grew into Fresno City College, which is the oldest community college in California. Later, Fresno State Teachers College became California State University, Fresno, offering many different subjects.

Fresno grew quickly in the 20th century. In 1960, it had 134,000 people. By 1990, it had grown to 354,000, and in 2000, it reached 428,000 people.

Downtown Fresno in 1904

The Fresno Sanitary Landfill was the first modern landfill in the United States. It used new ways to get rid of trash, like burying it and covering it with dirt every day. It opened in 1937 and closed in 1987.

Before World War II, Fresno had many neighborhoods where different groups of people lived, like Little Armenia, German Town, Little Italy, and Chinatown. During World War II, many Japanese Americans from the Fresno area were moved to special camps, including the Pinedale Assembly Center and the Fresno Fairgrounds.

The San Joaquin Light and Power Corporation Building, built in 1923

After World War II, many farms and orchards were replaced by new buildings and neighborhoods, especially along Blackstone Avenue.

Fresno was also important in the history of credit cards. In 1958, Bank of America first launched its new "BankAmericard" in Fresno. This card later became Visa, the world's first successful credit card that you could use at many stores and pay back over time. Fresno was chosen because it was far away from bigger cities, so if the idea didn't work, it wouldn't hurt the bank's image too much.

Bank of America building in Downtown Fresno, 1964

In the 1960s, many old buildings in Fresno, like the old Fresno County Courthouse, were torn down. This happened because city planners wanted more space for cars and parking lots.

The dance style known as popping started in Fresno in the 1970s.

In the 1990s, some politicians in Fresno and Clovis were caught taking bribes to change farmland into areas for new houses. This was part of an investigation called "Operation Rezone."

In the early 2000s, two major event places were built in Fresno: Chukchansi Park (2002) and Save Mart Center (2003).

Geography of Fresno

Aerial view of Fresno

Fresno covers about 116 square miles (300 km²). Most of this area is land (about 114.79 square miles or 297.30 km²), and a small part is water (about 1.21 square miles or 3.13 km²).

Fresno is located almost exactly in the middle of California. This makes it easy to reach many fun places and big cities in the state. It's only about 60 miles (97 km) south of Yosemite National Park, making it the closest major city to the park. Also nearby are Sierra National Forest (40 miles or 64 km), Kings Canyon National Park (60 miles or 97 km), and Sequoia National Park (75 miles or 121 km). The city is also close to several lakes in the Sierra Nevada mountains, like Bass Lake, Shaver Lake, and Huntington Lake. You can also drive to the coast, like Monterey and Big Sur, in about two and a half hours.

Fresno is a major stopping point for visitors going to Yosemite National Park from Los Angeles, because it's where Highways 41 and 99 meet. Highway 41 leads to Yosemite, and Highway 99 goes through many cities in the San Joaquin Valley.

Tulare Street in Downtown Fresno

Fresno has three large public parks. Woodward Park in North Fresno has a beautiful Shinzen Japanese Garden, picnic areas, and miles of trails. It's next to the San Joaquin River Parkway. Roeding Park, near Downtown Fresno, is home to the Fresno Chaffee Zoo and Rotary Storyland and Playland. Kearney Park is the biggest park in the Fresno area. It has the historic Kearney Mansion and hosts the annual Civil War Revisited, which is the largest Civil War reenactment on the West Coast.

In 2023, a study found that Fresno had one of the smallest park systems among the 100 biggest U.S. cities. Only 5% of the city's land is used for parks.

Fresno Neighborhoods

Downtown Fresno

The historic Californian Hotel

The Old Fresno Water Tower, built in 1894, is one of Fresno's oldest landmarks.

The Central Pacific Railroad built a small train station in 1872. Later, the Southern Pacific Railroad built a new, beautiful brick station there in 1889. This station is one of Fresno's oldest buildings still standing.

From the 1880s until World War II, Downtown Fresno was a busy place with electric streetcars and many grand buildings. Some of these included the Old Fresno Water Tower, the Bank of Italy Building, and the San Joaquin Light and Power Building.

Fulton Street was the main shopping and business area in Downtown Fresno. In 1964, it was turned into one of the first pedestrian malls in the country, called the Fulton Mall. This area has many historic buildings and famous public art pieces, including a bronze statue by Pierre-Auguste Renoir. In 2017, Fulton Mall was reopened to traffic and became Fulton Street again, but it still has wide sidewalks and restored art.

Tower District

The historic Tower Theatre for the Performing Arts, built in 1939

The historic Tower Theatre, built in 1939, is the heart of the Tower District. This neighborhood is just north of downtown Fresno. It started as a residential area, but small shops and services began to open after World War II. The area still has many local businesses today. The Tower District grew partly because of its closeness to the original Fresno Normal School, which later became Fresno City College.

After a period of decline, the neighborhood became popular again when the Tower Theatre reopened in the late 1970s. Roger Rocka's Dinner Theater also opened nearby in 1978. Famous Broadway star Audra McDonald performed there when she was in high school.

The main library at City College was built in 1933.

The Tower District is a lively place for community events like Mardi Gras, the Gay Pride Parade, car shows, and a Farmers' market. It has many restaurants, live theaters, nightclubs, and unique shops. The Tower District is known as the center of Fresno's LGBT and hipster communities.

The area is also famous for its beautiful early 20th-century homes. Many of these homes have been restored and show different styles like California Bungalow, American Craftsman, and Spanish Colonial Revival Style architecture.

Woodward Park

Woodward Park Branch of the Fresno County Public Library

Woodward Park

Woodward Park is in the northeastern part of Fresno. It was created by Ralph Woodward, who left money in 1968 to build a large park and bird sanctuary. The park is on the south bank of the San Joaquin River and covers about 300 acres (1.2 km²).

Woodward Park has many features, including an outdoor theater that can hold up to 2,500 people, a real Japanese Garden, a fenced dog park, and a bike park. There are also playgrounds, a lake, ponds, picnic areas, and five miles (8 km) of trails. These trails are part of the Lewis S. Eaton Trail, which will eventually be 22 miles (35 km) long. The park's theater was updated in 2010 and has hosted many concerts. Woodward Park also hosts the annual California Interscholastic Federation State Championship cross country meet. The Woodward Shakespeare Festival performs plays in the park every year.

Fig Garden

Old Fig Garden is a community in western Fresno that is now surrounded by the city. It was started in 1947 by the Fig Garden Men's club. In 1979, it became the Fig Garden Home Owners Association. Fig Garden is special because it has very few sidewalks and is lined with many large trees. The homes are well-kept because of strict rules from the homeowners association. Residents pay a special tax for almost round-the-clock sheriff service.

The district hosts the Fig Garden Christmas Tree Lane, a famous holiday event. There is also an upscale swim and racquet club. In the northern part of the area, you'll find Fig Garden Village, a shopping center with many fancy stores.

Climate in Fresno

Mariposa Plaza in downtown

Fresno has a semi-arid climate, which means it has cool, mild winters and long, hot, dry summers. December and January are the coldest months, with average temperatures around 47-48°F (8-9°C). In the mornings, temperatures can drop to freezing or below. July is the warmest month, averaging about 83.5°F (28.6°C). It often gets above 100°F (38°C) in the summer, and it's usually above 90°F (32°C) for many days.

Summers are very sunny, but in winter, especially December, there can be a lot of tule fog, which reduces sunshine. On average, Fresno gets about 11 inches (280 mm) of rain each year. Snow is very rare.

Climate chart for Fresno

The highest temperature ever recorded in Fresno was 115°F (46°C) on July 8, 1905. The lowest was 17°F (-8°C) on January 6, 1913.

People of Fresno

Map of Metropolitan Fresno and its components: Fresno County Madera County

Fresno is the main city of the Fresno-Madera area, which includes Fresno County and Madera County. This larger area had a total population of 922,516 people in 2000.

Fresno is home to many different ethnic groups, including large Armenian and Hmong communities. In 1920, Armenians made up 9% of Fresno's population. Old Armenian Town was the old Armenian neighborhood. The Hmong community in Fresno is one of the largest in the U.S., with over 24,000 people of Hmong descent, making up about 5% of the city's population.

Population in 2010

In 2010, Fresno had a population of 494,665 people. About 49.6% of the people were White, 8.3% were African American, 1.7% were Native American, and 12.6% were Asian. A large part of the Asian population included Hmong, Indian, Filipino, and Laotian people.

Map of racial distribution in Fresno, 2010 U.S. Census. Each dot is 25 people: ⬤ White ⬤ Black ⬤ Asian ⬤ Hispanic ⬤ Other

About 46.9% of the people in Fresno were Hispanic or Latino. Most of them were of Mexican descent. The number of non-Hispanic White people in Fresno decreased from 72.6% in 1970 to 30.0% in 2010.

Most people (98.2%) lived in homes, while a small number lived in group housing or institutions. There were 158,349 households in Fresno. About 43.3% of these households had children under 18. The average household had 3.07 people.

The population's age breakdown showed that 30.1% were under 18, 12.7% were aged 18 to 24, 27.3% were 25 to 44, 20.6% were 45 to 64, and 9.3% were 65 or older. The average age was 29.3 years.

Population in 2000

St. John the Baptist Cathedral

Holy Trinity Armenian Church

In 2000, Fresno had 427,652 people. The population density was about 4,098 people per square mile (1,582 per km²). The racial makeup was about 50.2% White, 8.4% Black or African American, 1.6% Native American, and 11.2% Asian (with many Hmong people). About 39.9% of the population was Hispanic or Latino.

There were 140,079 households. About 40.4% of them had children under 18. The average household size was 2.99 people, and the average family size was 3.57.

The median income for a household in Fresno was $32,236, and for a family it was $35,892. The average income per person was $15,010. About 26.2% of the population, including 36.5% of those under 18, lived below the poverty line.

Economy of Fresno

Community Regional Medical Center

Bank of Italy Building, built in 1918

Fresno is the main economic center for the San Joaquin Valley and the larger Central Valley region. The areas around Fresno are mostly used for large-scale farming.

In 1958, Fresno was chosen by Bank of America to be the first place to launch the BankAmericard credit card. This card was later renamed Visa.

Some companies based in Fresno include Pelco, Valley Yellow Pages, and Saladino's.

The top employers in Fresno include:

Fresno Unified School District (13,669 employees)
Community Medical Centers (9,750 employees)
County of Fresno (8,980 employees)
Amazon (6,500 employees)
Clovis Unified School District (6,400 employees)
California State University, Fresno (5,233 employees)
City of Fresno (5,015 employees)
State Center Community College District (4,367 employees)
Internal Revenue Service (4,230 employees)
Saint Agnes Medical Center (2,900 employees)

Arts and Culture in Fresno

The Forestiere Underground Gardens were carved from 1906 to 1946.

Exhibit at the Fresno Chaffee Zoo

Fresno has a lively arts and culture scene.

Performing Arts and Music

Artists' Repertory Theatre
Children's Musical Theatreworks
Fresno Philharmonic
Roger Rocka's Dinner Theater & 2nd Space Theatre (Good Company Players)
Woodward Shakespeare Festival
Youth Orchestras of Fresno

Theaters

The historic Wilson Theatre

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 in Fresno

The Fresno Art Museum

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 in Fresno

The Big Fresno Fair

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

Sports in Fresno

Chukchansi Park in Downtown Fresno, home of the Fresno Grizzlies

Save Mart Center, home of the Fresno State Bulldogs

College sports are very popular in Fresno. The Fresno State Bulldogs football team is a big event in the city. Their fans are known as the "Red Wave" and are called the "Pride of the Valley" because they represent all of Fresno and the San Joaquin Valley.

The Save Mart Center at Fresno State is a large arena on the campus of California State University, Fresno. It's where the Fresno State Bulldogs basketball team plays. It also hosts many concerts and other events. Also on campus is Valley Children's Stadium, a football stadium for the Fresno State Bulldogs football team. Next to it is Pete Beiden Field, where the Fresno State Bulldogs baseball team plays.

Fresno's Woodward Park is the site of the CIF Cross Country State Championships, where high school students from all over California compete. The park's BMX course also hosts the National Bicycle League State Championships. Ratcliffe Stadium, at Fresno City College, is a stadium for track and field and college and high school football games.

The Fresno Yacht Club, started in 1959, holds the High Sierra Regatta on Huntington Lake every July. They also sail regularly on Millerton Lake.

Here are some professional sports teams based in Fresno:

Club	Sport	Founded	League (level)	Venue
Fresno Grizzlies	Baseball	1998	California League (Single-A)	Chukchansi Park
Fresno Monsters	Ice hockey	2009	United States Premier Hockey League (junior)	Selland Arena
Fuego FC	Soccer	2020	USL League One	Fresno State Soccer Stadium

Education in Fresno

Fresno State Library at California State University, Fresno

The Old Administration Building at Fresno City College

Colleges and Universities

California State University, Fresno is the main public university in Fresno. The University of California, Merced has a center in Fresno, and the University of California, San Francisco has a medical program here.

Private colleges include:

Alliant International University
California Christian College
Fresno Pacific University
Kaplan College, Fresno campus
National University, Fresno campus
University of Phoenix
DeVry University

Community Colleges

Public community colleges in Fresno are Fresno City College and Clovis Community College.

Career Colleges

Institute of Technology
San Joaquin Valley College
UEI College

Public K-12 Schools

Most of Fresno is part of the Fresno Unified School District. Some smaller parts are served by other school districts like Clovis Unified School District and Central Unified School District.

Private K-12 Schools

Fresno Christian High School
San Joaquin Memorial High School (Catholic)
Fresno Adventist Academy

Media in Fresno

Newspapers

The historic Fresno Bee Building, the newspaper's former headquarters

The Business Journal
The Fresno Bee
The Community Alliance

Radio Stations

KMJ, AM 580 and FM 105.9, was Fresno's first radio station, starting in 1922. Its strong signal can be heard across much of California.
KYNO AM 940 plays oldies music.
KFIG AM 1430 is an ESPN sports radio station.
88.1 KFCF is a non-commercial radio station.
89.3 KVPR provides National Public Radio (NPR) programs and classical music.
90.7 KFSR is another non-commercial station that plays a variety of music, including Jazz and Armenian music. It's based at the CSUF campus.
94.9 KBOS-FM is known as B95, Fresno's Hip-Hop Station.

Television Stations

Because of other TV stations nearby, Fresno was set up to have only UHF television stations. The first TV station in Fresno was KMJ-TV, which started broadcasting on June 1, 1953. It is now known as NBC affiliate KSEE. Other Fresno stations include:

ABC affiliate KFSN-TV
CBS affiliate KGPE
The CW affiliate KFRE-TV
FOX affiliate KMPH-TV
MNTV affiliate KMSG-LD
PBS station KVPT
Telemundo station KNSO
Univision station KFTV-DT
Estrella TV affiliate KGMC

In 2012, the City of Fresno opened the Community Media Access Collaborative (CMAC), which is a public, education, and government access television station.

Infrastructure in Fresno

Since 2010, California has had many droughts. This has made it harder for Fresno and the Central Valley to get enough water. The city gets its water from Millerton Lake and Pine Flat Reservoir.

Transportation in Fresno

Highways

The interchange between State Routes 41 and 180 in Downtown Fresno

Fresno is served by State Route 99, which is the main highway running north and south through California's Central Valley. State Route 168 goes east to Clovis and Huntington Lake. State Route 41 (Yosemite Freeway) comes into Fresno from the south and then heads north to Yosemite National Park. State Route 180 (Kings Canyon Freeway) comes from the west and goes east through Reedley to Kings Canyon National Park.

Fresno is the largest U.S. city that isn't directly connected to an Interstate highway. When the Interstate Highway System was built in the 1950s, Interstate 5 was built on the west side of the Central Valley, bypassing many cities like Fresno. Because of the growing population and traffic on State Route 99, there's been talk about upgrading it to an interstate highway.

Bus Services

Fresno Area Express bus

Fresno Area Express (FAX) is the city's main public bus system. It has 18 routes and a special service called Handy Ride for people with disabilities. In 2017, FAX started a frequent bus service called FAX15, with buses running every 15 minutes on Cedar and Shaw Avenues. In 2018, the FAX Q line was introduced, offering service every 10 minutes on Blackstone Avenue, Ventura Avenue, and Kings Canyon Road.

Fresno also has bus services from nearby areas, like Clovis Transit and Fresno County Rural Transit Agency. Long-distance bus services are provided by Greyhound. The Yosemite Area Regional Transportation System started a summer bus service between Fresno and Yosemite National Park in 2015.

Fresno used to have trolley service in the late 1800s and early 1900s. Horse-drawn streetcars ran from 1887 to 1901, and electric streetcars were used from 1903 to 1939.

Airports

Fresno Yosemite International Airport terminal

Fresno Yosemite International Airport (FAT) offers regular flights. About 1.3 million passengers use this airport each year.

Fresno Chandler Executive Airport (FCH) is about 2 miles (3.2 km) southwest of Downtown Fresno. It was built in the 1920s and is one of California's oldest working airports. Today, it's used for general aviation (private planes).

Sierra Sky Park Airport (E79) in Northwest Fresno is a private airport open to the public. The streets around the airport are extra wide, so people living there can land their planes, taxi down the streets, and park them in their home garages. Sierra Sky Park is known as the first neighborhood in the world where people can park their planes at home.

Rail Services

Historic Santa Fe Station in Downtown Fresno

Passenger train service is provided by Amtrak's San Joaquins line. The main train station is the historic Santa Fe Railroad Depot in Downtown Fresno, which has been renovated. The city of Fresno is also planned to be a stop for the future California High-Speed Rail.

Freight train services are provided by both the BNSF Railway and the Union Pacific Railroad. Both companies have major rail lines and yards in Fresno.