Parkfield Junction, California facts for kids

Parkfield Junction is a small, quiet place in Fresno County, California. It's not a big city with a mayor or city council. Instead, it's an unincorporated community, which means it's a group of homes and perhaps a few businesses that are not part of an official town or city. The county government helps manage things like roads and services here. Parkfield Junction sits about 8 miles (13 km) west-southwest of a town called Coalinga. It's located at an elevation of 1,194 feet (364 meters) above sea level.

What is an Unincorporated Community?

An unincorporated community is a place where people live that isn't officially organized as a city or town. This means it doesn't have its own local government, like a city hall or a police department just for that area. Instead, the larger county government takes care of services for these communities.

How Does it Work?

• Services: Things like roads, fire protection, and sometimes even law enforcement are handled by the county.
• Rules: Building rules and other local laws are also set by the county.
• Community Feel: Even without a city government, these places often have a strong community spirit. People might know their neighbors well and work together on local projects.

Where is Parkfield Junction Located?

Parkfield Junction is found in the central part of California. It's specifically in Fresno County, which is a large county known for its farming.

Its Place in California

• State: California is on the west coast of the United States.
• County: Fresno County is in the Central Valley, a very fertile area.
• Nearby Town: The closest larger town is Coalinga, which is to the east-northeast.

Elevation and Geography

Parkfield Junction is located in a hilly area. Its elevation of 1,194 feet (364 meters) means it's quite a bit above sea level. This higher ground gives it a different feel than the flat farmlands of the Central Valley. The landscape around it includes rolling hills and dry creek beds, typical of this part of California.

Why is Parkfield Junction Special?

While Parkfield Junction itself is small, it's very close to a famous place called Parkfield. Parkfield is known around the world for one very important reason: it sits right on top of the San Andreas Fault.

The San Andreas Fault

The San Andreas Fault is a huge crack in the Earth's crust. It's where two giant pieces of the Earth's surface, called tectonic plates, meet and slowly slide past each other.

• Movement: The Pacific Plate and the North American Plate are constantly moving. This movement causes earthquakes.
• Research: Because the fault is so active in the Parkfield area, scientists have set up many instruments there. They study the ground movement to learn more about earthquakes. This research helps us understand how earthquakes happen and how to prepare for them.

Earthquakes in the Area

The area around Parkfield, including Parkfield Junction, experiences many small earthquakes. Sometimes, larger ones occur too.

• Frequent Shakes: These frequent small quakes make it a perfect natural laboratory for geologists.
• Safety: Even though earthquakes happen, buildings in California are designed to withstand them. Learning about faults and earthquakes helps people stay safe.