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The site of Fresno City

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Fresno City was a small town and ferry crossing which was located along Fresno Slough near the modern-day town of Tranquility in Fresno County.  Fresno City was established in 1855 to serve as part of the wider Pacheco Pass Road which then connected directly to Visalia.  The community was short lived as it was functionally replaced by White's Bridge which was constructed several miles to the north in the late 1870s.  Fresno City can be seen on the blog cover as depicted on 1873 Bancroft's map of California on the Pacheco Pass Road. 



The history of Fresno City

The site of Fresno City lies on Fresno Slough approximately seven miles southeast of the confluence with the San Joaquin River.  The general corridor near confluence of Fresno Slough and San Joaquin River has been part overland highways since El Camino Viejo Los Angeles of Spanish Las Californians. 

El Camino Viejo was the first European route from Los Angeles to San Joaquin Valley.  From Los Angeles the route of El Camino Viejo continued northward into San Fernando Valley and to Mission San Fernando Rey de Espana.  From San Fernando Valley the route of El Camino Viejo ascended into the Sierra Pelona Mountains.  El Camino Viejo entered San Francisquito Canyon to San Francisquito Pass where it emptied into Antelope Valley in the western flank of the Mojave Desert near Elizabeth Lake.  Upon entering Antelope Valley, the route of El Camino Viejo turned west along the San Andreas Fault to what is modern day Gorman where it intersected part of what would become the Ridge Route (US Route 99).  

Unlike the Ridge Route which turned north into Tejon Pass to reach San Joaquin Valley via Grapevine Canyon the route of El Camino Viejo continued west into Cuddy Canyon of the San Emigdio Mountains.  El Camino Viejo continued to follow the San Andreas Fault through Cuddy Canyon before descending into San Joaquin Valley via San Emigdio Canyon near the shores of Kern Lake.  El Camino Viejo continued northward along the western shore of the Tulare Lake watershed following the general path of modern California State Route 33.

Around 1810 Pueblo de Las Juntas would be established at the confluence of the San Joaquin River and Fresno Slough approximately two miles north of modern-day Mendota.  The confluence was notable for having numerous fresnos (ash trees in Spanish).  The population of the Pueblo is thought to have reached approximately 250 by the time California was declared an American state in 1850.  Watson's Ferry would be established as a crossing of Fresno Slough at Pueblo de Las Juntas after California became a state.  

The site of Pueblo Las de Juntas can be seen along a branch of El Camino Viejo Los Angeles as illustrated in the 2006 book titled "The Oldest Road in San Joaquin Valley" by Frank F. Latta.  This image was sourced from elsemerecanyon.com. 


Fresno City would be established along both sides of Fresno Slough approximately five miles southeast of Pueblo de Las Juntas in 1855.  The location of Fresno City was intended to serve as a connection between Andrew Firebaugh's Pacheco Pass Road and the Tulare County seat of Visalia.  Firebaugh's toll road over Pacheco Pass was completed by 1857 and was part of the Butterfield Overland Mail route between 1858-1861.

Fresno City can be seen on the Pacheco Pass Road on the 1873 Bancroft's map of California.  Nearby Watson's Ferry can be seen to the north at Pueblo de Las Juntas.

Fresno City was short lived as it went defunct around 1875.  A new stage road was constructed west of the then new Southern Pacific Railroad siding of Fresno to the site of White's Bridge at Fresno Slough.  White's Bridge was an actual span of Fresno Slough which constructed between Fresno City and Pueblo Las de Juntas.  White's Bridge would become significant enough to obtain Post Office Service by January 1879 and still forms the basis of where California State Route 180 now crosses Fresno Slough.  Also, during 1879 ranching barons Henry Miller and Charles Lux would purchase the lands of Pueblo Las de Juntas which led to it being razed.  

White's Bridge can be seen serving both the Visalia and Fresno spurs of the Pacheco Pass Road on the 1882 Bancroft's map of California.  Post Office service at White's Bridge would close in 1893 and would consolidate with nearby Mendota.  

In May 1952 the California Registered Historical Landmark #488 plaque was placed at the intersection of California State Route 180 and James Roads.  The marker plaque notes the site of Fresno City was located approximately five miles to the south near the modern-day town of Tranquility at Fresno Slough.  The original historic plaque was stolen and later replaced during June 2021.  



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