The Jesse Morrow Mountain derelict is a ruined chimney located on California State Route 180 (Kings Canyon Road) at Postmile 80.90. This chimney was part of a home constructed by the Granite Water Company in 1918. The home would be later purchased by a family out of Sanger in 1928 and moved (sans chimney) to I Street in downtown. This derelict chimney is often adorned with Christmas and seasonal decor by residents of eastern Fresno County.
The history of the Jesse Morrow Derelict
Jesse Morrow Mountain is a 2,108-foot-high peak in the Sierra Nevada foothills located east of Centerville and Minkler. California State Route 180 (Kings Canyon Road) is between Jesse Morrow Mountain and Mount Campbell via the so-called Dunnigan Gap. Kern-Friant Canal also passes through Dunnigan Gap between the two mountains.
The namesake of Jesse Morrow Mountain was born on October 3, 1827, in Ohio. Jesse Morrow was part of an emigrant train which arrived in Owens Valley during the California Gold Rush by late 1850. Morrow and four other men decided to make for San Joaquin Valley during the winter. During their journey the party nearly starved to death in the Kern River Valley but ultimately would arrive in Tulare County by January 1851.
Jesse Morrow would have success mining in Mariposa County and along the San Joaquin River. Morrow would use the money he obtained from mining to purchase land on the Kings River near Centerville and the Stockton-Los Angeles Road. In 1872 Morrow would fund construction of a large flour mill in Centerville and would construct an estate in downtown Fresno on what is now Van Ness Avenue by 1877.
It isn't clear when the mountain which now bears Jessie Morrow's name was designated. The peak appears as the Tcho-e-ni-ne Mountains on the 1891 Atlas of Fresno County in Range 23 East, Township 14 South. The Squaw Valley Road can be seen east of the Kings River on this atlas. This name was in use before the corridor was part of the State Highway System and was later renamed as Dunlap Road. The Dunlap Road name was retained for a time after the commissioning of California State Route 180 in August 1934 as a Sign Route. After the early 1940s California State Route 180 east of Fresno would come be known as Kings Canyon Road in reference to Kings Canyon National Park.
In 1905 the Wahtoke Thermal Tract was subdivided from what was the holdings of William N. Rohrer (previously the Darwin Estate). In 1918 a home was constructed at the intersection of Dunlap Road and Alta Road a short distance south of Jesse Morrow Mountain. The home was owned by the Granite Water Company and was located a short distance from the Wahtoke Branch Railroad. This plot can be seen in subdivision 18 of the 1923 United States Geological Survey map of Wahtoke.
A map and brochure for the Wahtoke Thermal Tract can be seen below.
In 1928 the home near the intersection of Dunlap Road and Alta Road was purchased by the Jennings family of Sanger. The Jennings relocated the house to 512 I Street in downtown Sanger where it still stands. The Jennings only left the chimney from the original building foundation which still sits along modern California State Route 180.
This view is from eastbound California State Route 180 approaching the Jesse Morrow Derelict at Postmile FRE 80.90. The ruins of the chimney can be seen easily above the grass line.
This view faces north towards Jesse Morrow Mountain and the chimney structure. The foundation for the Granite Water Company home is located behind the chimney. The chimney appears to have been externally loaded when it was part of a functioning building.
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