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Frankwood Avenue (Fresno County)

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Frankwood Avenue is an approximately 11-mile roadway in eastern Fresno County.  Frankwood Avenue originates at 10th Street in the city of Reedley and terminates at Piedra Road a short distance after crossing the Alta Main Canal.

Frankwood Avenue has numerous historical structures of interest which can be found along the corridor.  The brick Frankwood Schoolhouse located at Frankwood Avenue and Old Kings Canyon Road (formerly California State Route 180) was constructed in 1921.  The Alta Main Canal Bridge located on Frankwood Avenue north of California State Route 180 was constructed in 1925.  This canal span formed the basic design template for other similar irrigation bridges constructed in Fresno County through to the 1940s. 




Part 1; the history of Frankwood Avenue

Frankwood Avenue originates in downtown Reedley and spans northward to Piedra Road upon crossing the Alta Main Canal.  The corridor is notable due to it passing by the Frankwood Schoolhouse and crossing the Alta Main Canal Bridge.

The Alta Main Canal (originally known as the 76 Canal) was constructed from the Kings River near modern day Piedra in 1883.  This canal serves rural farm plots in eastern Fresno County and northern Tulare County with a steady supply of irrigation water.

In 1888 the Southern Pacific Railroad would plot Reedley at the Kings River near what were the Stockton-Los Angeles crossings of Smith's Ferry and Poole's Ferry.  As part of the subdivision of Reedley what is now Frankwood Avenue was constructed north from 10th Street northward to the Alta Canal.  In 1890 the original Frankwood School would be constructed at the corner of Frankwood Avenue and the Squaw Valley Road (now Old Kings Canyon Road). 

Frankwood Avenue can be seen terminating a short distance north of Squaw Valley Road on the 1891 Thompson Atlas of Fresno County in Range 23 East, Township 14 South. 


In 1921 the original Frankwood School was replaced with an 8,000 square foot brick "L" shaped structure.  Frankwood Avenue would be extended north to Piedra Road in 1925 via a crossing of the Alta Main Canal.  The Alta Main Canal Bridge is concrete girder span which was among the earliest of what became a common irrigation span design in Fresno County.  

The extension of Frankwood Avenue to Piedra Road can be seen on the 1935 Division of Highways map of Fresno County.   The Porterville-Orosi Branch (constructed 1913-1914) of the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway can be seen crossing Frankwood Avenue near California State Route 180 (now Old Kings Canyon Road).  Frankwood Avenue can be seen crossing the Wahtoke Branch (constructed in 1911 also by the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway) twice near Alta Main Canal. 


In 1958 the Frankwood School would merge with the Centerville School District.  The schoolhouse was put up for sale and was repurposed as a steak house known as the Sherwood Inn Restaurant.  The steak house would operate continuously at the corner of California State Route 180 and Frankwood Avenue for approximately 30 years. 

In 1965 the Wahtoke District would be truncated to Minkler and the grade crossings on Frankwood Avenue were removed.  In 1973 the remaining portion of the Wahtoke District and entirety of the Porterville-Orosi District would be abandoned.  The Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe would leave much of the grade-crossing infrastructure up despite removing the rails until the 1990s.  

In fall 2010 the Frankwood Schoolhouse would be purchased by new owner.  The structure was restored and reopened in January 2012 as the Schoolhouse Restaurant.  

In February 2020 California State Route 180 and Kings Canyon Road were moved to a new four-lane expressway north of the Frankwood Schoolhouse.  The original highway alignment became Old Kings Canyon Road and still intersects Frankwood Avenue.  The California State Route 180 expressway terminates a short distance east of the Frankwood Schoolhouse and becomes a two-lane highway.  


Part 2; a drive on Frankwood Avenue

This view is facing east on Old Kings Canyon Road towards Frankwood Avenue and the Frankwood Schoolhouse.  Jesse Morrow Mountain can be seen looming overhead.  


The Frankwood Schoolhouse.



Frankwood Avenue north of the Frankwood Schoolhouse crosses over the modern California State Route 180 expressway.  

Frankwood Avenue continues northward and crosses over the 1925-era Alta Main Canal Bridge.  The roadway briefly narrows to a single lane over the bridge.  





Frankwood Avenue north of Alta Main Canal zigzags through rural residential properties and terminates at Piedra Avneue.  





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