Fresno County Genealogical Society

02/05/2026

Heritage Center will still be helping virtually as we have time. Send in requests to HeritageCenter at Fresnolibrary.org

Central Library in Downtown Fresno Renovation Project

After more than 60 years of service, the Central Library will temporarily close beginning February 15th to undergo a major infrastructure renovation.

This project will modernize core building systems and ensure the facility can continue serving our community for years to come. The closure is expected to last approximately 18 to 24 months. As with all large construction projects, timelines may shift as work progresses.

What about your holds?
All holds currently set for Central Library will automatically be rerouted to the West Fresno Library. Patrons who prefer a different pickup location can log into their account at fresnolibrary.org to update their preferred branch.

During the closure, you can also visit nearby locations, including:

• West Fresno Library
• Betty Rodriguez Library
• Mosqueda Branch Library

For more information about this project, please visit our website at: bit.ly/fcpl-projects

Thank you for your patience as we invest in the future of your downtown library.

The Central Library Infrastructure renovation project is supported in part by funding provided by the State of California, administered by the California State Library. The project is also funded by voter-approved Measure B, the one-eighth of a cent sales tax in Fresno County dedicated to supporting Fresno County Public Library services.

02/05/2026

Park 4

History is hiding in plain sight, in the names we give to places–but often we're unfamiliar with where those came from.

This (and in the next few), with generous assistance from the Heritage Center, we're shining a spotlight on the origin stories of many of our local communities. To keep things organized (and because it's as good a way as any), we'll be going in alphabetical order. Today, we feature what's behind the names of a few of our local communities that start with the letters H through K:

• Helm- Helm (located 13 miles south of Kerman) was named for William Helm, a sheep rancher who came to California in 1949. The post office was established in 1913. Here's a historic photo of New Hope Elementary- Helm: http://digital.sjvls.org/document/1873

• Hume- Hume was named after Thomas A. Hume, who started a sawmill there in 1908 and built a dam that formed the lake. Lumber Mill Hume can be seen here: http://digital.sjvls.org/document/5840 from the Tulare Co Collection

• Huron- Huron began as a shipping center for sheep and wool. In 1877, the Southern Pacific Railroad extended its line from Goshen and put in a turnstile there, so the trains could around (change to the opposite direction of travel). The SPR named the town for a French word that means “a bristly savage,” perhaps a reference to the brush that grew on the dry West Side of the Valley. Central Hotel in Huron, Mouren Family Collection – Coalinga –Huron Library Collection: http://digital.sjvls.org/document/490

• Kerman- The site of Kerman was established in 1891 as a railroad station with a pump and watering tank. It was originally named Collis, in honor of the president of the Southern Pacific Railroad, Collis P. Huntington. In 1906, Collis was renamed Kerman after two men, William G. Kerckhoff and Jacob Mansar, who bought over 3000 acres of land and formed the Fresno Irrigated Farms Company. Perhaps Kerman’s most notable historic event was one of the last train robberies in the United States, committed by the Evans Gang in 1892. Here's a photo of the original Vinland Elementary School, constructed in 1908: http://digital.sjvls.org/document/1908

• Kingsburg- Beginning its life as a community in the 1870s, Kingsburg had a variety of names early in its existence. It was first known as Kings River Switch, and then Drapersville (to honor town founder Josiah Draper). Next, it was named Wheatville when the post office was established in 1874. The following year, it became Kingsburgh and a year after that it dropped the h. Kingsburg was incorporated as a town in 1908. Here's a historic photo of an office building in Kingsburg: http://digital.sjvls.org/document/1670

We hope you enjoyed learning a bit more about these places. Join us again next Thursday to explore the history of a few others!

02/05/2026

Central Library in Downtown Fresno Renovation Project

After more than 60 years of service, the Central Library will temporarily close beginning February 15th to undergo a major infrastructure renovation.

This project will modernize core building systems and ensure the facility can continue serving our community for years to come. The closure is expected to last approximately 18 to 24 months. As with all large construction projects, timelines may shift as work progresses.

What about your holds?
All holds currently set for Central Library will automatically be rerouted to the West Fresno Library. Patrons who prefer a different pickup location can log into their account at fresnolibrary.org to update their preferred branch.

During the closure, you can also visit nearby locations, including:

• West Fresno Library
• Betty Rodriguez Library
• Mosqueda Branch Library

For more information about this project, please visit our website at: bit.ly/fcpl-projects

Thank you for your patience as we invest in the future of your downtown library.

The Central Library Infrastructure renovation project is supported in part by funding provided by the State of California, administered by the California State Library. The project is also funded by voter-approved Measure B, the one-eighth of a cent sales tax in Fresno County dedicated to supporting Fresno County Public Library services.

02/03/2026

01/30/2026

Part 3

History is hiding in plain sight, in the names we give to places–but often we're unfamiliar with where those came from.

This (and in the next few), with generous assistance from the Heritage Center, we're shining a spotlight on the origin stories of many of our local communities. To keep things organized (and because it's as good a way to start as any), we'll be going in alphabetical order. Today, we feature what's behind the names of a few of our local communities that start with the letters E and F:

• Easton - Easton was originally known as Covel/Covell, after Allen T. Covell, the superintendent and manager of the Washington Irrigated Colony. As the community grew, the town site was renamed Easton, for O.W. Easton, one of the two entrepreneurs who bought the 12 original sections of land in the area (and formed the Washington Irrigated Colony) back in 1878. The Easton Post Office was established in 1881 and closed in 1902, reopening 1952. Read a bit more about the history of Easton here: https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=28011

• Firebaugh - The town of Firebaugh was named for the Firebaugh’s Ferry and trading post established by Andrew J. Firebaugh on the San Joaquin River. It had also been a stage stop for the Butterfield Overland Mail route. Firebaugh Elementary http://digital.sjvls.org/document/1843

• Five Points - Five points was named so because five roads converged at this point just 25 miles northeast of Coalinga. Five Points Melons - http://digital.sjvls.org/.../1a921d2d645b654c5178c9898513...

• Fowler - In 1872, State Senator Thomas Fowler put a corral and cattle chute at the new Central Pacific Railroad stop along 10 miles south of Fresno. It became known as the Fowler Switch. The post office was established in May 1882. In 1883 the town site was laid out and people began to move in. Thomas Fowler- http://digital.sjvls.org/.../26b489c1ee49a7c3357062c8df40...

• Fresno - Fresno is the Spanish names for Ash Tree, there were many along the rivers here. Although a large number of people traveled through the area during the Gold Rush era, it was not officially settled until the late 1860s, and a city was officially founded in 1872. This is reportedly the first house built in Fresno: http://digital.sjvls.org/document/1784

• Friant - Friant, California, began as a key San Joaquin River crossing in the 1850s, when C.P. Converse established a ferry for settlers and miners traveling to Millerton, the first seat of Fresno County. The growing settlement changed names several times: Converse Ferry, Jones Ferry, Hamptonville, and later Pollasky after the railroad arrived in 1891.

In 1907, the community was finally named Friant after lumber executive Thomas Friant. Its history has long centered on the river, from early mining near Millerton to the construction of Friant Dam in the 1940s. As part of the Central Valley Project, the dam created Millerton Lake and shaped the modern community that surrounds it today.

Friant Dam construction, 1942: http://digital.sjvls.org/document/1804

We hope you enjoyed learning a bit more about these places. Join us again next Thursday to explore the history of a few others!

01/22/2026

Part 2

History is hiding in plain sight, in the names we give to places–but often we're unfamiliar with where those came from.

This (and in the next few), with generous assistance from the Heritage Center, we're shining a spotlight on the origin stories of many of our local communities. To keep things organized (and because it's as good a way to start as any), we'll be going in alphabetical order. Today, we feature what's behind the names of a couple of our local communities that start with the letter D:

• Del Rey- Del Rey was originally known as Clifton, for Clift Wilkerson who founded the town. When the railroad came in 1898, they named their station Del Rey because it was on the Rio Del Rey Ranch. The Post Office followed suit and changed the name of the local office to Del Rey. Del Rey is a Census-designated community located about 3.5 miles south-southwest of Sanger.

• Dunlap - When school teacher George Dunlap Moss applied for a post office at Mill Creek, the application was denied because the place name "Mill Creek" was already connected an existing post office. He applied again listing his middle name, Dunlap, and that application was approved. The Dunlap Post Office opened on November 13, 1882, and the surrounding community came to be known as Dunlap. The original name lives on in the Mill Flat Campground, also sometimes called Mill Creek Flat. Dunlap is a small, unincorporated (Census-designated) community situated approximately 38 miles east of Fresno, California.

We hope you enjoyed learning a bit more about these places. Join us again next Thursday to explore the history of a few others!

Have more questions? Connect with the Heritage Center here: https://www.fresnolibrary.org/heritage/index.html

01/16/2026

History is hiding in plain sight, in the names we give to places–but often we're unfamiliar with where those came from.

This (and in the next few), with generous assistance from the Heritage Center, we're shining a spotlight on the origin stories of many of our local communities. To keep things organized (and because it's as good a way to start as any), we'll be going in alphabetical order. Today, we feature what's behind the names of few of our local communities, A-C. (Where possible, we've included historic photos from these places.)

• Auberry – Auberry was named for Al Yarborough, one of the four hunters that named Dinkey Creek in August 1863. The spelling follows the common pronunciation of Yarbrough’s last name. Auberry's Post Office was established in 1883. Auberry school picture: http://digital.sjvls.org/document/1493

• Biola - The history of this place name is contested, but one common story is that Biola was named, by William Kerckhoff who founded it in 1912, for the Bible Institute of Los Angeles.

• Big Creek – Big Creek is named for the Big Creek project of the Southern California Edison Company, begun in 1911. In the 1870s, there was a settlement known as Big Creek Flats located near the present town site. Big Creek Post Office: http://digital.sjvls.org/document/1747

Big Creek power house: http://digital.sjvls.org/document/1802

• Bowles – Bowles was named for Philip E Bowles, a pioneer in the area. The Post Office was open from 1904-1943.

• Burrel – Cuthbert Burrell founded the community in the 1860s when he established a 20,000 acre cattle ranch there. A railroad stop was added in 1889, and a Post Office opened in 1912. Burrel School: http://digital.sjvls.org/document/1829

• Calwa – When the officials from the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railroad established the train station and surrounding town in 1913, they used the initials from the nearby “California Wine Association” winery. The town was initially established for workers of the railroad to live in.

• Caruthers – Caruthers was named for a sheep rancher, W.A. “Billy” Caruthers. The Caruthers Post Office was established in 1891. Caruthers School: http://digital.sjvls.org/document/1831

• Clovis – In 1889, Southern Pacific Railroad established a station in present-day Clovis and named it for a local wheat farmer Clovis Cole. The Post Office was established in 1895 and the city was incorporated in 1912. The first permanent school in Clovis was built in 1897. This two-story served grades first through ninth. The building was located between First and Second Street on Pollasky Ave. Funding for the building came from a bond for $5000: http://digital.sjvls.org/document/1451

• Coalinga – Coalinga began its life as "Coaling Station A" in 1888, after the Southern Pacific Railroad built a line out there to transport lignite coal from the mines. According to local oral tradition, the name "Coalinga" originated as a more convenient shorthand of the original designation for the area. A Post Office was established in 1899, and the town was incorporated in 1906. Oil became an important part of the community economy in 1904-5 when a boom hit: http://digital.sjvls.org/document/1760

We hope you enjoyed learning a bit more about the history of some of our local communities. Be sure to tune in again next Thursday, as we cover D!

Have more questions? Connect with the Heritage Center here: https://www.fresnolibrary.org/heritage/index.html

01/14/2026

Please welcome our new Board Members
for 2026:

President- Diane Durando
1st VP- Dar Joneson
2nd- VP Bob Larsen
Recording Secretary- Donna Long
Corresponding Secretary – Camille Giometti-May
Treasurer- Marcy Davis
Librarian- Kathleen Coleman
Registrar- Diana Bulls

01/08/2026

Think Newsom!

Join Nextdoor, an app for neighborhoods where you can get local tips, buy and sell items, and more

12/17/2025

Our Jan-Mar meetings will be on Zoom due to solar construction at the Woodward Park Library. Members will be emailed the link and guest are welcome to RSVP on our website to get the Zoom link.
fresno-genealogy.org