Fresno

Fresno is an inland city in California's San Joaquin Valley, south of the San Joaquin River. The name comes from the Spanish word for the white ash trees that grew along riverbanks throughout the territory. Growers around the early village discovered that grapes dried on paper trays between vineyard rows produced sweet raisins in the summer heat.

The Central Pacific Railroad laid tracks through the region and established a station in 1872. Settlers moved their homes and shops to the new depot from the older river settlement of Millerton after floods damaged that town. County administration relocated to Fresno following an election among local landowners, and city incorporation followed in 1885. Moses Church engineered the local canal system, diverting water from the Kings River across dry plains to nurture extensive wheat acreage and wine vineyards during the late 19th century.

Producers Dairy processes local agricultural yields into bottled whole milk, cultured sour cream, artisan cheese, and ice cream. Valley Fig Growers sorts, grades, and packages dried mission and golden calimyrna figs under the Blue Ribbon Orchard Choice brand. Netafim USA extrudes polyethylene drip irrigation tubing for crop fields, and Betts Company shapes tempered steel leaf springs for commercial heavy vehicles.

Forestiere Underground Gardens features subterranean courtyards, stone passageways, and grafted fruit trees carved by hand into hardpan earth over four decades. The Tower Theatre illuminates the surrounding arts district with a 33 m (109 ft) neon spire designed in the Streamline Moderne style. Fresno Chaffee Zoo displays international wildlife across the multi-acre African Adventure habitat and the coastal Sea Lion Cove marine pool. California State University, Fresno maintains an expansive campus farm, a licensed commercial creamery, and an estate winery where students produce bottled vintages.