North Fork is situated in the Sierra Nevada foothills at an elevation of 2,638 feet. It is roughly 46 miles (74 km) miles north-northeast of Fresno, 41 miles (66 km) miles northeast of Madera, and 17 miles (27 km) miles southeast of Oakhurst by road. The CDP has a total area of 32.3 square miles (84 km2) square miles, with Willow Creek, North Fork, and South Fork serving as its primary bodies of water. North Fork also holds the distinction of being the community closest to the geographic center of California.
North Fork is within the ancestral home of the Mono Native Americans. The community developed into a significant hub for the timber industry, which was the mainstay of the local economy until the late 20th century.
Attractions in North Fork include the Sierra Mono Museum and the Sierra Vista Scenic Byway. The Buckhorn Saloon, a mainstay since the 1800s, continues to function as a restaurant and tavern. North Fork is also the site of the annual Mid-Sierra Loggers Jamboree, a tribute to the region's logging history.
Geography
North Fork is located in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada at an elevation of 2,638 feet (804 m).[2]
It is 46 miles (74 km) north-northeast of Fresno, 41 miles (66 km) northeast of Madera, and 17 miles (27 km) by road southeast of Oakhurst. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the North Fork CDP has a total area of 32.3 square miles (84 km2), of which 0.04 square miles (0.10 km2), or 0.14%, are water.[1] The community is drained by Willow Creek and by its North Fork and South Fork. Willow Creek is a south-flowing tributary of the San Joaquin River.
The geographic center or midpoint of the state of California is located between North Fork and Italian Bar. The point is about 7.1 miles (11.4 km) driving distance from the United States Forest Service office in North Fork. The location is marked by a sign and a survey marker. The site has wooden stairs leading up the hillside about 50 feet from the road. The marker is not wheelchair accessible.
North Fork, a census-designated place in California, has a notably older demographic compared to the state average, with a median age of 58 years compared to California's 37.9. A significant portion, 36.2%, of the local population is aged 65 and over, which is more than double the state's 15.8%, highlighting the area's aging population. Additionally, 18.6% of North Fork residents are disabled, surpassing the state's 11.7%, aligning with the community's older demographic.[9]
The community also has a higher percentage of veterans at 13%, compared to the California average of 4.3%, indicating a considerable number of residents with military backgrounds.[9]
Financially, North Fork's median household income is $65,850, below California's $91,551, and the area has a higher poverty rate of 15.7%, against the state's 12.2%. Educational levels are lower as well, with only 17.9% holding a bachelor's degree or higher, significantly less than the state's 37%.[9]
In terms of housing, North Fork is more affordable, with a median gross rent of $981, compared to the state's $1,870, and it has a total of 1,633 housing units.[9]
Demographically, the community comprises 356 American Indians, 385 Hispanic or Latinos, and 352 individuals of two or more races, with a majority of 2,388 identifying as White. The area has a smaller foreign-born population, making up only 5.2% of its residents, compared to California's 26.7%.[9]
History
Native People
Mono couple living near Northfork, California, ca. 1920
North Fork is within the ancestral home lands of the Mono people, who still constitute a significant portion of the population (9.4% according to the 2000 Census).
The Sierra Timber Reserve Act, enacted in February 1893, resulted in the land around North Fork coming under federal control. This left the Mono Indians, who were not recognized as US citizens until 1924, left out. They were unable to pursue their traditional way of life or maintain their newly adopted practice of cattle grazing, finding themselves effectively excluded from their ancestral lands. Faced with these obstacles, many Mono Indians either assimilated into the settler community or dispersed to other areas.[10]: 122
Early History
The first permanent community was established as a remote mountain outpost in 1865 when Milton Brown built what is believed to be the first house in the area — a log cabin at the end of a newly-developed wagon road leading from Crane Valley to the north fork of the San Joaquin River. Serving as a supply point, Brown catered to stockmen, sheepmen, and miners who left their wagons under his care while venturing further into the mountains. Consequently, the location was often referred to as "Brown's Place."[10]: 115–117
A significant shift in the settlement's trajectory occurred in 1886 with the establishment of a sawmill on Peckinpah Mountain by Milton Brown and his partner, John Bartram. This venture marked the foundation of the North Fork Lumber Company, which would play a pivotal role in the community's evolution. By 1887, the company had established a post office under the name North Fork, subsequently bestowing the settlement with its present-day name.[11]
The small settlement, comprising mainly a handful of stores, hotels, and a watering trough, was primarily inhabited by miners and hog stockmen. Contemporary accounts note that the main store offered "a few groceries, cheap calico, and lots of whiskey," a selection that influenced locals to rename Alder Creek to Whiskey Creek, reflecting the area's reputation.[12] The Fresno Morning Republican once described the area as "a bleak little mountain center," emphasizing its isolation from valley towns such as Friant and Madera.[13]
Sam Peckinpah, the renowned director, drew inspiration from his youth spent on his grandparents' ranch in North Fork. His grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Charles M. Peckinpah, settled in North Fork in 1884, and the name "Peckinpah Mountain" pays homage to their former sawmill site.[14] Peckinpah, born in 1925, channeled his family's experiences during the Wild West period into his Western films and TV series, including Ride the High Country (1962) and The Wild Bunch (1969). The town of North Fork in The Rifleman TV series, which Peckinpah created, is named after the real-life North Fork.[15]
Forestry
In 1902, North Fork became the pivotal hub for the Sierra Reserves, which later evolved into today's Sierra National Forest, when Charles H. Shinn became the head ranger. North Fork's central geographical location, nestled within the expansive territory of the Sierra Reserves that stretched from Tuolumne County in the north to Kern County in the south, made it an ideal choice for the organization's headquarters.[13]: 18 The supervisor's office held a steady presence in North Fork, acting as the heart of the reserves, until it was eventually moved to Clovis in 1989.[13]: 168
Lumber Industry
During the Great Depression, commercial logging in eastern Madera County came to a sudden stop, leading to the end of logging railroads. The Sugar Pine Lumber Company, operating in the mountains above North Fork, shut down in 1933.[16]
In 1941, the Associated Box and Lumber Company purchased 135 acres (55 ha) of land and moved its operations from Bieber to North Fork by 1942. This relocation marked a significant change for the town, starting a new logging era that lasted over fifty years. The introduction of logging trucks and modern equipment allowed deeper access into the Sierra National Forest, increasing the industry's reach and efficiency.
Although the sawmill and logging roads were not fully developed, operations began in 1942. By April 1, 1943, the mill processed its first log into lumber. In its first year, the North Fork mill processed over nine million board feet of lumber, mainly from ponderosa pine, sugar pine, lodgepole pine, and incense cedar in the Sierra National Forest.
The establishment of the mill significantly transformed North Fork. By 1951, the population surged to over 2,000 people.[17] The mill emerged as a major employer, offering jobs to over 130 workers at peak times and contributing about $500,000 to the local economy annually.[18] Despite this economic boost, North Fork did not have a bank.[19]
The mill complex featured a sawmill, planing mill, lumber storage, workshops, and housing for employees.[20] These accommodations included twenty-two two-bedroom houses available for rent. By 1968, the mill's annual payroll increased to $1,250,000, highlighting the logging industry's importance to the area.
In 1985, Ron Yanke acquired the mill, renaming it South Fork Timber Industries. From 1985 to 1991, the mill averaged an annual output of 143 million board feet of lumber, sufficient to build around 12,000 single-family homes.[21][22]
A cogeneration plant was added in 1986, utilizing sawdust to power boilers and generate electricity, with surplus electricity sold to utilities. The mill also began converting bark into humus and selling ash as fertilizer.[21]
However, new government regulations by 1992 reduced forest yields significantly, dropping to 63.8 million board feet by 1993. These changes, along with rising costs, made lumber production unprofitable, leading to layoffs starting in 1991 and the mill's closure on February 25, 1994.[21]
Economy
Until 1996, the timber industry was the backbone of North Fork's economy, with the local lumber mill serving as the town's main source of livelihood.[23]
Employment in North Fork is distinct, with 20.9% of its workforce employed in local, state, and federal government roles, a proportion that surpasses California's 14.2%. However, the overall employment rate in North Fork stands at 34.3%, significantly lower than the state’s 60.0%.[9]
The US Forest Service Crane Valley Hotshots, a crew of wildland firefighters, remain based in North Fork.[24]
Arts and culture
The Sierra Mono Museum showcases the local history and culture.[25] The town also serves as the starting point for the Sierra Vista Scenic Byway, a route known for its stunning views of the Sierra Nevada.[26]
The Buckhorn Saloon.
The Buckhorn Saloon, a fixture since the late 1800s, evolved into a dude ranch in the 1950s. It catered to fishing and hunting parties during their respective seasons, as well as local loggers.[27] Known for its rough-and-tumble patrons, it's proprietor was jailed for six months in the 1950s for firing a .45 caliber pistol at a patron.[28][29] Today, it continues to operate as a restaurant and western saloon.
A historical marker, established by E Clampus Vitus, signifies the location of the stagecoach stop in the downtown area.[30] The geographical center of the state of California resides between North Fork and Italian Bar. The exact center, marked by a sign and a survey marker, is approximately 7.1 miles (11.4 km) driving distance from the United States Forest Service office in North Fork.[31]
Initiated in 1959, the North Fork Loggers Jamboree began as a regional lumberjack competition open to loggers from seven local counties held annually on the first weekend in July.[32] The event included a loggersports competition, a main street parade, and a beauty pageant.[33] With the closure of the local mill in the 1990s, the event, now known as the Mid-Sierra Loggers Jamboree, has evolved into a tribute to the enduring legacy of logging in the region.[34]
Notable people
Edmund Kemper, then 15 years old, shot his grandparents to death at a ranch in 1964
^ abcRose, Gene (1994). Sierra Centennial: 100 Years of Pioneering on the Sierra National Forest. Three Forests Interpretive Association. ISBN0-944194-31-1.
^Mean monthly maxima and minima (i.e. the expected highest and lowest temperature readings at any point during the year or given month) calculated based on data at said location from 1945 to 2023.
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