Editing Avenal, California (section)

==Growth and development==
Among the first business establishments at Avenal were Koepp's Welding Works, The Republic Supply Company, Mac's Coffee Shop, Moore's Soda Fountain and the Cross Lumber Company. Presently, the town included 26 oil field supply houses, 12 oil field service company branches, 9 grocery stores, 9 service stations, 8 restaurants, 5 welding establishments, 4 builders' supply houses and numerous other enterprises.

While the oil fields and their urban center were populated with industrious, law-abiding people the problem of keeping the peace and maintaining the dignity of the law existed there just as it does in all other communities where there is life, action and big payrolls. To meet this commonplace problem a township was established and on April 1, 1937, E.W. Oliver was appointed as justice of the peace and William "Bill" Brendal was named constable. Aiding and cooperating with them in the enforcement of the law was Deputy Sheriff Richard "Dick" Doty, who was appointed by [[Sheriff]] L.P. Loftis in 1935.

Two other county offices maintained deputies at Avenal for service in the oil fields. They were Orville Robbins, [[County assessor|deputy county assessor]]; and R. W. Zivnuska, deputy county treasurer.

By election in February 1934, the Avenal Township formed a fire district, which served efficiently both in the town and country districts. The three fire district commissioners originally elected were Ray Mohler, Floyd Rice and Jess Hamilton.

The Avenal district owned one well-equipped [[White Motor Company|White]] fire truck and a half interest with the West Side Fire Protection District, of a two-ton [[Reo Motor Company|Reo]] fire truck. Two full-time drivers were regularly employed and 20 firemen worked call. The firehouse provided living quarters for the employees. [[Fire chief|Fire Chief]] L. H. Dell was assisted by M. L. Sperling.

By April 1930, Dr. S. V. Dragoo was the head of the emergency hospital. Dr. Dragoo was assisted by one office worker and two nurses, having two special nurses on call. Between five and six hundred calls per month with about thirty accident cases were handled by this organization, not to mention the ambulance service extended.

Appointed [[Postmaster|postmistress]] in November 1931, Mrs. Marie Eads served in that office until July 1933, when she resigned and Charles E. Day was appointed. The post office later occupied a two-story building leased by the Standard Oil Company in 1935. Later in Avenal's history, the Post Office leased a space adjacent to Finster's Market (later T&T Market). In the late 1990s, the post office was relocated to its current location near the intersection of Skyline Blvd and San Joaquin Street.

The collapse of oil and gas production came with the intrusion of salt water into the oil reservoir, leaving 65 to 70 percent of the North Dome of the Kettleman Hills still undisturbed.

In 1953, oil companies with holdings in the area fields named the [[Standard Oil Company of California]] to operate the fields. Avenal's economy dwindled and with it, many stores, buildings and houses were vacated until the 1960s when an influx of agricultural workers made a major impact on Avenal and surrounding area.

The early 1970s saw two substantial projects that had significant impacts on the city: the completion of the [[California Aqueduct]] which brought in needed water to the westside of the [[San Joaquin Valley|San Jaoquin valley]], and the opening of [[Interstate 5]].

The citizens of Avenal voted for [[Municipal corporation|incorporation]] in September 1979, and while going through the early stages of being a new city, the citizens pursued and were successful in bringing a state prison to Avenal. [[Avenal State Prison]] opened in 1987. By 2009, it housed 6,577 inmates and employed 1,517 people, making it a vital part of the community. The building of the facility dramatically increased the city's total valuation with construction, improvements and activity that could be seen in every area of the city.

Avenal is also home to the Central California Soaring Club headquartered at the Avenal Gliderport. This year-round operation is one of the few [[Glider aircraft|glider]]-only airports in the western United States, and one of only a few in the entire US that owns/operates its own airport. A soaring contest is held there every spring.

Construction has been completed on the renovation of Skyline Boulevard ([[California State Route 269]]) in the city's joint effort with [[Caltrans]]. Avenal has also completed a massive public improvement project with the development of {{convert|52|mi|km}} of new curbs, gutters and sidewalks throughout the city.

In November 2010, the [[Police|Avenal Police Department]] was initiated with 14 sworn officers. Jack Amoroso was the first [[Chief of police|police chief]].<ref>{{cite news |work=Hanford Sentinel |date=November 13, 2010}}</ref>

Although Avenal's future is no longer closely tied to oil, it will always mark its beginnings from "the day Milham came in," and the cigar box on the counter of the general store which was its first post office.

In 2019, ''USA Today'' named Avenal the 10th-worst city in America due to high unemployment and violent crime.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2019-02-07 |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/2019/02/07/worst-cities-america-50-places-named-least-desirable-call-home/39006457/ |title=These are the worst cities to live in America. Is yours one of them? |first=Samuel |last=Stebbins |first2=Grant |last2=Suneson |work=[[USA Today]] |access-date=April 25, 2021 |archive-date=September 4, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240904075321/https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/2019/02/07/worst-cities-america-50-places-named-least-desirable-call-home/39006457/ |url-status=live }}</ref>