Editing Fresno, California (section)

==Geography==
[[File:Downtown Fresno, California (21385604348).jpg|thumb|left|300px|Aerial view of Fresno]]
Fresno has a total area of {{convert|116|sqmi|km2}} with 98.96% land covering {{convert|114.79|sqmi|km2}}, and 1.04% water, {{convert|1.21|sqmi|km2}}.

Fresno's location, very near the geographical center of California, places the city a comfortable distance from many of the major recreation areas and urban centers in the state. Just {{convert|60|mi|km|abbr=on}} south of [[Yosemite National Park]], it is the nearest major city to the park. Likewise, [[Sierra National Forest]] is {{convert|40|mi|km|abbr=on}}, [[Kings Canyon National Park]] is {{convert|60|mi|km|abbr=on}} and [[Sequoia National Park]] is {{convert|75|mi|km|abbr=on}}. The city is located near several [[Sierra Nevada (U.S.)|Sierra Nevada]] lakes including [[Bass Lake, California|Bass Lake]], [[Shaver Lake]], and [[Huntington Lake]]. Fresno is also only two and a half hours from [[Monterey]], [[Carmel-by-the-Sea, California|Carmel]], [[Big Sur]] and the central coast.

Because Fresno sits at the junction of Highways [[California State Route 41|41]] and [[California State Route 99|99]] (SR 41 is Yosemite National Park's southern access road, and SR 99 bypasses [[Interstate 5 in California|Interstate 5]] to serve the urban centers of the San Joaquin Valley), the city is a major gateway for Yosemite visitors coming from [[Los Angeles]]. The city also serves as an entrance into Sierra National Forest via Highway [[California State Route 168|168]], and Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks via Highway [[California State Route 180|180]].
[[File:Tulare St at Fulton Mall Downtown Fresno - 140724 8AM (14773627983) (cropped).jpg|thumb|right|Tulare Street in Downtown Fresno]]
Fresno has three large public parks, two in the city limits and one in county land to the southwest. [[Woodward Park (Fresno)|Woodward Park]], which features the [[Shinzen Young|Shinzen]] [[Japanese Garden]]s, boasts numerous picnic areas and several miles of trails. It is in North Fresno and is adjacent to the [[San Joaquin River Parkway]]. [[Roeding Park]], near Downtown Fresno, is home to the [[Fresno Chaffee Zoo]], and Rotary Storyland and [[Playland (Fresno)|Playland]]. [[Kearney Park (Fresno)|Kearney Park]] is the largest of the Fresno region's park system and is home to historic Kearney Mansion and plays host to the annual Civil War Revisited, the largest reenactment of the Civil War in the west coast of the U.S.<ref>{{cite news
|url          = http://abclocal.go.com/kfsn/story?section=local&id=3522714
|title        = Civil War Revisited Wraps Up
|publisher    = ABC30.com
|date         = October 10, 2005
|access-date  = March 6, 2007
|archive-url  = https://web.archive.org/web/20070310221842/http://abclocal.go.com/kfsn/story?section=local&id=3522714
|archive-date = March 10, 2007
|url-status   = dead
}}</ref><ref>{{cite web
|url          = http://www.civilwarrevisited.com/index.html
|title        = The Civil War Revisited
|publisher    = Fresno Historical Society
|access-date  = March 6, 2007
|archive-url  = https://web.archive.org/web/20130610010101/http://www.civilwarrevisited.com/index.html|url-status = usurped
|archive-date = June 10, 2013}}</ref>

In its 2023 ParkScore ranking, [[Trust for Public Land|The Trust for Public Land]], a national land conservation organization, reported that Fresno had one of the worst park systems among the 100 most populous U.S. cities, with only 5% of city land being used for parks and recreation.<ref>[http://parkscore.tpl.org/city.php?city=Fresno "City Profiles: Fresno"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140201220500/http://parkscore.tpl.org/city.php?city=Fresno |date=February 1, 2014}}. "The Trust for Public Land". Retrieved on July 10, 2013.</ref> The survey measures median park size, park acres as percent of city area, residents' access to parks, spending on parks per resident, and playgrounds per 10,000 residents.

===Neighborhoods===
====Downtown====
[[File:Hotel Californian 1.JPG|thumb|left|The historic Californian Hotel]]
[[File:2009-0725-CA-FresnoWaterTower-F.jpg|thumb|right|upright=.7|The [[Old Fresno Water Tower]], built in 1894 and designed by [[George W. Maher]], is one of Fresno's oldest landmarks.]]
<ref>{{Cite web |last=Sheehan |first=Tim |date=October 24, 2023 |title=Fresno has big hopes for high-speed rail to spur downtown renaissance. What's the grand plan? |url=https://www.aol.com/fresno-big-hopes-high-speed-192136297.html |access-date=October 25, 2023 |website=Aol. |language=en}}</ref> The Central Pacific Railroad built a small wooden depot in 1872. In 1889, the Southern Pacific Railroad, which had acquired Central Pacific, constructed a new depot on the original depot site. The brick Queen Anne style depot was a jewel for the city and is one of Fresno's oldest standing buildings. In 1971, 99 years after it first opened for business on its current site, the Depot closed its rail operations due to the decline in business.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Southern Pacific Railroad Depot (1889) |url=http://historicfresno.org/nrhp/sprr.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150927183532/http://historicfresno.org/nrhp/sprr.htm |archive-date=September 27, 2015 |access-date=September 26, 2015 |website=A Guide to Historic Architecture in Fresno, California}}</ref>

Between the 1880s and World War II, Downtown Fresno flourished, filled with electric streetcars,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://historical.fresnobeehive.com/2010/05/fresno-street-cars/ |title=Fresno street cars |access-date=December 16, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150927124728/http://historical.fresnobeehive.com/2010/05/fresno-street-cars/ |archive-date=September 27, 2015 |url-status=dead}}</ref> and contained a number of "lavish" and "opulent" buildings.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://historical.fresnobeehive.com/2009/06/mariposa-street/ |title=Mariposa Street |access-date=December 16, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150927111203/http://historical.fresnobeehive.com/2009/06/mariposa-street/ |archive-date=September 27, 2015 |url-status=dead}}</ref> Among them, the original Fresno County Courthouse (demolished), the Fresno Carnegie Public Library (demolished), the [[Old Fresno Water Tower]], the [[Bank of Italy (Fresno, California)|Bank of Italy Building]], the [[Pacific Southwest Building]], the [[San Joaquin Light and Power Corporation Building|San Joaquin Light and Power Building]] (currently known as the Grand 1401), and the [[Thomas Edwin Hughes|Hughes Hotel]] (burned down), to name a few.

Fulton Street in Downtown Fresno was Fresno's main financial and commercial district before being converted into one of the nation's first [[Pedestrian malls in the United States|pedestrian malls]] in 1964.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://historical.fresnobeehive.com/2009/11/before-fulton-mall/ |title=Before Fulton Mall |access-date=December 16, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150927114242/http://historical.fresnobeehive.com/2009/11/before-fulton-mall/ |archive-date=September 27, 2015 |url-status=dead}}</ref> Renamed the [[Fulton Mall (Fresno)|Fulton Mall]], the area contains the densest collection of historic buildings in Fresno. While the Fulton Mall corridor has suffered a sharp decline from its heyday, the Mall includes some of the finest public art pieces in the country, including a casting of [[Pierre-Auguste Renoir]]'s bronze "The Washer Woman", reportedly the only one of the six castings that one can walk up to and touch. In October 2017, the City of Fresno finished and opened Fulton Mall to traffic, becoming Fulton Street. This change was celebrated with a large public parade featuring current mayor Lee Brand and former mayor Ashley Swearengin.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.fresnobee.com/news/local/article180249076.html|title=It's a downtown dream as Fresno celebrates Fulton Street's grand reopening|website=fresnobee|language=en|access-date=February 22, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190223133055/https://www.fresnobee.com/news/local/article180249076.html|archive-date=February 23, 2019|url-status=live}}</ref> The public art pieces will be restored and placed near their current locations and will feature wide sidewalks (up to 28' on the east side of the street) to continue with the pedestrian-friendly environment of the district.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Lurie|first=George|date=June 5, 2015|title=Fulton Mall project to shift into gear next month|department=TBJ Now|work=The Business Journal|url=http://www.thebusinessjournal.com/news/government-and-politics/17972-fulton-mall-project-to-shift-into-gear-next-month%5B%5D|access-date=December 15, 2020|url-status=<!--live-->dead|archive-date=September 22, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150922040303/https://thebusinessjournal.com/news/government-and-politics/17972-fulton-mall-project-to-shift-into-gear-next-month}}</ref>

====Tower District====
[[File:Tower Theater (cropped).jpg|thumb|left|The historic [[Tower Theatre (Fresno, California)|Tower Theatre for the Performing Arts]], built in 1939]]
The historic [[Tower Theatre (Fresno, California)|Tower Theatre]], which is included on the National Register of Historic Places,<ref>{{NRISref|version=2010a}}</ref> is the center of the Tower District. The theater was built in 1939 at the corner of Olive and Wishon Avenues. The Tower District neighborhood is just north of downtown Fresno proper, and one-half mile south of Fresno City College.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.tower2000.com/history/index.html |title=Fresno's Historic Tower Theatre |website=Tower2000.com |access-date=July 2, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100528112034/http://www.tower2000.com/history/index.html |archive-date=May 28, 2010 |url-status=live}}</ref> Although the neighborhood was known as a residential area, the early commercial establishments of the Tower District began with small shops and services that flocked to the area shortly after World War II. The character of small local businesses largely remains today. To some extent, the businesses of the Tower District were developed due to the proximity of the original Fresno Normal School (later renamed [[California State University, Fresno|California State University at Fresno]]). In 1916, the college moved to what is now the site of [[Fresno City College]] one-half mile north<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.oabalegacyrenewed.com/history.html |title=The Old Administration Building at Fresno City College: A Legacy Renewed |website=Oabalegacyrenewed.com |access-date=July 2, 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080820021132/http://www.oabalegacyrenewed.com/history.html |archive-date=August 20, 2008}}</ref> of the Tower District.

After decades of neglect and suburban flight, the neighborhood revival followed the re-opening of the Tower Theatre in the late 1970s, which at that time showed second- and third-run movies, along with classic films. Roger Rocka's Dinner Theater & [[Good Company Players]] also opened nearby in 1978,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://rogerrockas.com/good-company-players/|title=Roger Rocka's Dinner Theater|access-date=August 8, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160808070522/http://rogerrockas.com/good-company-players/|archive-date=August 8, 2016|url-status=live}}</ref> at Olive and Wishon Avenues. Fresno native [[Audra McDonald]] performed in the leading roles of Evita and The Wiz at the theater while she was a high school student. McDonald subsequently became a leading performer on [[Broadway theatre|Broadway]] in New York City and a [[Tony Award|Tony award]]-winning actress. Also in the Tower District is Good Company Players' 2nd Space Theatre.
[[File:FresnoCC-Library (cropped).jpg|thumb|right|The main library at [[Fresno City College|City College]] was built in 1933.]]
The Tower District is a hub for community events such as Jamaica My Weekend, Mardi Gras in February, [[Pride parade|Gay Pride Parade]], car shows, A Taste of The Tower, Halloween in the Tower, the [[Farmers' market]] opened on the northwest corner of Olive and Van Ness and LitHop, an annual literary festival, featuring mostly local writers.

The neighborhood features restaurants, live theater and nightclubs, as well as several independent shops and bookstores on or near Olive Avenue. Since renewal, the Tower District has become an attractive area for restaurant and other local businesses. The Tower District is known as the center of Fresno's [[LGBT]] and [[Hipster (contemporary subculture)|hipster]] communities.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://collegian.csufresno.edu/2007/04/24/remembering-the-life-of-a-corporate-sellout/ |title=The Collegian » Remembering the life of a 'corporate sellout'<!-- Bot generated title --> |date=April 25, 2007 |access-date=January 24, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090325140750/http://collegian.csufresno.edu/2007/04/24/remembering-the-life-of-a-corporate-sellout/ |archive-date=March 25, 2009 |url-status=live}}</ref>

The area is also known for its early twentieth century homes, many of which have been restored in recent decades. The area includes many [[California Bungalow]] and [[American Craftsman]] style homes, [[Spanish Colonial Revival Style architecture]], [[Mediterranean Revival Style architecture]], [[Mission Revival Style architecture]], and many [[Storybook house]]s designed by Fresno architects, Hilliard, Taylor & Wheeler.{{citation needed|date=January 2023}} The residential architecture of the Tower District contrasts with the newer areas of tract homes [[urban sprawl]] in north and east areas of Fresno.

====Woodward Park====
[[File:Woodward Park Library1.JPG|thumb|left|Woodward Park Branch of the [[Fresno County Public Library]]]]
[[File:Woodward Park Nima1.JPG|thumb|right|[[Woodward Park (Fresno)|Woodward Park]]]]
In the northeastern part of Fresno, [[Woodward Park (Fresno)|Woodward Park]] was founded by the late Ralph Woodward, a long-time Fresno resident. He bequeathed a major portion of his estate in 1968 to provide a regional park and [[bird sanctuary]] in Northeast Fresno. The park lies on the southern bank of the San Joaquin River between Highway 41 and Friant Road. The initial {{convert|235|acre|km2}}, combined with additional acres acquired later by the city, brings the park to a sizable {{convert|300|acre|km2}}.<ref name=CityFresno>{{cite web|title=Woodward Park|url=http://www.fresno.gov/government/departmentdirectory/parksandrecreation/parksandfacilities/regional+parks/woodwardpark.htm|website=City of Fresno|access-date=September 9, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140903054237/http://www.fresno.gov/Government/DepartmentDirectory/ParksandRecreation/ParksandFacilities/Regional+Parks/WoodwardPark.htm|archive-date=September 3, 2014|url-status=dead}}</ref> Now packed with amenities, Woodward Park is the only Regional Park of its size in the Central Valley. The park has a multi-use [[amphitheatre]] that seats up to 2,500 people, an authentic Japanese Garden, fenced dog park, bike park, two playgrounds, two-mile (3&nbsp;km) equestrian trail, exercise par course, three children's playgrounds, a lake, three small ponds, seven picnic areas, and five miles (8&nbsp;km) of multipurpose trails that are part of the San Joaquin River Parkway's Lewis S. Eaton Trail. When complete, the Lewis S. Eaton trail system will cover {{convert|22|mi|km}} between Highway 99 and Friant Dam. The park's amphitheatre was renovated in 2010, and has hosted performances by acts such as [[Deftones]], [[Tech N9ne]], and [[Sevendust]] as well as numerous others. Woodward Park hosts the annual [[California Interscholastic Federation]] State Championship [[cross country running|cross country]] meet. It is the home of the [[Woodward Shakespeare Festival]] which began performances in the park in 2005.<ref name=FresBee>{{cite news|last1=Munro |first1=Donald |title=Woodward Shakespeare Festival turns 10; its revels play on |url=http://www.fresnobee.com/2014/06/19/3986188/woodward-shakespeare-festival.html |access-date=September 9, 2014 |newspaper=The Fresno Bee |date=June 19, 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140911001858/http://www.fresnobee.com/2014/06/19/3986188/woodward-shakespeare-festival.html |archive-date=September 11, 2014}}</ref>

====Fig Garden====
Located in the western portion of Fresno, [[Old Fig Garden]] is an unincorporated community that, over time, has been completely encircled by the city of Fresno. Fig Garden was created in 1947, as the then-known Fig Garden Men's club achieved nonprofit corporate status, allowing itself to have much more governance.<ref name="Fig garden mission">{{cite web |title=Fig garden mission |url=https://www.oldfig.org/info |website=Oldfig.org}}</ref>

In 1979, the name was changed to Fig Garden Home Owners Association.<ref name="Fig garden mission"/> Fig Garden is unique to the rest of Fresno, as it features largely no sidewalks and is lined with various large trees. The homes are well-maintained and landscaped due to strict regulations from the homeowners association. Due to a tax Fig Garden residences voted for, there is nearly round-the-clock sheriff service within the district.<ref name="Fig garden mission"/> The district hosts the Fig Garden Christmas Tree Lane, which is a nationally recognized event.<ref>{{cite web |title=Christmas Tree Lane |url=https://www.christmastreelane.com/?v=f24485ae434a |website=Christmas Tree Lane |access-date=May 19, 2022}}</ref> There is also an upscale swim and racquet club located in northwestern Fig garden, which has multiple amenities including a heated lap pool, massage therapy, daycare, etc.<ref>{{cite web |title=Fig Garden Swim Club |url=https://www.fig-garden.com/ |website=Fig Garden Swim and Racquet club |access-date=May 19, 2022}}</ref> Towards the northern boundary there is a shopping center called Fig Garden Village which hosts a plethora of upscale shopping opportunities.<ref>{{cite web |title=fig Garden Village |url=https://www.shopfiggardenvillage.com/en.html |website=Fig Garden Village |access-date=May 19, 2022}}</ref>

===Climate===
[[File:Fresno Free Speech Fight of the Industrial Works of the World.JPG|thumb|left|Mariposa Plaza in downtown]]
Fresno has a [[semi-arid climate]] ([[Köppen climate classification]] ''BSh'', bordering ''BSk''), with cool, mild winters and long, hot, dry summers.<ref>{{cite web
|url = http://www.rssweather.com/climate/California/Fresno/
|title = Fresno, California Climate Summary
|publisher = RSS Feeds World Weather
|access-date = March 6, 2007
|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20061020004237/http://www.rssweather.com/climate/California/Fresno/
|archive-date = October 20, 2006
|url-status = live
}}</ref> December and January are the coldest months, averaging {{convert|47.5|°F|1}} and {{convert|48.0|°F|1}}, respectively; mornings see temperatures at or below freezing, with the coldest night of the year typically bottoming out around {{convert|29|°F|1}}.<ref name= NOAA>{{cite web|url = https://w2.weather.gov/climate/xmacis.php?wfo=hnx|title = NowData - NOAA Online Weather Data|publisher = [[National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration]]|access-date = October 16, 2021}}</ref> July is the warmest month, averaging {{convert|83.5|°F|1}}; normally, there are 38 days of {{convert|100|°F|1}}+ highs and 113 days of {{convert|90|°F|1}}+ highs, and between July and August, there are only 3.6 days where the high does not reach {{convert|90|°F|1}}.<ref name= NOAA/> Summers provide considerable sunshine, with July exceeding 96 percent of the total possible sunlight hours; conversely, December is the lowest with only 42 percent of the daylight time in sunlight because of [[tule fog]]. However, the year averages 81% of possible sunshine, for a total of 3550 hours.<ref name= HKO >{{cite web
| url = http://www.hko.gov.hk/wxinfo/climat/world/eng/n_america/us/fresno_e.htm
| title = Climatological Normals of Fresno
| access-date = May 13, 2010
| publisher = [[Hong Kong Observatory]]
| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120324094347/http://www.hko.gov.hk/wxinfo/climat/world/eng/n_america/us/fresno_e.htm
| archive-date = March 24, 2012
| url-status = live
}}</ref> Average annual precipitation is around {{convert|11|in|mm|0}}. Most of the wind rose direction occurrences derive from the northwest, as winds are driven downward along the axis of the [[California Central Valley]]; in December, January and February there is an increased presence of southeastern wind directions in the wind rose statistics.<ref>{{cite web
|url=http://www.coha.dri.edu/web/state_analysis/California/KingsCanyonNP_metsfcwind_fresno.html 
|title=Fresno, California Wind Direction Diagram 
|publisher=Causes of Haze Assessment 
|year=2002 
|access-date=March 6, 2007 |url-status=dead 
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060912142341/http://www.coha.dri.edu/web/state_analysis/California/KingsCanyonNP_metsfcwind_fresno.html 
|archive-date=September 12, 2006}}</ref> Fresno meteorology was selected in a national [[U.S. Environmental Protection Agency]] study for analysis of [[equilibrium temperature]] for use of ten-year [[meteorology|meteorological]] data to represent a warm, dry western United States locale.<ref>{{Cite report|url=http://cave.epa.gov/cgi/nph-bwcgis/BASIS/ncat/dba/ncat/DDW?M=145&W=DATETAG++%3D++1060217 |title=Statistical Prediction of Dynamic Thermal Equilibrium Temperatures using Standard Meteorological Data Bases |version=EPA-660/2-73-003 |publisher=U.S. Environmental Protection Agency |author1=Hogan, C. Michael |author2=Patmore, Leda C. |author3=Harry Seidman |date=August 1973 |access-date=March 6, 2007}}{{dead link|date=October 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes}}</ref>

[[File:Monthly Climate Normals (1991-2020) - Fresno Area, CA(ThreadEx).svg|thumb|right|Climate chart for Fresno]]
The official record high temperature for Fresno is {{convert|115|°F|1}}, set on July 8, 1905, while the official record low is {{convert|17|°F|0}}, set on January 6, 1913. The average windows for temperatures of {{convert|100|°F|1}}+ are June 2 through September 15; for temperatures of {{convert|90|°F|1}}+, April 25 through October 10; and for freezing temperatures, December 14 through January 24, although no freeze occurred during the 1983–84 or 2020–21 winter seasons. Annual rainfall has ranged from {{convert|23.57|in|mm|1}} in the "rain year" from July 1982 to June 1983 down to {{convert|4.43|in|mm|1}} from July 1933 to June 1934. The most rainfall in one month was {{convert|9.54|in|mm|1}} in November 1885 and the most rainfall in 24 hours was {{convert|3.55|in|mm|1}} on November 18, 1885.<ref name = NOAA/> Measurable precipitation falls on an average of 46.5 days annually. Snow is a rarity; the heaviest snowfall at the airport was {{convert|2.2|in|cm|1}} on January 21–22, 1962.<ref name = NOAA/>
<div class="center">{{Fresno, California weatherbox}}</div>
{{Graph:Weather monthly history
| table=Ncei.noaa.gov/weather/Fresno, California.tab
| title=Fresno monthly weather statistics
}}