Editing Oakhurst, California

{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2023}}
{{Infobox settlement
| official_name            = Oakhurst
| settlement_type          = [[Census-designated place]]
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  | alt1                     = Oakhurst seen from the Sierra Vista Scenic Byway
  | caption1                 = Oakhurst seen from the [[Sierra Vista Scenic Byway]]
  | image2                   = Little Church on the Hill at Oakhill Cemetery in Oakhurst, California.jpg
  | alt2                     = Oakhill Cemetery
  | caption2                 = Oakhill Cemetery
  | image3                   = Welcome to Oakhurst.jpg
  | alt3                     = [[California State Route 41|State Route 41]] Welcome Sign 
  | caption3                 = [[California State Route 41|State Route 41]] Welcome Sign
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| area_footnotes           = <ref name="CenPopGazetteer2021">{{cite web |title=2021 U.S. Gazetteer Files: California |url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2021_Gazetteer/2021_gaz_place_06.txt |publisher=United States Census Bureau |accessdate=July 1, 2022}}</ref>
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| elevation_footnotes      = <ref name=gnis>{{Cite gnis|277565|Oakhurst|access-date=January 11, 2015}}</ref>
| elevation_m              = 693
| elevation_ft             = 2274
| population_total         = 5945
| population_as_of         = 2020
| population_footnotes     = <ref name="Census 2020" />
| population_density_km2   = 
| population_density_sq_mi = 177.7
| population_rural         = 
| population_rural_footnotes = 
| postal_code_type         = [[ZIP code]]
| postal_code              = 93644
| area_code                = [[Area code 559|559]]
| timezone                 = [[Pacific Time Zone|Pacific (PST)]]
| utc_offset               = -8
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'''Oakhurst''' (formerly '''Fresno Flats''')<ref name="CGN">{{California's Geographic Names|810-811}}</ref> is a [[census-designated place]] (CDP) in [[Madera County, California]], located in the foothills of the [[Sierra Nevada]] approximately {{convert|14|mi}} south of the entrance to [[Yosemite National Park]]. Positioned at the junction of [[California State Route 41|Highway 41]] and [[California State Route 49|Highway 49]], Oakhurst sits at the southern edge of California’s [[Gold Country]] and had a population of 5,945 as of the [[2020 United States census]].<ref name="Census 2020">{{cite web |url=https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/oakhurstcdpcalifornia/SBO030212 |title=U.S Census Bureau |access-date=21 May 2022}}</ref>

Founded in 1858 as Fresno Flats, the town developed as a cattle stop and later a logging hub, eventually becoming a gateway to [[Yosemite]]. The surrounding area was historically a gathering place for the [[Miwok]], [[Yokuts]], and [[Mono people|Mono]] peoples and was the site of early conflicts following California statehood, including the opening battle of the [[Mariposa War]]. In the late 20th century, Oakhurst became an unlikely center of innovation in the emerging computer game industry as the headquarters of [[Sierra Entertainment|Sierra On-Line]], known for pioneering graphic adventure games and the first [[The Sierra Network|dedicated online gaming network]].<ref>{{cite news |last1=Shapiro |first1=Eben |title=Now, an All-Video Game Network |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1991/06/18/business/now-an-all-video-game-network.html |work=The New York Times |date=June 18, 1991}}</ref>

Today, Oakhurst remains both a residential and tourist hub, shaped by its geography, its role in Yosemite-bound travel, and its layered history as a crossroads between frontier industries—timber, tourism, and technology.

==Geography==
Oakhurst is located {{convert|3|mi|0}} south-southwest of [[Yosemite Forks, California|Yosemite Forks]], along the [[Fresno River]], and sits at an elevation of {{convert|2274|ft}}.<ref name="gnis" />

Surrounded by mountains in the upper [[Ecology of the Sierra Nevada#Foothill Woodland and Chaparral Zone|Sierra Nevada foothills]], Oakhurst acts as a significant geographic crossroads. It is bordered by the [[Fresno River]] to the west and north. To the south, there are roads leading to the [[San Joaquin Valley]], and to the east, paths extend to Crane Flat and the [[Ecology of the Sierra Nevada#Alpine Zone|High Sierra]]. Historically, this strategic positioning made Oakhurst an important meeting location for Native American tribes across [[Central California]]. Today, Oakhurst remains a critical hub, connecting mountain routes that lead in all four compass directions.<ref>{{cite news |title=The History Of The Towns And Cities |newspaper=Madera Tribune |volume=77 |date=21 May 1968 |url=https://cdnc.ucr.edu/?a=d&d=MT19680521.2.84&srpos=12&e=-------en--20--1--txt-txIN-coarsegold+stage+road-------}}</ref>

Oakhurst is positioned at the southern end of California's [[Gold Country]], on [[California State Route 49|Highway 49]]. It bridges the [[San Joaquin Valley]] and the [[Yosemite Valley]] via [[California State Route 41|Highway 41]]. Nearby communities include [[Ahwahnee, California|Ahwahnee]], [[Coarsegold, California|Coarsegold]] and [[Bass Lake, California|Bass Lake]]. According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the CDP has a total area of {{convert|33.5|sqmi}}, of which {{convert|0.007|sqmi|3}}, or 0.02%, are water.<ref name="CenPopGazetteer2021"/>

==History==

===Native people===
[[File:Oakhill Cemetery Mariposa War Skeane S Skeenes Grave Marker.jpg|thumb|Skeane S. Skeenes, first militia casualty of the [[Mariposa War]], buried at Oakhill Cemetery, Oakhurst.<ref name="Madera County Cemetery District">{{Cite sign |title=Madera County Cemetery District |year=1970 |type=Grave marker plaque |publisher=Madera County Cemetery District and the Madera and Merced County Supervisors |location=Oakhill Cemetery, [[Oakhurst California|Oakhurst, California]]}}</ref>]]
Oakhurst was a common meeting ground for the [[Miwok]]s, [[Yokuts]], and [[Mono people|Monos]]<ref>{{Cite sign |title=Fresno Flats Historical Village and Park |year=2022 |type=Display outside museum |publisher=Madera County Historical Society |location=[[Oakhurst California|Oakhurst, CA]]}}</ref> before the time of the [[California Gold Rush]].

Many Native Californians were displaced by white settlers following the enactment of the [[Act for the Government and Protection of Indians]] in 1850. This act facilitated the removal and displacement of Native Californian Indians from their traditional lands, and led to the [[Mariposa War]], the first battle of which was fought near present-day Oakhurst on January 11, 1851.<ref>{{cite book |last=Coate |first=William S. |date= 1992 |title=Pieces of the Past: Madera County Vignettes |location=Madera, California |publisher=The Classroom Chronicles Press |page=137}}</ref><ref name="Madera County Cemetery District"/> By June 1851, most Native Americans in the region had been relocated to the Fresno River Farm Reservation, opening the region to the first permanent white settlers.

===Fresno Flats===
[[File:Fresno-Flats-Madera-County.jpg|thumb|Fresno Flats, circa 1900.]]Oakhurst's existence began in 1858 as "Fresno Flats," named for the Spanish word for [[Fraxinus|ash trees]] and flat, a colloquial term for a mountain meadow.

Unlike most nearby towns along what is now the [[California State Route 49|Golden Chain Highway.]], Fresno Flats was not founded due to the discovery of precious metals in the nineteenth century.<ref>{{cite news |title=Highway '49 Most Scenic In State |url=https://cdnc.ucr.edu/?a=d&d=MT19680724.2.41&srpos=18&e=-------en--20--1--txt-txIN-%22golden+chain+highway%22-------1 |work=Madera Tribune |volume=77 |number=51 |date=24 July 1968 |access-date=January 15, 2024}}</ref>

John Robert Nichols, a rancher, was likely the first Anglo settler in Fresno Flats in 1858.<ref>{{cite news |title=JAMES NICHOLS PASSED AWAY Cattle Rancher of Fresno Flats Dies |url=https://cdnc.ucr.edu/?a=d&d=MT19430318.2.63&srpos=10&e=-------en--20--1--txt-txIN-%22oakhurst%22+%22fresno+flats%22-------1 |work=Madera Tribune |volume=LI |number=16 |date=18 March 1943 |access-date=January 15, 2024}}</ref> Others joined him, raising livestock and planting orchards, establishing the area permanently. Post-gold rush, the first Chinese family settled by a creek flowing into the Fresno River. As more Chinese families used it, the creek was named China Creek, which remains its name.<ref>{{cite news |title=Oakhurst Was 'Fresno Flats' |url=https://cdnc.ucr.edu/?a=d&d=MT19620925.2.162&srpos=8&e=-------en--20--1--txt-txIN-%22oakhurst%22+%22fresno+flats%22-------1 |work=Madera Tribune |volume=71 |number=94 |date=25 September 1962 |access-date=January 15, 2024}}</ref>

Fresno Flats opened its first post office in 1873.<ref name=CGN /> The following year, the [[Madera Sugar Pine Company|Madera Flume and Lumber Company]] started building a [[log flume]] by the Fresno River, sparking the local timber industry. By 1876, a wagon road from [[Madera, California|Madera]] to [[Yosemite]] was complete, shifting the area's main economic focus to tourism. Fresno Flats grew into a key station on this road to Wawona, boasting hotels, stores, a blacksmith, a skating rink, a dancehall, a schoolhouse, and saloons by 1884.<ref>{{cite book |last=Coate |first=William S. |date= 1992 |title=Pieces of the Past: Madera County Vignettes |location=Madera, California |publisher=The Classroom Chronicles Press |page=155}}</ref> The first school, made of logs, was built in 1871, and by 1884, it had an average attendance of 26.9 students with one teacher.<ref>{{cite news |title=Oakhurst: From Cattle Stop To Modern Day City |url=https://cdnc.ucr.edu/?a=d&d=MT19640929.2.141&srpos=2&e=-------en--20--1--txt-txIN-fresno+flats+oakhurst+name+change-------1 |work=Madera Tribune |volume=73 |number=97 |date=29 September 1964 |access-date=January 15, 2024}}</ref>

===Name change===
Fresno Flats lost its name in 1912 after a resident secretly petitioned the town be renamed over fear that the town's reputation was forever tarnished because of a local stagecoach robbery.<ref>{{cite news |title=FRESNO FLATS WILL BE CHANGED TO OAKHURST New Postmaster Appointed; Town Will Be Dry After April 1 |url=https://cdnc.ucr.edu/?a=d&d=FHD19120308.2.15&srpos=3&e=-------en--20--1--txt-txIN-%22oakhurst%22+%22fresno+flats%22-------1 |work=Fresno Evening Herald |volume=XLVI |number=59 |date=8 March 1912 |access-date=January 15, 2024}}</ref> The town was renamed Oakhurst by an Act of Congress that took most people in town by surprise.<ref>{{cite news |title=Oakhurst Faltered, Refused To Die |url=https://cdnc.ucr.edu/?a=d&d=MT19570924.2.149&srpos=3&e=-------en--20--1--txt-txIN-fresno+flats+oakhurst+name+change-------1 |work=Madera Tribune |volume=66 |number=112 |date=24 September 1957 |access-date=January 15, 2024}}</ref>

===Highway Era===
Oakhurst's decline started with the mining industry collapse, the end of stagecoach travel to Yosemite, and the 1931 closure of the [[Madera Sugar Pine Company]]. The [[California State Route 140|All-Year Highway]], opened in 1926, rerouted Yosemite bound auto traffic via California State Route 140 through Merced, further reducing visitor numbers and economic activity in Oakhurst. A new highway route to Yosemite came to fruition in the 1930s with the Fresno-Yosemite road, known today as [[California State Route 41]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Route 41 (Fresno-Yosemite Road) - Coarsegold, CA |publisher=Living New Deal |url=https://livingnewdeal.org/sites/route-41-fresno-yosemite-road-coarsegod-ca/ |access-date=2024-01-15}}</ref> This route shortened the trip from Fresno to Yosemite Valley by 35 miles.<ref>{{cite news |title=Tunnel Road is Now Open |newspaper=Madera Tribune |volume=LXI |number=139 |date=1933-04-17 |url=https://cdnc.ucr.edu/?a=d&d=MT19330417.2.19&srpos=1&e=-------en--20--1--txt-txIN-oakhurst+wawona+tunnel------- |access-date=2024-01-15}}</ref>

Over 1.2 million people annually enter Yosemite National Park through its south gate, predominantly passing through Oakhurst on Highway 41. Tourism significantly affects Oakhurst, especially during summer. This season sees the highest traffic on Highway 41, full hotel occupancy, and a peak in jobs serving visitors, including lodging, dining, retail, and transportation services. The total sales for accommodation and food services in 2017 were $36.5 million dollars.<ref name="Oakhurst CDP, California">{{cite web |title=Oakhurst CDP, California |url=https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/oakhurstcdpcalifornia |publisher=United States Census Bureau |access-date=January 20, 2024}}</ref> In contrast, these activities and related employment decrease in winter due to reduced off-season activities in Yosemite and surrounding areas.<ref>{{cite web |title=Oakhurst Area Plan |publisher=Madera County Board of Supervisors |date=2005-09-13 |url=https://online.encodeplus.com/regs/maderacounty-ca-oap/doc-viewer.aspx?secid=20#secid-20 |access-date=2024-01-15}}</ref>

===Sierra On-Line===
The pioneering [[PC game|computer game]] developer [[Sierra Entertainment|Sierra On-Line]] was based in Oakhurst from 1981 to 1999.<ref>{{cite news |last=Nax |first=Sanford |date=September 27, 1999 |title=Company Stays in Game. Oakhurst Software Company Workers and the County Team Up to Save Jobs |work=Fresno Bee}}</ref> The company achieved many industry firsts, including the development of the first [[3D computer graphics|3D]] [[adventure game]] (''[[King's Quest]]'', 1984) and one of the first online gaming networks (''[[ImagiNation Network|The Sierra Network]]'', 1989).

==Demographics==
[[File:Oakhurst, California.JPG|thumb|250px|right|[[Raley's Supermarkets|Raley's]] shopping center in Oakhurst]]
Oakhurst, California, has experienced notable demographic and socio-economic transformations between the 2000 and 2020 census periods.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.census.gov/2010census/popmap/ipmtext.php?fl=06:0652764|archive-url=https://archive.today/20140715032127/http://www.census.gov/2010census/popmap/ipmtext.php?fl=06:0652764|url-status=dead|archive-date=July 15, 2014|title=2010 Census Interactive Population Search: CA - Oakhurst CDP|publisher=U.S. Census Bureau|access-date=July 12, 2014}}</ref><ref name="GR2">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov |publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]] |access-date=2008-01-31 |title=U.S. Census website }}</ref> The population more than doubled from 2,868 to 5,945, with a significant increase in households and a shift towards a younger age demographic. While remaining predominantly White, the community saw fluctuations in its Hispanic or Latino population, rising from 9.94% in 2000 to 16.7% in 2010, and then slightly decreasing to 12.0% by 2020. Socio-economic developments included a substantial rise in median household income from $27,679 to $73,333, alongside high rates of educational attainment and technological adoption. Despite these socio-economic improvements, challenges in poverty rates and health insurance coverage persist, reflecting ongoing issues within the community.

The growth of short-term rental platforms like [[Airbnb]] has influenced the housing market. As more property owners opt for short-term rentals due to higher potential earnings, the availability of long-term rental housing has decreased.<ref>{{cite news |last=Romero |first=Ezra David |title=Near Yosemite "It's Neighbor Warring Against Neighbor" Over Short-Term Rentals |url=https://www.kvpr.org/business-economy/2017-09-05/near-yosemite-its-neighbor-warring-against-neighbor-over-short-term-rentals |access-date=August 16, 2024 |publisher=KVPR |date=September 5, 2017}}</ref> This shift has contributed to increased competition and rising rental prices for residents, prompting discussions about potential regulations to balance tourism benefits with the community's housing needs.<ref>{{cite web |last=Lurie |first=George |title=Rental Market Being Squeezed By Home-Sharing Apps Like Airbnb |url=https://sierranewsonline.com/rental-market-being-squeezed-by-home-sharing-apps-like-airbnb/ |access-date=August 16, 2024 |publisher=Sierra News Online |date=May 6, 2019}}</ref>

===2020===
According to the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]], the CDP has a population of 5,945 across 2,180 households. The community is diverse, with distinct demographic segments: children under five make up 3.1% of the population, those under 18 comprise 18.2%, and seniors 65 and older represent 25.6%. Women are the majority, making up 56.5% of the residents.<ref name="Oakhurst CDP, California"/>

Racially, 87.8% of the population is White. Other groups include Black or African American (0.3%), American Indian and Alaska Native (0.2%), Asian (1.8%), and those identifying with two or more races (7.7%). Hispanic or Latino residents make up 12.0%, with non-Hispanic Whites at 83.0%.<ref name="Oakhurst CDP, California"/>

The community includes 357 veterans and has a 5.7% foreign-born population, highlighting some cultural diversity. Housing predominantly consists of owner-occupied units, with a 79.9% ownership rate and a median value of $369,900. Monthly housing costs average $2,189 for owners with mortgages and $637 for those without. Median rent is $1,303.<ref name="Oakhurst CDP, California"/>

Households average 2.29 persons, with 87.2% of residents living in the same house for at least one year. Additionally, 10.5% of households speak a non-English language at home.<ref name="Oakhurst CDP, California"/>

Technological use is widespread, with 92.4% of households owning a computer and 85.9% having broadband internet. Education levels are high: 91.3% have a high school diploma, and 29.4% hold a bachelor’s degree or higher.<ref name="Oakhurst CDP, California"/>

Regarding health, 18.1% of those under 65 have a disability, and 8.3% lack health insurance. Employment is robust, with 57.9% of those 16 and older in the workforce, showing equal participation by women.<ref name="Oakhurst CDP, California"/>

Financially, the median household income is $73,333, with a per capita income of $44,763. The poverty rate is at 16.2%.<ref name="Oakhurst CDP, California"/>

==Government and politics==
In the [[California State Legislature]], Oakhurst is in {{Representative|casd|8|fmt=sdistrict}}, and in {{Representative|caad|5|fmt=adistrict}}.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://statewidedatabase.org/gis/gis2011/index_2011.html |title=Statewide Database |publisher=UC Regents |access-date=November 18, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150201113744/http://statewidedatabase.org/gis/gis2011/index_2011.html |archive-date=February 1, 2015 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

In the [[United States House of Representatives]], Oakhurst is in {{Representative|cacd|5|fmt=district}}.<ref>{{cite news |title=California has new congressional districts. Find yours here |url=https://www.latimes.com/projects/california-congressional-district-map-2021/ |work=Los Angeles Times |date=December 21, 2021 |access-date=2024-02-03}}</ref>

On February 5, 2008 residents voted on Measure C, a proposal to [[Municipal corporation|incorporate]] Oakhurst as a city.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.californiacityfinance.com/Votes0802.pdf|title=Local Revenue Measures February 2008|date=February 2008|website=californiacityfinance.com|access-date=February 13, 2018}}</ref> The measure failed with 56% voting against and 44% in favor.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://votemadera.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/February-5-2008.pdf| title=Official Election Summary|website=votemadera.com| access-date=September 6, 2020}}</ref>

===Honorary mayor===
Oakhurst, an unincorporated area, does not have an official mayor. Instead, an Honorary Mayor is selected annually through a fundraising competition where candidates generate funds for selected non-profits, with each dollar equating to one vote. The top fundraiser is named Honorary Mayor, a tradition that has supported local charities by raising significant amounts over the years.<ref>{{cite web |last=Clugston |first=Gina |title=Oakhurst Has A New Honorary Mayor |url=https://sierranewsonline.com/oakhurst-has-a-new-honorary-mayor/ |publisher=Sierra News Online |date=July 11, 2014 |access-date=2024-02-03}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Flanagan |first=Kellie |title=And The New Honorary Mayor Is… |url=https://sierranewsonline.com/and-the-new-honorary-mayor-is/ |publisher=Sierra News Online |date=July 10, 2013 |access-date=2024-02-03}}</ref>

==Education==
Oakhurst is home to [[Yosemite High School]] and the headquarters for the Yosemite Unified School District. Many primary schools across eastern Madera County feed into the high school.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.yosemiteusd.com/ |title=Yosemite Unified School District |website=yosemiteusd.com |access-date=September 22, 2020}}</ref>

Oakhurst Community College Center is a two-year institution that offers programs in two-year degrees and general education for transfer.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.scccd.edu/about/index.html |title=About SCCCD |website=scccd.edu |access-date=September 17, 2020}}</ref> Founded in the 1980s, it is located on Road 426 off Highway 41, near the local Madera County Library branch {{as of|September 2020|lc=yes}}.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.oakhurstcenter.com/about/index.html |title=About Oakhurst Community College Center |access-date=September 17, 2020}}</ref> The [[State Center Community College District]] [[Board of Trustees]] approved plans to relocate the Oakhurst campus to a new 30-acre site along Highway 49. Construction on the new campus officially began in October 2024.<ref>{{cite web |title=Madera Community College Oakhurst Groundbreaking Ceremony |url=https://sierranewsonline.com/madera-community-college-oakhurst-groundbreaking-ceremony/ |website=Sierra News Online |date=4 October 2024 |access-date=16 January 2025}}</ref>

==Attractions==

===The Talking Bear===

Celebrated as both a local landmark and [[roadside attraction]], the Talking Bear is a prominent fiberglass grizzly bear statue located at the intersection of Highway 41 and Road 426. Known for its distinctive design and cultural significance, the statue has become a notable feature in the area since it was installed in 1965.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://cdnc.ucr.edu/?a=d&d=MT19650218.2.38&srpos=2&e=-------en--20--1--txt-txIN-%22talking+bear%22------- |title=Curious Looks Given Talking Bear |newspaper=Madera Tribune |volume=73 |number=197 |date=1965-02-18 |access-date=2024-01-21}}</ref> Visitors press a button to hear a recorded message about the [[California Grizzly Bear]]. Hugh Schollenbarger installed the bear which was made by Alpine's Fiberglass Menagerie Co.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.yosemitethisyear.com/account/talking-bear-oakhurst |title=Talking Bear Oakhurst |publisher=Southern Yosemite Visitors Bureau |access-date=2024-01-21}}</ref>

===Historic Buildings===

The Little Church on the Hill was built in 1894 and moved from Chapel Hill to its current location in Oakhill Cemetery in 1957.<ref>"Old Oakhurst Church Dedication On Sunday." Madera Tribune, vol. 66, no. 47, 9 July 1957. Retrieved from [https://cdnc.ucr.edu/?a=d&d=MT19570709.2.9&srpos=63&e=-------en--20--61--txt-txIN-oakhurst+fresno+flats+-------]</ref> Built from sugar pine lumber from the local mills, it was the first house of worship in Fresno Flats and met the needs of all denominations for over 50 years.<ref>{{cite news |date=May 13, 2014 |title=The Historic Little Church on the Hill in the heart of Oakhurst, California is turning 120 on June 20, 2014 |url=https://www.prweb.com/releases/the_historic_little_church_on_the_hill_in_the_heart_of_oakhurst_california_is_turning_120_on_june_20_2014/prweb11834369.htm |work=PR Web |access-date=July 1, 2022}}</ref> The church and cemetery were designated as [[California Points of Historical Interest|California Point of Historical Interest]] in 1994.

Many original [[American pioneer|pioneer]] structures are on display at the '''Fresno Flats Historical Village and Park''' including the 1869 Taylor Log House, where Boot Taylor, one of the first [[Sierra National Forest]] rangers was raised, the two-story Laramore-Layman House, built in the 1870s, the Raymond Jail built in 1890, and several single-room schoolhouses.<ref>{{cite news |author=<!--not stated--> |date=September 1991 |title=Lingering on your way to Yosemite |work=Sunset (Vol. 187, Issue 3)}}</ref>

<gallery class="center" widths=200px heights=200px>
Little Church on the Hill at Oakhill Cemetery in Oakhurst, California.jpg|The Little Church on the Hill at Oakhill Cemetery
1890 Raymond Jail.jpg|The 1890 pioneer jail at Fresno Flats Historical Village was relocated from nearby [[Raymond, California|Raymond]].
</gallery>

===Sierra Mountaineer Days===

Sierra Mountaineer Days, an annual festival established in 1964, became a significant event, drawing over 10,000 visitors each year at its peak.<ref>{{cite news |title=Mountain Area Plans Big Annual 3-Day Celebration |url=https://cdnc.ucr.edu/?a=d&d=MT19650525.2.85.56&srpos=6&e=-------en--20--1--txt-txIN-oakhurst+mountaineer+days------- |newspaper=Madera Tribune |volume=74 |number=8 |date=25 May 1965 |access-date=January 20, 2024}}</ref> The three-day event featured a parade, barbecue, rodeo, and beauty pageant, celebrating the region's history. It focused on the 19th-century miners' lifestyle and the importance of the logging industry, highlighting the area's rich heritage.<ref>{{cite news |title=Sierra Mountaineer Days Slated For Oct. 21-22 |url=https://cdnc.ucr.edu/?a=d&d=MT19670302.2.5&srpos=16&e=-------en--20--1--txt-txIN-oakhurst+mountaineer+days------- |newspaper=Madera Tribune |volume=75 |number=114 |date=2 March 1967 |access-date=January 20, 2024}}</ref>

In the late 1990s, the festival experienced a revival and was renamed Mountain Heritage Day, now held at Fresno Flats Historic Village. This modern version of the event continues to honor the area's unique cultural and historical background.<ref>{{cite web |last=Flanagan |first=Kellie |title=22nd Annual Mountain Heritage Day and Parade |url=https://sierranewsonline.com/22nd-annual-mountain-heritage-day-and-parade/ |website=Sierra News Online |date=September 9, 2018 |access-date=January 20, 2024}}</ref>

==Infrastructure==

===Transportation===

[[California State Route 41|Highway 41]] connects Oakhurst to [[Fresno, California|Fresno]] and [[Yosemite Valley|Yosemite]]. Highway 49 has its southern terminus at Highway 41 in Oakhurst and connects to [[Mariposa, California|Mariposa]].

Oakhurst is served by the [[YARTS]] Highway 41 bus route between Fresno and Yosemite,<ref>[http://yarts.com/routes-and-schedules/fresno-madera-yosemite-valley/ YARTS Highway 41 Bus Schedule]</ref> and by the Madera County Connection bus system, which travels to [[Madera, California|Madera]] and [[Bass Lake (Madera County, California)|Bass Lake]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.madera-county.com/index.php/roads-department?download=5330:mcc-schedule |title=Madera County Connection Schedule Effective April 2, 2014 |publisher=County of Madera |format=PDF |access-date=2015-05-27}}</ref>

===Utilities===
[[Cable television]] services for the town of Oakhurst are contracted to [https://vyvebroadband.com/ Vyve Broadband] .<ref>{{Cite web|last=Broadb|first=Vyve|date=2020-03-10|title=Eagle Broadband and Northland Communications to Rebrand Under Vyve Broadband|url=https://vyvebroadband.com/press/eagle-broadband-and-northland-communications-to-rebrand-under-vyve-broadband/|access-date=2021-08-08|website=Vyve Broadband|language=en-US}}</ref>

Sierra Telephone Company, which serves northern Madera County and much of adjoining [[Mariposa County, California|Mariposa County]], is based in Oakhurst.

== Notable people ==
* [[Bill Davis (artist)|Bill Davis]], creative director
* [[Peter Ledger]], artist
* [[Ted Lilly]], [[Major League Baseball|MLB]] pitcher; attended [[Yosemite High School]] in Oakhurst
* [[Lori Martin]], actress
* [[From Indian Lakes]], indie rock band

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{commons category|Oakhurst, California}}
{{wikivoyage|Oakhurst}}
*[http://oakhurstchamber.com Oakhurst Area Chamber of Commerce]

{{Madera County, California}}
{{Yosemite National Park}}
{{Sierra Nevada}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Census-designated places in Madera County, California]]
[[Category:Populated places established in 1873]]
[[Category:Census-designated places in California]]
[[Category:Populated places in the Sierra Nevada (United States)]]