North Fork, California

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

North Fork is a small unincorporated town located in Madera County, California at the foothills of the Sierra Nevada near Yosemite National Park.

1 Geographic center of California
2 History
3 Cultural
4 Sources
5 External links

The geographic center of the state of California is located between North Fork and Italian Bar. The point is about 7.1 miles driving distance from the United States Forest Service office in North Fork.

The location is marked by a sign and a survey marker. NAD83 coordinates for the exact center of California are 37°09′58″N, 119°26′58″W The Fresno County line is less than one mile, (straight-line distance), from the site's survey marker. The site is also marked on the United States Forest Service road map of Sierra National Forest, which can be purchased at the North Fork USFS office. The actual site has wooden stairs leading up the hillside about 50 feet from the road. The marker is not wheelchair accessible.

Italian Bar Rd., the road to the geographic center marker, is paved with a smooth surface and is usable by ordinary passenger cars. The road is narrow and meeting a large truck, such as Forest Service fire rig, may require maneuvering to allow passage. A local resident of Italian Bar Road with a sense of humor has posted a sign in their front yard: GEOGRAPHIC CENTER PARKWAY.

The town's original inhabitants were members of the Mono tribe, who still comprise a significant portion of the population. North Fork's economy was based in the timber industry until the local lumber mill closed in 1996.

North Fork was the inspiration for the town of North Fork, New Mexico in The Rifleman, starring Chuck Connors, as belied by the show's frequent references to nearby Fresno Flats (now Oakhurst) --Fresno, California is the nearest major city to North Fork.

"Center Of California" #608, California's Gold, Huell Howser Productions, 1995.