COUNTY OF FRESNO

Fast Facts for the County of Fresno

BOARD OF SUPERVISORS

The Fresno County Board of Supervisors meets each Tuesday of the month beginning at 9:00 a.m.

*COG Policy Board Representative

FAST FACTS

When the Central Pacific Railroad reached Fresno County in 1872 it established the little town of Fresno on the broad treeless, empty plain. Soon farms began to spring up nearby raising mostly grain, hay and livestock. In 1873 Francis T. Eisen planted numerous varieties of grapes a few miles east of the new town planning a winery. They flourished, but the summer of 1877 was extremely hot and his muscats dried on the vine. To salvage them he picked, packed and shipped them to San Francisco as raisins. They were marketed as Peruvian imports but the truth soon leaked out that they were from Fresno. The next year four San Francisco school teachers led by Miss Minne Austin, who had planted a small vineyard a few miles south of town, marketed 30 twenty pound boxes of raisins. These two marketings of Fresno raisins met with such buyer enthusiasm that soon more and more larger plantings were made until over the years Eastern Fresno County became primarily devoted to raisin growing. Today more than 325,000 tons of raisins, the great majority Thompson Seedless, are raised annually making Fresno County the Raisin Capital of the nation. The annual value of this crop together with returns from other agricultural production within the county makes Fresno County the Leading Agricultural County in the nation.

Unique Features:

Number 1 agricultural county for 45 consecutive years Situated in the geographic center of the state Producer of largest variety of crops Highest number of county road miles

Form of Government:Board of Supervisors, County Administrator

Local Newspapers:
The Fresno Bee
1626 E Street, Fresno,
California 93786
Phone:4416111
FAX: 4416050