A letter from Margaret Mims, Sheriff – Coroner – Public Administrator Fresno County Sheriff’s Office February 18, 2022 After much thought and reflection, I have decided to retire at the end of my current term as Fresno County Sheriff – Coroner – Public Administrator. This decision does not come easily as I still get such satisfaction out of public service, ...

By Sal Maccarone History would prove that 1927 was a great year for the opening of hotels! While the Ahwahnee Hotel in Yosemite National Park was being built, another future icon was also breaking ground some 2500 miles to the west. Thanks to the Matson Ship Lines, who had just started providing steamer travel from California to Honolulu, there would ...

By Karen Morris, President of Coarsegold Historic Museum This is a new item that we have on display at the Coarsegold Historic Museum. It is metal. Do you know what it was used for? Possibly the time frame it was used? Please leave your comments here or on our Facebook page or e-mail us  at chs@sti.net. Our winter hours are ...

It was a little early for Merced River Canyon’s wildflower show but the right time to get in a good winter conditioning hike with some miles and a climb along the Merced River at Briceburg. Where: Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Merced River Recreation Management AreaDistance: 10.6 miles roundtrip but you can go shorter or longerDifficulty: Moderate to StrenuousElevation Range: ...

Spectacular views were the big draw for snowshoeing the Merced Crest and we also got in a great workout. But wait, there is more! We followed the footsteps of a man who has 2 graves, a Chinese woman who was auctioned off for $800 back in the 1850’s, a Saloon Keeper and an early Yosemite Ranger.Where: Yosemite National ParkDistance: 6.97 ...

Historic photographs help paint the picture of what it must have been like to ride a stagecoach up this old road back in the day. Not having a stagecoach available I did the next best thing, walking up that dirt road though the snow, ice and mud.Distance: About 6 Miles (but you can go shorter or longer)Difficulty: ModerateElevation Range: 3,401′ ...

By Sal Maccarone Sometime during the spring of 1985 while restoring the 1901 Mariposa Hotel in downtown Mariposa, I began a conversation with an elderly gentleman who I first thought was a passerby. He eventually asked me about my experience with scale models. I had recently submitted an architectural model to the Mariposa Board of Supervisors that was used as ...

What a beautiful day I had hiking the Lakeview Trail despite that skunk. It was a lovely winter day with blue sky and green grass framing the snow-covered mountains to the east. I was hoping to spot some eagles but it was not in the cards. Where: Eastman Lake, U.S. Army Corps of EngineersDistance: 7.94 MilesDifficulty: Easy to Moderate, depending ...

By Debby Carter, Librarian, Sierra Historic Sites Association You’ve probably seen this famous old photo of two daring ladies posing at Glacier Point. In the August 16, 1962, issue of the Sierra Star, the photo was posted requesting any information about these two ladies. Two weeks later, a letter to the editor was posted in the Star with just that ...

By Sal Maccarone During the 1880’s while the west was still being won, the transcontinental railroad had finally reached a spur of land on Glorietta Bay near San Diego, California. That is where the rail line ended. This last train stop on the Coronado Peninsula eventually became the city of Coronado, and as with so many rail stops, it was ...