Written by Jenny Pearson –
NORTH FORK – On Saturday, May 26, the North Fork Visitors Center will be hosting an open house from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., to celebrate a major milestone.
Five years ago, with help from Yosemite Sierra Visitors Bureau in Oakhurst, a small store front on main street North Fork opened its doors to its first visitors, many of whom were our own residents dropping by to check it out.
Our volunteer staff represents many local service organizations – the North Fork Volunteer Fire Department Auxiliary, North Fork Women’s Club, the North Fork History Group, North Fork Boosters and the Sierra Vista Scenic Byway Association.
Over the past five years, the Visitors Center has become not only a place with abundant complimentary handouts and maps, but a “visiting center” – a place to hang out and share the local lowdown. It also serves as the office for the North Fork Chamber of Commerce.
Since the North Fork Visitors Center opened on Memorial Day weekend 2013, we have had 3,136 people sign the guestbook and likely more than that have visited since not everyone takes the time to sign. Of that total number, 328 came to the area from 26 foreign countries.
Tourism has been negatively affected at times over the past five years with closures of area roads and camping and picnic areas due to forest fires and tree mortality. No matter what the circumstances, North Fork Visitors Center volunteers are always eager to share their enthusiasm for North Fork and the Central Sierra.
The Visitors Center has limited hours in the winter months but when the warmer weather arrives and the mountain snow melts, we are open five days a week, Thursday through Monday, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Please check out our website at www.northforkcommerce.com, for a North Fork Chamber members directory, things to do, places to stay and eat, and special events.
Come by the Visitors Center for information on all the many things there are to do in our town and the larger surrounding area. We are located in downtown North Fork at 33037 Road 222. Phone number is 559-877-2410.
On Saturday, May 26, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., everyone is invited to drop by for lemonade and cookies, and just to say “Hi!”
