For one of Fresno’s visionaries, opportunity knocked during a chance encounter in a barbershop in 1904. German immigrant Emil Gottschalk came to Fresno in 1890 to work in the dry goods business after honing his skills in Sacramento. Known for his keen merchandising ability, he rose to the position of manager but quit after his [...]
The draining of Shaver Lake for repairs this winter presented a once-in-a-lifetime chance to revisit history. The old Shaver dam, hidden from sight for decades, was fully exposed for a few weeks. It was a reminder of the lumber trade and ingenuity that helped shape the development of the Central Valley. Before Fresno County was [...]
Almost nothing remains of ghost town of Kingston, but it lives on in history largely because of an event that broke the a quiet of a Christmas season evening, nearly 140 years ago. The settlement, on the south bank of the Kings River near present-day Laton, was founded around 1855 by pioneer L.A. Whitmore, who [...]
Thought by many to be the grandest building in the Central San Joaquin Valley, the old Fresno County Courthouse might also have been the most controversial.
Historical Perspectives provides a unique pictorial look at Central Valley history. Photographer John Walker studies old photographs and searches archives, records and maps to discover the stories behind the places we pass each day. To suggest a place, e-mail John at jwalker@fresnobee.com.