Jones Store, located in the

Sierra Nevada The Sierra Nevada () is a mountain range in the Western United States, between the Central Valley of California and the Great Basin. The vast majority of the range lies in the state of California, although the Carson Range spur lies primarily ...

at an elevation of approximately , is a seasonal country store miles from Bass Lake along Beasore Road. Founded in the early 20th century to supply

cowboys A cowboy is a professional pastoralist or mounted livestock herder, usually from the Americas or Australia. Cowboy(s) or The Cowboy(s) may also refer to: Film and television * ''Cowboy'' (1958 film), starring Glenn Ford * ''Cowboy'' (1966 film), ...

on their seasonal herding routes, the store has historic ties to founder Tom Beasore, one of Fresno County's first deputy sheriffs. Later on, the store came under the management of Tom Jones, whose name it still carries. Today, Jones Store is recognized as a notable stop on the

Sierra Vista Scenic Byway The Sierra Vista Scenic Byway is an route through the Sierra National Forest in the U.S. state of California. Many examples of the Sierra’s most distinctive granite domes, meadows and glacial valleys can be seen along the way. The Sierra Vista ...

History

The history of Jones Store began in the 1880s when Tom Beasore, a cattleman and one of Fresno County's first deputy sheriffs, claimed Beasore Meadows under the Swamp and Overflow Act. He moved cattle from the

San Joaquin Valley The San Joaquin Valley ( ; es, Valle de San Joaquín) is the area of the Central Valley of the U.S. state of California that lies south of the Sacramento–San Joaquin River Delta and is drained by the San Joaquin River. It comprises seven c ...

to graze in the mountains seasonally. Tom Jones, a 17-year-old local, worked with Beasore on his ranch for $1 a day during which time Beasore founded a rustic mountain store. The construction of Beasore Road in 1925 brought demand for the store's goods from the high country. Originally a log structure, the store catered to cowboys and ranchers. Beasore's will instructed that if he died first, Jones would inherit both the meadow and the store. Upon Beasore's passing, Jones took over the store's operations. The original store was replaced by a two-story building in 1954, and under Jones, the store became a headquarters for pack trips, including hunting and fishing expeditions. Jones' foster son, Johnny Jones, continued this tradition, leading pack trips from Jones Store into the high country. One notable guest was then-California Governor Ronald Reagan. After Jones led Reagan to the high country near

Merced Peak Merced Peak, with an elevation of , is the highest point in the Clark Range, just surpassing three other peaks; Red Peak (11,704 feet), Gray Peak (11,578 feet), and Mount Clark (11,527 feet). Merced Peak is located close to southern border o ...

, Reagan became allied with the state's conservationist movement. He opposed the proposed Trans-Sierra Highway near

Devil's Postpile Devils Postpile National Monument is a U.S. National Monument located near Mammoth Mountain in Eastern California. The monument protects Devils Postpile, an unusual rock formation of columnar basalt, “all closely and perfectly fitted together ...

, which would have linked the Eastern Sierra and Nevada with the

. As President, Reagan helped secure the area's designation as a wilderness by the

California Wilderness Act of 1984 The California Wilderness Act of 1984 is a federal law ( Public Law 98-425), passed by the United States Congress on September 28, 1984, that authorized the addition of over within the state of California to the National Wilderness Preservatio ...

Services and Offerings

Jones Store provides a variety of food items, including hamburgers and pies, along with an assortment of cold beverages. It also supplies basic items needed by campers, motorcyclists, and tourists. The store further offers rustic cabin rentals during the summer season. A distinctive feature of Jones Store is its gravity-fed gasoline pump. According to Vern Black, one of the past owners, it is the only gravity pump in the state. The store functions without electricity, phone, or cell service, utilizing propane to fuel the grills and refrigerate food items.

Current Operation

Jones Store continues to be a family business, run by descendants of Tom Jones. The store opens seasonally, as the snow melts, serving both locals and tourists. Its rich history and preserved traditional style make it a key community landmark.

References

{{Authority control Sierra Nevada (United States) State Scenic Highway System (California) National Forest Scenic Byways Sierra National Forest Buildings and structures in Madera County, California Tourist attractions in Madera County, California