North Fork (formerly Brown's and Northfork;
Mono
Mono may refer to:
Biology
* Infectious mononucleosis, "the kissing disease"
* Monocyte, a type of leukocyte (white blood cell)
* Monodactylidae, members of which are referred to as monos
Technology and computing
* Mono (audio), single-c ...
wa?ahhpY', "cedar grove") is an
unincorporated community
An unincorporated area is a parcel of land that is not governed by a local general-purpose municipal corporation. (At p. 178.) They may be governed or serviced by an encompassing unit (such as a county) or another branch of the state (such as th ...
in
Madera County, California
Madera County (), officially the County of Madera, is a County (United States), county located at the geographic center of the U.S. state of California. It features a varied landscape, encompassing the eastern San Joaquin Valley and the central ...
, United States.
As of the
2020 United States census it had a population of 3,250.
For statistical purposes, the United States Census Bureau has defined North Fork as a
census-designated place
A census-designated place (CDP) is a Place (United States Census Bureau), concentration of population defined by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes only.
CDPs have been used in each decennial census since 1980 as the counte ...
(CDP). North Fork is part of the
Madera Metropolitan Statistical Area and is home to the tribal headquarters of the
Northfork Rancheria of Mono Indians of California.
North Fork is situated 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 primari ...
foothills at an elevation of 2,638 feet. It is roughly miles north-northeast of
Fresno
Fresno (; ) is a city in the San Joaquin Valley of California, United States. It is the county seat of Fresno County, California, Fresno County and the largest city in the greater Central Valley (California), Central Valley region. It covers a ...
, miles northeast of Madera, and miles southeast of Oakhurst by road. The CDP has a total area of square miles, with
Willow Creek, North Fork, and South Fork serving as its primary bodies of water. North Fork also holds the distinction of being the community closest to the geographic center of California.
North Fork is within the ancestral home of the
Mono Native Americans. The community developed into a significant hub for the timber industry, which was the mainstay of the local economy until the late 20th century.
Attractions in North Fork include the Sierra Mono Museum and 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 Vist ...
. The Buckhorn Saloon, a mainstay since the 1800s, continues to function as a restaurant and tavern. North Fork is also the site of the annual Mid-Sierra Loggers Jamboree, a tribute to the region's logging history.
Geography
North Fork is located in the foothills of 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 primari ...
at an elevation of .
It is north-northeast of
Fresno
Fresno (; ) is a city in the San Joaquin Valley of California, United States. It is the county seat of Fresno County, California, Fresno County and the largest city in the greater Central Valley (California), Central Valley region. It covers a ...
, northeast of
Madera, and by road southeast of
Oakhurst. According to the
U.S. Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau, officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. federal statistical system, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The U.S. Census Bureau is part of the U ...
, the North Fork CDP has a total area of , of which , or 0.14%, are water.
The community is drained by Willow Creek and by its North Fork and South Fork. Willow Creek is a south-flowing tributary of the
San Joaquin River
The San Joaquin River ( ; ) is the longest river of Central California. The long river starts in the high Sierra Nevada and flows through the rich agricultural region of the northern San Joaquin Valley before reaching Suisun Bay, San Francis ...
.
The
geographic center In geography, the centroid of the two-dimensional shape of a region of the Earth's surface (projected radially to sea level or onto a geoid surface) is known as its geographic centre or geographical centre or (less commonly) gravitational centre. In ...
or midpoint of the state of California is located between North Fork and Italian Bar. The point is about driving distance from the
United States Forest Service
The United States Forest Service (USFS) is an agency within the United States Department of Agriculture, U.S. Department of Agriculture. It administers the nation's 154 United States National Forest, national forests and 20 United States Natio ...
office in North Fork. The location is marked by a sign and a survey marker. The site has wooden stairs leading up the hillside about 50 feet from the road. The marker is not wheelchair accessible.
Climate
North Fork has a
Mediterranean climate
A Mediterranean climate ( ), also called a dry summer climate, described by Köppen and Trewartha as ''Cs'', is a temperate climate type that occurs in the lower mid-latitudes (normally 30 to 44 north and south latitude). Such climates typic ...
(
Köppen Köppen is a German surname. Notable people with the surname include:
* Bernd Köppen (1951–2014), German pianist and composer
* Carl Köppen (1833-1907), German military advisor in Meiji era Japan
* Edlef Köppen (1893–1939), German author ...
''Csa'') with cool, rainy winters and hot, dry summers. Its average annual precipitation is .
Its
hardiness zone
A hardiness zone is a geographic area defined as having a certain average annual minimum temperature, a factor relevant to the survival of many plants. In some systems other statistics are included in the calculations. The original and most widely ...
is 7b.
Demographics
North Fork first appeared as a
census designated place
A census-designated place (CDP) is a Place (United States Census Bureau), concentration of population defined by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes only.
CDPs have been used in each decennial census since 1980 as the counte ...
in the
2020 U.S. Census
2020 Census
North Fork has a notably older demographic compared to the state average, with a median age of 58 years compared to California's 37.9. A significant portion, 36.2%, of the local population is aged 65 and over, which is more than double the state's 15.8%, highlighting the area's aging population. Additionally, 18.6% of North Fork residents are disabled, surpassing the state's 11.7%, aligning with the community's older demographic.
[United States Census Bureau. "North Fork CDP, California." Retrieved fro]
/ref>
The community also has a higher percentage of veterans at 13%, compared to the California average of 4.3%, indicating a considerable number of residents with military backgrounds.
Financially, North Fork's median household income is $65,850, below California's $91,551, and the area has a higher poverty rate of 15.7%, against the state's 12.2%. Educational levels are lower as well, with only 17.9% holding a bachelor's degree or higher, significantly less than the state's 37%.
In terms of housing, North Fork is more affordable, with a median gross rent of $981, compared to the state's $1,870, and it has a total of 1,633 housing units.
Demographically, the community comprises 356 American Indians, 385 Hispanic or Latinos, and 352 individuals of two or more races, with a majority of 2,388 identifying as White. The area has a smaller foreign-born population, making up only 5.2% of its residents, compared to California's 26.7%.
History
Native People
North Fork is within the ancestral home lands of the Mono people
The Mono ( ) are a Native American people who traditionally live in the central Sierra Nevada, the Eastern Sierra (generally south of Bridgeport), the Mono Basin, and adjacent areas of the Great Basin. They are often grouped under the histo ...
, who still constitute a significant portion of the population (9.4% according to the 2000 Census).
The Sierra Timber Reserve Act, enacted in February 1893, resulted in the land around North Fork coming under federal control. This left the Mono Indians, who were not recognized as US citizens until 1924, left out. They were unable to pursue their traditional way of life or maintain their newly adopted practice of cattle grazing, finding themselves effectively excluded from their ancestral lands. Faced with these obstacles, many Mono Indians either assimilated into the settler community or dispersed to other areas.
Early History
The first permanent community was established as a remote mountain outpost in 1865 when Milton Brown built what is believed to be the first house in the area — a log cabin at the end of a newly developed wagon road leading from Crane Valley to the north fork of the San Joaquin River
The San Joaquin River ( ; ) is the longest river of Central California. The long river starts in the high Sierra Nevada and flows through the rich agricultural region of the northern San Joaquin Valley before reaching Suisun Bay, San Francis ...
. Serving as a supply point, Brown catered to stockmen, sheepmen, and miners who left their wagons under his care while venturing further into the mountains. Consequently, the location was often referred to as "Brown's Place."
A significant shift in the settlement's trajectory occurred in 1886 with the establishment of a sawmill on Peckinpah Mountain by Milton Brown and his partner, John Bartram. This venture marked the foundation of the North Fork Lumber Company, which would play a pivotal role in the community's evolution. By 1887, the company had established a post office under the name North Fork, subsequently bestowing the settlement with its present-day name.
The small settlement, comprising mainly a handful of stores, hotels, and a watering trough, was primarily inhabited by miners and hog stockmen. Contemporary accounts note that the main store offered "a few groceries, cheap calico, and lots of whiskey," a selection that influenced locals to rename Alder Creek to Whiskey Creek, reflecting the area's reputation. The '' Fresno Morning Republican'' once described the area as "a bleak little mountain center," emphasizing its isolation from valley towns such as Friant and Madera.
Sam Peckinpah
David Samuel Peckinpah (; February 21, 1925 – December 28, 1984) was an American film director and screenwriter. His 1969 Western epic '' The Wild Bunch'' received two Academy Award nominations and was ranked No. 80 on the American Film Instit ...
, the renowned director, drew inspiration from his youth spent on his grandparents' ranch in North Fork. His grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Charles M. Peckinpah, settled in North Fork in 1884, and the name "Peckinpah Mountain" pays homage to their former sawmill site. Peckinpah, born in 1925, channeled his family's experiences during the Wild West
The American frontier, also known as the Old West, and popularly known as the Wild West, encompasses the geography, history, folklore, and culture associated with the forward wave of American expansion in mainland North America that bega ...
period into his Western film
The Western is a film genre defined by the American Film Institute as films which are "set in the American West that mbodythe spirit, the struggle, and the demise of the new frontier." Generally set in the American frontier between the Calif ...
s and TV series, including ''Ride the High Country
''Ride the High Country'' (released internationally as ''Guns in the Afternoon'') is a 1962 American CinemaScope Western film directed by Sam Peckinpah and starring Randolph Scott, Joel McCrea, and Mariette Hartley. The supporting cast includes ...
'' (1962) and ''The Wild Bunch
''The Wild Bunch'' is a 1969 American epic revisionist Western film directed by Sam Peckinpah and starring William Holden, Ernest Borgnine, Robert Ryan, Edmond O'Brien, Ben Johnson and Warren Oates. The plot concerns an aging outlaw gang ...
'' (1969). The town of North Fork in ''The Rifleman
''The Rifleman'' is an American Western television series starring Chuck Connors as rancher Lucas McCain and Johnny Crawford as his son Mark McCain. It was set in the 1880s in the fictional town of North Fork, New Mexico Territory. The show ...
'' TV series, which Peckinpah created, is named after the real-life North Fork.
Forestry
In 1902, North Fork became the pivotal hub for the Sierra Reserves, which later evolved into today's Sierra National Forest
Sierra National Forest is a U.S. national forest located on the western slope of the central Sierra Nevada in California, bounded on the northwest by Yosemite National Park and on the south by Kings Canyon National Park. The forest is known for ...
, when Charles H. Shinn became the head ranger. North Fork's central geographical location, nestled within the expansive territory of the Sierra Reserves that stretched from Tuolumne County
Tuolumne County (), officially the County of Tuolumne, is a county located in the U.S. state of California. As of the 2020 census, the population was 55,620. The county seat and only incorporated city is Sonora.
Tuolumne County comprises the ...
in the north to Kern County
Kern County is a county (United States), county located in the U.S. state of California. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the population was 909,235. Its county seat is Bakersfield, California, Bakersfield.
Kern County compris ...
in the south, made it an ideal choice for the organization's headquarters. The supervisor's office held a steady presence in North Fork, acting as the heart of the reserves, until it was eventually moved to Clovis in 1989.
Lumber Industry
During the Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe global economic downturn from 1929 to 1939. The period was characterized by high rates of unemployment and poverty, drastic reductions in industrial production and international trade, and widespread bank and ...
, commercial logging in eastern Madera County came to a sudden stop, leading to the end of logging railroads. The Sugar Pine Lumber Company
The Sugar Pine Lumber Company was an early 20th century logging operation and railroad in the Sierra Nevada. Unable to secure water rights to build a log flume, the company operated the “crookedest railroad ever built." They later develope ...
, operating in the mountains above North Fork, shut down in 1933.
In 1941, the Associated Box and Lumber Company purchased of land and moved its operations from Bieber to North Fork by 1942. This relocation marked a significant change for the town, starting a new logging era that lasted over fifty years. The introduction of logging truck
A logging truck or timber lorry is a large truck used to carry logs. Some have integrated flatbeds, some are discrete tractor units, and some are configured to spread a load between the tractor unit and a dollied trailer pulled behind it. Oft ...
s and modern equipment allowed deeper access into the Sierra National Forest
Sierra National Forest is a U.S. national forest located on the western slope of the central Sierra Nevada in California, bounded on the northwest by Yosemite National Park and on the south by Kings Canyon National Park. The forest is known for ...
, increasing the industry's reach and efficiency.
Although the sawmill and logging roads were not fully developed, operations began in 1942. By April 1, 1943, the mill processed its first log into lumber. In its first year, the North Fork mill processed over nine million board feet of lumber, mainly from ponderosa pine
''Pinus ponderosa'', commonly known as the ponderosa pine, bull pine, blackjack pine, western yellow-pine, or filipinus pine, is a very large pine tree species of variable habitat native to mountainous regions of western North America. It is t ...
, sugar pine
''Pinus lambertiana'' (commonly known as the sugar pine or sugar cone pine) is the tallest and most massive pine tree and has the longest Conifer cone, cones of any conifer. It is native to coastal and inland mountain areas along the Pacific coa ...
, lodgepole pine
''Pinus contorta'', with the common names lodgepole pine and shore pine, and also known as twisted pine, and contorta pine, is a common tree in western North America. It is common near the ocean shore and in dry montane forests to the subalpin ...
, and incense cedar
''Calocedrus'', the incense cedar (alternatively spelled incense-cedar), is a genus of coniferous trees in the cypress family Cupressaceae first described as a genus in 1873. Three species are native to eastern Asia and one to western North Ame ...
in the Sierra National Forest.
The establishment of the mill significantly transformed North Fork. By 1951, the population surged to over 2,000 people. The mill emerged as a major employer, offering jobs to over 130 workers at peak times and contributing about $500,000 to the local economy annually. Despite this economic boost, North Fork did not have a bank.
The mill complex featured a sawmill, planing mill, lumber storage, workshops, and housing for employees. These accommodations included twenty-two two-bedroom houses available for rent. By 1968, the mill's annual payroll increased to $1,250,000, highlighting the logging industry's importance to the area.
In 1985, Ron Yanke acquired the mill, renaming it South Fork Timber Industries. From 1985 to 1991, the mill averaged an annual output of 143 million board feet of lumber, sufficient to build around 12,000 single-family homes.
A cogeneration plant was added in 1986, utilizing sawdust to power boilers and generate electricity, with surplus electricity sold to utilities. The mill also began converting bark into humus and selling ash as fertilizer.
However, new government regulations by 1992 reduced forest yields significantly, dropping to 63.8 million board feet by 1993. These changes, along with rising costs, made lumber production unprofitable, leading to layoffs starting in 1991 and the mill's closure on February 25, 1994.
Economy
Until 1996, the timber industry was the backbone of North Fork's economy, with the local lumber mill serving as the town's main source of livelihood.
Employment in North Fork is distinct, with 20.9% of its workforce employed in local, state, and federal government roles, a proportion that surpasses California's 14.2%. However, the overall employment rate in North Fork stands at 34.3%, significantly lower than the state's 60.0%.
The US Forest Service Crane Valley Hotshots, a crew of wildland firefighters, remain based in North Fork.
Arts and culture
The Sierra Mono Museum showcases the local history and culture. The town also serves as the starting point for 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 Vist ...
, a route known for its stunning views of 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 primari ...
.
The Buckhorn Saloon, a fixture since the late 1800s, evolved into a dude ranch
A guest ranch, also known as a dude ranch, is a type of ranch oriented towards visitors or tourism. It is considered a form of agrotourism.
History
Guest ranches arose in response to the romanticization of the American West that began to occur ...
in the 1950s. It catered to fishing and hunting parties during their respective seasons, as well as local loggers. Known for its rough-and-tumble patrons, its proprietor was jailed for six months in the 1950s for firing a .45 caliber pistol at a patron. Today, it continues to operate as a restaurant and western saloon
A Western saloon is a kind of bar particular to the Old West. Saloons served customers such as fur trappers, cowboys, soldiers, lumberjacks, businessmen, lawmen, outlaws, miners, and gamblers. A saloon might also be known as a "watering tro ...
.
A historical marker, established by E Clampus Vitus
The Ancient and Honorable Order of E Clampus Vitus (ECV) is a fraternal organization dedicated to the preservation of the heritage of the Western United States, especially the history of the Mother Lode#California Mother Lode, Mother Lode and gold ...
, signifies the location of the stagecoach stop in the downtown area. The geographical center of the state of California resides between North Fork and Italian Bar. The exact center, marked by a sign and a survey marker, is approximately 7.1 miles (11.4 km) driving distance from the United States Forest Service office in North Fork.
Initiated in 1959, the North Fork Loggers Jamboree began as a regional lumberjack
Lumberjack is a mostly North American term for workers in the logging industry who perform the initial harvesting and transport of trees. The term usually refers to loggers in the era before 1945 in the United States, when trees were felled us ...
competition open to loggers from seven local counties held annually on the first weekend in July. The event included a loggersports competition, a main street parade, and a beauty pageant
A beauty pageant is a competition in which the contestants are judged and ranked based on various physical and mental attributes. Per its name, beauty pageants traditionally focus on judging the contestants' physical attractiveness, sometimes sol ...
. With the closure of the local mill in the 1990s, the event, now known as the Mid-Sierra Loggers Jamboree, has evolved into a tribute to the enduring legacy of logging in the region.
Notable people
*Nate Hodges, Stihl Timbersports Series
The Stihl Timbersports Series is a series of woodsman or wood chopping competitions where the athletes compete in the use of axes and saws in manners typical for lumberjacks. It was founded in 1985, and currently includes six different disciplin ...
champion
* Edmund Kemper
Edmund Emil Kemper III (born December 18, 1948) is an American serial killer convicted of murdering seven women and one girl between May 1972 and April 1973. Years earlier, at the age of 15, Kemper had murdered his paternal grandparents. Kemp ...
, then 15 years old, shot his grandparents to death at a ranch in 1964
* Jeff King, four-time champion of the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race
The Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race, more commonly known as The Iditarod (), is an annual long-distance sled dog race held in Alaska in early March. It travels from Anchorage to Nome. Mushers and a team of between 12 and 16 dogs, of which at lea ...
* Sam Peckinpah
David Samuel Peckinpah (; February 21, 1925 – December 28, 1984) was an American film director and screenwriter. His 1969 Western epic '' The Wild Bunch'' received two Academy Award nominations and was ranked No. 80 on the American Film Instit ...
, director, spent much of his youth on his grandparents' ranch in North Fork
* Charles Howard Shinn, a pioneering horticulturalist and forest ranger, after whom Mt. Shinn was named.
See also
* Mission Fire
References
Notes
External links
*
Mono Indian Museum
North Fork Community Development Council
California's Gold (1991–2012) - Center of California (released August 6, 1995)
{{Authority control
Census-designated places in California
Census-designated places in Madera County, California
Unincorporated communities in California
Unincorporated communities in Madera County, California
Timber industry
Logging in the United States
Sierra Nevada (United States)
History of the Sierra Nevada (United States)