National Register of Historic Places
Sites in
Fresno
Driving Tour
This tour visits all
National Register of Historic
Places sites in Fresno. Total driving distance is about 33 miles.
The tour begins at the
Fresno Brewing Company at 100 M Street
(corner of M and Heaton). Since this building is located on the southern edge
of downtown Fresno, most people will find it easiest to get there on Freeway 41
South. From the freeway, take the O Street exit. Cross O Street and proceed
southwest on Santa Clara Street. Turn left on M Street and go to the end of
that street. The Fresno Brewing Company building is on the left.
Return in the opposite direction on M
Street. Turn left on Los Angeles Street and right on Van Ness, crossing under
the 41 Freeway. Turn right on Ventura Avenue. The Holy Trinity Armenian Apostolic Church is
on the right at 2226 Ventura Avenue.
Continue northeast on Ventura. Turn left on
P Street. The Warehouse Row Buildings are on
the right at 702-764 P Street.
Turn left on Inyo Street, right on L Street
and left on Kern Street. The Fresno Republican
Printery (now the Downtown Club) is immediately on the left at 2130 Kern
Street.
Continue southwest on Kern Street. As you
reach Van Ness Avenue, the Hotel Californian
is on the left side of Kern Street across Van Ness at 851 Van Ness
Avenue
Turn right on Van Ness Avenue and left on
Tulare Street. The Bank of Italy Building is on
the right at the corner of Tulare Street and Fulton Mall (1101 Fulton Mall).
There isn't any easy parking near this building, though there are a variety of
lots and parking structures in the area.
Continue southwest on Tulare Street to the
Southern Pacific Railroad Depot on the right at
1713 Tulare Street.
Turn around and proceed northeast on Tulare
Street to the Maubridge Apartment Building
on the right at 2344 Tulare Street.
Continue northeast on Tulare Street. Turn
right on Santa Fe Street. The Santa Fe Railroad
Depot is to the left on the corner of Tulare and Santa Fe streets at 2650
Tulare. The Santa Fe Hotel is across the
street at 935 Santa Fe Street.
Return northwest on Santa Fe Street to
Tulare Street. Turn right on Tulare Street. The Meux
Home is on the left at 1007 R Street. Turn left on R Street to reach a
public parking lot just beyond the Meux Home.
Continue northwest on R Street. Turn right
on Mariposa Street. The Rehorn Home is on the
right at the corner of Mariposa and S streets (1050 S Street).
Turn left on S Street.
The Brix Home is on the left at the corner of S
and Fresno streets (2844 Fresno Street).
Turn left on Fresno Street and cross the
railroad tracks. The Physician's Building is
on the right at 2607 Fresno Street. The next three stops are within about one
block of the Physician's Building, so you might want to leave your vehicle and
walk to them.
Immediately across P Street is the
Twining Laboratories, on the right at 2527
Fresno Street. Immediately across O Street is the Old Fresno Water Tower, on the left at 2444
Fresno Street. The Fresno Memorial
Auditorium is across the street at 2424 Fresno Street.
Return to your vehicle and continue
southwest on Fresno Street. Turn right on Van Ness.
The Fresno Bee Building (now the Fresno
Metropolitan Museum) is on the left at the corner of Calaveras Street and Van
Ness Avenue (1555 Van Ness Avenue).
Turn left on Calaveras Street and left on
Fulton Street. At the corner of Fulton & Tuolumne streets you will find the
Pantages (Warnor's) Theatre on the left at
1400-1430 Fulton Street, and the San Joaquin Light
& Power Corporation Building on the right at 1401 Fulton
Street.
From Fulton Street, turn left on Tuolumne
Street, left on L Street, right on Calaveras Street, and left on M Street.
The Einstein Home is on the right at 1600 M
Street, immediately followed on the right by the Y.W.C.A. Residence Hall at 1660 M Street.
Turn left on San Joaquin Street,
immediately beyond the Y.W.C.A. Residence Hall. The Romain Home is on the right at the corner of
Van Ness Avenue and San Joaquin (2055 San Joaquin).
Proceed north on Van Ness Avenue. Continue
on Van Ness for 1.1 miles. Turn left on Olive Avenue.
The Tower Theatre is on the right at the corner
of Wishon and Olive avenues (1201 N. Wishon).
Return east on Olive Avenue to the
Kindler Home, on the right at 1520 E. Olive
Avenue.
Return west on Olive Avenue. Turn right on
Van Ness Avenue, which becomes Maroa Avenue soon after it crosses McKinley
Avenue. The Fresno City College Old
Administration Building is to the right on the Fresno City College campus
(1101 E. University Avenue). Parking may be difficult to find if classes are in
session.
The last three stops involve more driving
distance than all the other stops combined. There are two suggested routes to
the Forestiere Underground Gardens, one of them quick, the other scenic.
For the quick route, continue north on
Maroa Avenue. Turn left on Clinton Avenue and proceed 2.1 miles to Highway 99.
Take Highway 99 North 3.7 miles to the Shaw Avenue exit. Turn left on Shaw
Avenue. The Forestiere Underground Gardens are
on the right at 5021 W. Shaw Avenue.
For the scenic route, continue north on
Maroa and turn left on Weldon Avenue shortly after the Administration Building.
Turn right on Van Ness Avenue and drive 2.3 miles through Fresno's Old Fig
Garden district. None of the buildings in this area are on the National
Register, though several of them should be. Turn left on Rialto Avenue and
right on Palm Avenue. At the light, turn left onto Shaw.
The Forestiere Underground Gardens are on the
left after 4.1 miles at 5021 W. Shaw Avenue.
For the next stop (Kearney Mansion), return
to Highway 99 South, and proceed 5.8 miles to the 180 West freeway. Take that
freeway 0.9 mile to its end and turn left at the light. Turn right at the next
light to stay on Highway 180 West. Turn left on Marks Avenue, and then right on
Kearney Boulevard. Immediately after turning, take the left fork to stay on
Kearney rather than Madison Avenue. The landscaping on either side of the
boulevard is part of M. Theo Kearney's original design. Travel west for 2.2
miles until Kearney Boulevard rejoins Madison. Turn right at the first stop
sign and immediately left at the next stop sign. Continue west 1.7 miles to the
Kearney Park entrance on your left. Enter the park and follow the signs to the
Kearney Mansion.
To reach the last stop (the Fresno Sanitary
Landfill), exit the park and continue west on Kearney Boulevard. Turn left at
Chateau Fresno in 1.1 miles. Travel south 1.3 miles to Jensen Avenue and turn
left. Travel 5.6 miles east on Jensen. The Fresno Sanitary Landfill will be on your right.
Enter the parking lot for the Fresno Regional Sports Park, which runs parallel
to the landfill.
This ends the tour. Most people will want
to continue east on Jensen Avenue after leaving the sports park in order to
return home. Highway 41 is 2.5 miles east of the park, and Highway 99 is 3.1
miles east of the park.
©2006 Kevin Enns-Rempel. All
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