Downtown Visalia

Downtown Visalia
Neighborhood of the City of Visalia
Downtown skyline during a clear day as seen from the new parking garage, February 2009. Downtown skyline during a clear day as seen from the new parking garage, February 2009.
California map showing Visalia California map showing Visalia
Country	United States
State	California
County	County of Tulare
City	Visalia
Subdistricts of Downtown	List Arts District East Downtown East Main Extension Main Streetl Medical District North Downtown Recreation Park
ZIP codes	93291, 93292
Website	downtownvisalia.com

Downtown Visalia is the central business district of Visalia, California, United States. Located in the geographic center of the metropolitan area, Downtown is home to numerous shops, restaurants, coffeehouses and a locally owned microbrewery as well as several venues for live music and a live children's theatre.

Downtown is thought to be bounded by Giddings Street on the west, Murray Avenue on the north, Burke Street on the east, and California State Route 198 on the south.

History

File:The Depot.jpg

The old train depot, now a restaurant

File:Old Jailhouse.jpg

Old Jailhouse

The Bank of Italy building, now the Bank of Sierra, is one of several buildings in Visalia on the National Register of Historic Places (NHRP).

The Hyde House is also on the NRHP.

Located a couple minutes east of Highway 99. Visalia is the oldest town between Stockton and Los Angeles and indeed is the Crown Jewel of the San Joaquin Valley.

When California achieved statehood in 1850, Tulare County did not exist. The land that is now Tulare County was part of the huge Mariposa County. In 1852 some adventuresome pioneers settled in this area, then called Four Creeks. The area got its name from many watershed creeks and rivers flowing from the Sierra Nevada Mountains. All the water resulted in a widespread swampy area with a magnificent oak forest. The industrious group of settlers petitioned the state legislature for county status and on July 10 of that same year Tulare County became a reality.

One of the first inhabitants of a fort built by the settlers, unnecessarily as it turns out; to protect themselves from Native Americans was Nathaniel Vise. Nathaniel was responsible for surveying the new settlement. In November 1852 he wrote, "The town contains from 60-80 inhabitants, 30 of whom are children of school age. The town is located upon one of the subdivisions of the Kaweah (River) and is destined to be the county seat of Tulare.” In 1853 that prediction became a reality and Visalia has remained the county seat since that time.

Visalia is thought to be named for Nathaniel Vises' ancestral home, Visalia, Kentucky. Early growth in Visalia can be attributed in part to the gold rush along the Kern River. The gold fever brought many transient miners through Visalia along the way and when the lure of gold failed to materialize, many returned to Visalia to live their lives and raise families.

In 1858 Visalia was added to John Butterfield's Overland Stage route from St. Louis to San Francisco. A plaque commemorating the location can be found in front of Togni Branch Stationers at 116 East Main Street. Included in the early crop of citizens were some notorious and nasty individuals who preyed upon the travelers along the Butterfield Stage route. Many saloons and hotels sprouted up around the stage stop downtown and commerce was brisk if a bit risky.

The next memorable event was the arrival of the telegraph in 1860. Visalians then could get timely information of the events taking place on the East Coast which would ultimately develop into the Civil War.

During the Civil War many of citizens of Visalia couldn't decide whether Visalia should stand on the side of the North or the South, so they simply had a Mini Civil War of their own on Main Street.

No one really knows the outcome of the war, but apparently it was concluded to the satisfaction of the participants and life returned to normal.

The federal government however, was not so easily convinced and reacting to concern about sedition banned Visalia’s pro-south Equal Rights Expositor newspaper and established a military garrison. Camp Babbitt was built in 1862 to stop overt southern support as well as maintain law and order in the community. During these Civil War years, Visalia was incorporated which gave the town new rights. The second incorporation in 1874 moved Visalia into city status with a common council and an ex-officio Mayor and President.

Once a creek side settlement, Visalia is now a thriving city with over 130,000 inhabitants and has become a community that takes great pride in the small town feel and high quality of life that accompanies big city amenities.

Attractions

New Office Building along one of the many creeks through downtown

• Recreation Park
• Main Street
• Visalia Playhouse Theatre
• Garden Plaza
• Visalia Rawhide
• Candy Cane Lane Parade
• Visalia Convention Center

Transportation

Public Transportation

Visalia Transit Center

The Transit Center serves passengers for the City Coach Service that circulates to in-town business and shopping areas; the Tulare County Area Transit system which serves outlying cities and hamlets; and bus service to the Amtrak station in Hanford is available.

The Visalia Towne Trolley provides free downtown shuttle service from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday thru Thursday; from 7:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday; and on Saturday from 9:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. The Towne Trolley's includes the Transit Center, the Courthouse, hotels and The Convention Center, arriving at each stop every 15 minutes.

Education

Redwood High School

Redwood High School is the only school in the Downtown district.

External links

• Downtown Visalia
• The Enchanted Playhouse Theatre Company
• Visalia Convention Center
• Comfort Suites Hotel
• Regal 10 Studios
• Visalia Marriott
• Visalia Fox Theatre
• Public Transportation in Visalia