Central Valley Roots

KVPR's Central Valley Roots explores the history, people and places of Central California. Discover something new about our region, past and present, with each episode. From Fresno and Bakersfield, to Visalia and Merced, the Central Valley is full of rich stories that make the place we call home special. Send us your question about local history or places to roots@kvpr.org and we might answer it in a future episode. Hear the series on the radio weekdays at 5:06 a.m., 9:04 a.m. and 5:32 p.m. or listen to our podcast.

A Valley landmark that simply vanished: Madera County's "Monte Redondo"

Monte Redondo could be seen from many miles away, and was a popular rendezvous for Spanish military explorers. Most scholars agree that it was located along the Fresno River west of Madera.

11-26
02:18

Visalia's iconic sculpture: James Earle Fraser's 'End of the Trail'

Created for the 1915 Panama Pacific International Exhibition in San Francisco, the original sculpture sat for over 50 years in Mooney Grove Park. Today, a replica sits in its place.

11-25
01:30

A city on the San Joaquin River? How Fresno won out over Sycamore

A last-minute visit by Leland Stanford led to a change that gave us Fresno, and doomed the planned town of Sycamore.

11-24
01:59

Changing channels: How the Kaweah River got its name(s)

Unlike most rivers in the Central Valley, the Kaweah spreads out into multiple channels as it enters the valley floor. It has also been given multiple names throughout history.

11-21
02:10

The story of Bakersfield's Oleander-Sunset neighborhood

Beale Park is the centerpiece of one of Bakersfield's oldest neighborhoods, Oleander-Sunset.

11-20
01:30

A modern monument: Fresno's City Hall of 1941

The building was a big break from tradition for civic buildings in America. It got national attention when it was new, including in an exhibit at New York's Museum of Modern Art.

11-18
02:01

Fort Visalia and the founding of one of Central California's oldest cities

Visalia's history dates back to 1852, making it the oldest city in the Central Valley south of the delta.

11-17
02:10

Chateau Fresno and the grand vision of M. Theo Kearney

Kearney dreamed of establishing a French-style chateau at his Fruit Vale Estate west of Fresno.

11-17
01:30

The University of California and M. Theo Kearney's legacy

M. Theo Kearney died a bachelor with no heirs, and left his estate to the University of California.

11-10
01:45

The "Prince of Fresno" - M. Theo Kearney

Kearney helped jumpstart Fresno's development with the agricultural colony system. He was a raisin industry pioneer and left his considerable estate, including mansion and private park to the University of California.

11-07
02:04

How Fresno got a "Strong Mayor" form of government

Voters approved a change to the city's charter in 1993 that upended the way city government works

11-05
01:30

Redbone: This band with Fresno roots topped the charts and drew on their Native American heritage

Their biggest hit "Come and Get Your Love" has had a resurgence in popularity in recent years, thanks to movies and TV commercials.

11-04
01:30

Academy: A Fresno County town founded as a home for education

The rural community of Academy, nestled near the foothills east of Clovis, was home to the county's first secondary school.

11-03
02:06

The time Hunter S. Thompson and the Hell's Angels roared into Bass Lake

Locals feared the worst in July 1965 when the Hell's Angels came to Bass Lake for a "picnic," as documented in Hunter S. Thompson's first book.

10-31
01:51

Why does this road exist? The story of Fresno's "Figarden Loop"

This road is an unusual break from Fresno's street grid or right angles, but there's a story behind its design.

10-30
01:59

The story of General Grant National Park

Grant Grove in today's Kings Canyon National Park was once its own national park named after a famed president and Civil War general.

10-29
01:30

Naming the Merced River

While Gabriel Moraga gave the river its current name, Native Americans had their own names for the waterway, dating back thousands of years.

10-28
01:30

The story of Pine Flat dam

Plans to build the dam were mired in bureaucratic rivalry in Washington D.C. for years, drawing the attention of two presidents.

10-27
01:59

An engineering marvel for 150 years: The Tehachapi Loop

A brilliant engineering solution from the 1870s is still in use today in Kern County.

10-20
01:43

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