Oakhurst has a small town feeling, yet, with all of the amenities. Plus, it is surrounded by beautiful scenery. Oakhurst was originally established in 1850 with the name of Fresno Flats. It was not a gold mining town, but a permanent community with homes, schools, and churches. This was a town to service miners, lumberjacks, cattlemen, and farmers. The name, Fresno Flats came from the Spanish word for ash trees, Freszo. Here the Nelder, Lewis, and Redwood creeks come together to form the Fresno River.
Fresno Flats has been in three counties since its birth. In 1856, part of Mariposa County was split away and became Fresno County. Then, in 1893, Madera County was formed. By this time, business in Fresno Flats was very good. In 1887, the railroad was extended to Raymond and bypassed Fresno Flats. A few years later, Highway 140 opened taking visitors on a more direct route into Yosemite. By 1932, when the Madera Sugar Pine Mill closed, Fresno Flats had a population of only a few hundred people.
In the late 1930's, Highway 41 was completed taking visitors from the San Joaquin Valley to Yosemite via Fresno and Fresno Flats. Resurgence began and in 1966 Fresno Flats became Oakhurst.
Oakhurst has wonderful museums: The Children's Museum, The Wild Wonderful King Vintage Museum, Fresno Flat's Laramore Lyman House Museum, and don't forget to visit the Little Church on the Hill. To learn more about these museums and special attractions, and other mountain-area museums and The Yosemite Sugar Pine Railroad, visit the Consortium of Southern Yosemite Museums website.
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