North Fork, California
Encyclopedia
North Fork is an unincorporated community
in Madera County
, California
. It is located 22 miles (35 km) east of Raymond
, at an elevation of 2638 feet (804 m).It is 9.89 miles (15.9 km) miles south east of Bass Lake and 14 miles (22.5 km) from Oakhurst. North Fork is also home of the Mono Indian Museum and the starting point of the Sierra scenic byway. The town boasts one grocery store, three restaurants (one of which is part of the town's bar) and two gas stations. The best seasons to visit weatherwise are late summer, early fall and spring.
North Fork is at the foothills of the Sierra Nevada near Yosemite National Park
. According to the 2000 U.S. Census the population of the 93643 zip code area was 3,360 with a median age of 44.8 years. The community is inside area code 559
. It is part of the Madera
–Chowchilla
Metropolitan Statistical Area.
The town's original inhabitants were members of the Mono tribe
, who still comprise a significant portion of the population (9.4% according to the 2000 Census). Milton Brown was the first white settler at the place and its original name was Brown's. The name North Fork came from the North Fork Lumber Company. The North Fork post office opened in 1888.
North Fork's economy was based in the timber industry until the local lumber mill closed in 1996.
The geographic center of the state of California
is located between North Fork and Italian Bar. The point is about 7.1 miles (11.4 km) driving distance from the United States Forest Service
office in North Fork. The location is marked by a sign and a survey marker. NAD83 coordinates for the exact center of California are 37°09′58"N 119°26′58"W The Fresno County
line is less than one mile (1.6 km), (straight-line distance), from the site's survey marker. The site is also marked on the United States Forest Service road map of Sierra National Forest
, which can be purchased at the North Fork USFS office. The actual site has wooden stairs leading up the hillside about 50 feet from the road. The marker is not wheelchair accessible.
Italian Bar Rd., the road to the geographic center marker, is paved with a smooth surface and is usable by ordinary passenger cars. The road is narrow and meeting a large truck, such as Forest Service Fire Engine or logging truck, may require maneuvering to allow passage.
North Fork is the birthplace of Jeff King, four-time champion of the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race.
The Northfork Rancheria of Mono Indians of California
maintains their tribal headquarters in North Fork. The Sierra Mono Museum is also located here.
Unincorporated area
In law, an unincorporated area is a region of land that is not a part of any municipality.To "incorporate" in this context means to form a municipal corporation, a city, town, or village with its own government. An unincorporated community is usually not subject to or taxed by a municipal government...
in Madera County
Madera County, California
Madera County is a county of the U.S. state of California, located in the Central Valley and the Sierra Nevada north of Fresno County. It comprises the Madera-Chowchilla, CA Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of the 2010 census the population was 150,865...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
. It is located 22 miles (35 km) east of Raymond
Raymond, California
Raymond is an unincorporated community in Madera County, California. It is located north-northeast of Madera, at an elevation of 948 feet ....
, at an elevation of 2638 feet (804 m).It is 9.89 miles (15.9 km) miles south east of Bass Lake and 14 miles (22.5 km) from Oakhurst. North Fork is also home of the Mono Indian Museum and the starting point of the Sierra scenic byway. The town boasts one grocery store, three restaurants (one of which is part of the town's bar) and two gas stations. The best seasons to visit weatherwise are late summer, early fall and spring.
North Fork is at the foothills of the Sierra Nevada near Yosemite National Park
Yosemite National Park
Yosemite National Park is a United States National Park spanning eastern portions of Tuolumne, Mariposa and Madera counties in east central California, United States. The park covers an area of and reaches across the western slopes of the Sierra Nevada mountain chain...
. According to the 2000 U.S. Census the population of the 93643 zip code area was 3,360 with a median age of 44.8 years. The community is inside area code 559
Area code 559
Area code 559 is an area code in Central California, serving the counties ofFresno, Madera, Kings, and Tulare. It was created on November 14, 1998, when the southern half of the area code 209 reached full capacity....
. It is part of the Madera
Madera, California
Madera is a city in and the county seat of Madera County, California, United States. It is a principal city of the Madera–Chowchilla Metropolitan Statistical Area, which encompasses all of Madera County, and Metropolitan Fresno. It is located in California's San Joaquin Valley. As of the 2010...
–Chowchilla
Chowchilla, California
Chowchilla is a city in Madera County, California, United States. Chowchilla is located northwest of Madera, at an elevation of 240 feet . It is a principal city of the Madera–Chowchilla Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 18,720 at the 2010 census, up from 11,127 at the 2000...
Metropolitan Statistical Area.
The town's original inhabitants were members of the Mono tribe
Mono tribe
The Mono are a Native American people who traditionally live in the central Sierra Nevada Mountains, the Eastern Sierra , the Mono Basin, and adjacent areas of the Great Basin.-Culture and geography:...
, who still comprise a significant portion of the population (9.4% according to the 2000 Census). Milton Brown was the first white settler at the place and its original name was Brown's. The name North Fork came from the North Fork Lumber Company. The North Fork post office opened in 1888.
North Fork's economy was based in the timber industry until the local lumber mill closed in 1996.
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
is located between North Fork and Italian Bar. The point is about 7.1 miles (11.4 km) driving distance from the United States Forest Service
United States Forest Service
The United States Forest Service is an agency of the United States Department of Agriculture that administers the nation's 155 national forests and 20 national grasslands, which encompass...
office in North Fork. The location is marked by a sign and a survey marker. NAD83 coordinates for the exact center of California are 37°09′58"N 119°26′58"W The Fresno County
Fresno County, California
Fresno County is a county located in the Central Valley of the U.S. state of California, south of Stockton and north of Bakersfield. As of the 2010 census, it is the tenth most populous county in California with a population of 930,450, and the sixth largest in size with an area of . The county...
line is less than one mile (1.6 km), (straight-line distance), from the site's survey marker. The site is also marked on the United States Forest Service road map of Sierra National Forest
Sierra National Forest
Sierra National Forest is a U.S. National Forest located on the western slope of central Sierra Nevada in the state of California. The forest is known for its mountain scenery and natural resources. Forest headquarters are located in Clovis, California...
, which can be purchased at the North Fork USFS office. The actual site has wooden stairs leading up the hillside about 50 feet from the road. The marker is not wheelchair accessible.
Italian Bar Rd., the road to the geographic center marker, is paved with a smooth surface and is usable by ordinary passenger cars. The road is narrow and meeting a large truck, such as Forest Service Fire Engine or logging truck, may require maneuvering to allow passage.
North Fork is the birthplace of Jeff King, four-time champion of the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race.
The Northfork Rancheria of Mono Indians of California
Northfork Rancheria of Mono Indians of California
The Northfork Rancheria of Mono Indians of California is a federally recognized tribe of Mono Native Americans. Northfork Rancheria is the name of the tribe's reservation, which is located in Madera County, California...
maintains their tribal headquarters in North Fork. The Sierra Mono Museum is also located here.