Located just under an hour north in Oakhurst, California the Sierra Historic Sites Association works at saving the past…for the future. Not too many people know this piece of local trivia, but Oakhurst used to be officially known as Fresno Flats.
Fresno Flats Historic Village and Park recaptures the flavor of 19th Century life in the Sierra Nevada foothills and mountains of Central California. Eastern Madera County is the southern end of the historic Mother Lode gold fields, but the people who settled here came not so much for gold but more to build their lives and raise their families, making their living as farmers, merchants and using the rich natural resources of the mountains.
The museum complex is built around two restored and furnished homes dating to the 1870s. Both have been designated by the State of California as Points of Historical Interest for their unique construction styles once common throughout Northern California, but virtually unknown today. They were saved from demolition, moved to Fresno Flats Historical Park and restored by the volunteers of Sierra Historic Sites Association, as were a pair of early-day one-room schools, two 19th Century jails and several other farm buildings.
—Fresno Flats about page
I have visited this historic park a couple times and I can personally recommend it. Oakhurst is less than an hour from Fresno and this little village is worth the trip. If you are looking for something to put on your agenda for a fun day trip or a weekend away you should definitely check it out.
