This article is the first in a two-part series on Sanger, a small, rural town located southeast of Fresno.
With Fresno’s hundreds of stores and restaurants and over 500,000 residents, the reasons to come to a small, neighboring town like Sanger, with less than 20,000 residents, may seem minimal to a visitor of Fresno County.
However, the residents of Sanger continue to enjoy the pastoral atmosphere of their hometown through taking advantage of historical recreations.
Named after Joseph Sanger, Jr., and established in 1888, Sanger originally served as a depot center for agricultural products and necessities for travelers between Fresno and Porterville.
Because Hiram Smith and Austin Moore had an interest in the Redwood trees that grew in the nearby mountains, they built the longest flume in the world to transport logs into more urban areas.
One of the trees remaining from this time period is the General Grant tree, which became known as “The Nation’s Christmas Tree” when President Calvin Coolidge christened it in the 1920s. After Sanger adopted this tree, the town created a celebration for it known as the Trek to the Tree, which is annually celebrated on the first Sunday of December.
Sanger Mayor Joshua D. Mitchell attends the event every year and is continually amazed by the vast number of people who come from around the world to attend, he said.
“People from all over the world come to the Trek to the Tree, where we go up to the General Grant tree and celebrate the fact that we’re the nation’s Christmas tree city,” Mitchell said. “We all drive up there and then walk to the tree. [Then] they do this big ceremony and talk about the history of the tree. They put up a big wreath around it in memory of those who have passed away; there’s singing and caroling and hot chocolate.”
Sanger is also the last major city before entering into the Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Park area, where the Gen. Grant tree resides.
“We’re the last major city that you can stop at before hitting one of the largest, most attended national parks in the nation,” Mitchell said. “And that’s neat — that means that 1.2 million people, minimum, go through our city every year to go visit that park. We’re the Christmas tree city of the nation. That’s unique to us.”
Besides distinctive events like the Trek to the Tree, Mitchell appreciates the closeness of the Sanger community and the familiarity of the people. Though elected in 2010 and relatively new to the job, Mitchell has observed the city’s quick response to new policies and ideas.
“There certainly are upsides to Sanger. You get to have a chance to meet the people, know the community, the businesses. The decisions you make are typically ones that you see the results of very quickly. Excitement can be seen a lot faster,” Mitchell said. “The downside definitely is that if someone is upset with you, it spreads pretty fast.”
Historical attractions distinguish city
Some attractions in the area include the Sherwood Forest Golf Club, established over 42 years ago, located in the Kings Canyon area. Employee Cody Luallen says the friendly atmosphere and serenity of the golf club are qualities that he cannot find in other jobs.
“Sanger is a small town, so they [golf club] have a lot of people from Sanger that actually come. Also, it’s not just [located] right in Sanger, it’s in between [towns],” Luallen said. “It’s a nice course and it’s always in a good state. It has a friendly service, fair rates and a family atmosphere; [it’s] cheap entertainment. The golf course itself is actually just a cool, chill job.”
In addition, the Depot Museum provides exhibits on the history of Sanger. It also showcases the lives of the Yokut Indians, who were indigenous to the area.
Located near the Sanger City Hall, the town’s original railroad station has been transformed into this museum. Librarian Nancy Spencer works next door to the museum and attended the exhibit when her children were young.
“There are artifacts from Sanger, and it [the Museum] showcases the flume and how it functioned. There are newspaper articles and older, more antique items like dishes,” Spencer said. “It’s a small area that’s comfortable and informative. It was entertaining to go to. It’s interesting to learn about how the wood industry here in Sanger [began].”
Mitchell enjoys the historical community of Sanger and says the town’s pastoral living is an attraction that Fresno can’t boast.
“I would say that our community hasn’t changed much in the past 30 years, in the sense that people know each other. Our city has a lot to offer in the sense of a joint community,” Mitchell said. “The other reason would be that the trip out here takes us away from that city life. I think that the family community is certainly one upside, but also we’re your step away from Fresno city living.”
For the second installment, read the April 6 article, Pastoral surroundings distinguish Sanger recreations. For more information, visit Sanger’s official website.
