In 1874, the Madera Flume and Lumber Company began construction of a log flume alongside the Fresno River that gave rise to the local timber industry. He was soon joined by others who raised hogs and sheep and planted orchards, making Fresno Flats a permanent settlement. Oakhurst's existence began in 1858 as "Fresno Flats", named for the Spanish word for ash trees and flat, a colloquial term for a mountain meadow.įresno Flats founding was not precipitated by the discovery of precious metals, unlike most other nearby towns founded in the nineteenth century along what came to be known as the Golden Chain Highway.Ī rancher named John Robert Nichols is believed to be the first Anglo settler to permanently settle in the area in 1858. By June 1851, most Native Americans in the region had been relocated to the Fresno River Farm Reservation, opening the region to the first permanent white settlers. This act facilitated the removal and displacement of Native Californian Indians from their traditional lands, and led to the Mariposa War, the first battle of which was fought near present-day Oakhurst on January 11, 1851. Many Native Californians were displaced by white settlers following the enactment of the Act for the Government and Protection of Indians in 1850. Oakhurst was a common meeting ground for the Miwoks, Yokuts, and Monos before the time of the California Gold Rush. Nearby communities include Ahwahnee, Coarsegold and Bass Lake.Īccording to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 33.5 square miles (87 km 2), of which 0.007 square miles (0.018 km 2), or 0.02%, are water. It is located at the junction of state highways 41 and 49, at the southern end of California's Gold Country. Oakhurst is located on the Fresno River 3 miles (5 km) south-southwest of Yosemite Forks, at an elevation of 2,274 feet (693 m). It is part of the Madera metropolitan statistical area. At the 2020 census, the population was 5,945, up from 2,829 at the 2010 census. Oakhurst (formerly Fresno Flats) is a census-designated place (CDP) in Madera County, California, United States, 14 miles (23 km) south of the entrance to Yosemite National Park, in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada.
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