'OLDEST CITY BETWEEN LOS ANGELES AND FRENCH CAMP'
Incorporated in 1852, Visalia still has visible remnants of its wild west past and has unusual stories to tell. Explore our wild west beginnings when you visit these locations. Stop along the way to have a bite to eat in an old jail or a drink in a sidewalk saloon and imagine what life was like along Main Street in the 1800s .
VISALIA STOCK SADDLE
See an original Visalia Stock Saddle made in 1885 by David E Walker, including spurs, bridal, and leather working tools on display in the Visit Visalia office. The site of Visalia Stock Saddle Company is noted with a plaque on the wall just outside of Brewbakers Brewing Company, just a short walk from our office.
The saddle will be on loan from Tulare County Museum until April 2020. To see more artifacts and learn about how this saddle became known around the world, visit the museum.
Insider Tip: Have a bite to eat at Brewbakers while contemplating life on Main Street in 1800s.
HORSE RINGS
Look carefully at the original granite curbing around downtown to see the reminders of days when a horse was your Uber driver. See if you can locate all 7. (If you need a hint, we have a map available.)
VISALIA JAIL HOUSE
The original jail was built in 1890 and Visalia was proud of the beautiful building. However, more attention was paid to how it looked rather than how it worked. Train robber Gratton Dalton was jailed here, though not for long. He and 2 other inmates broke out just a year after the jail was built. In 1916, it was torn down and new jail built, using the existing walls and basement. It still stands today though not used as a jail.
Insider Tip: Today you can dine at Jack and Charlie's, an upscale restaurant. You won't want to escape from here!
VISALIA CEMETERY
See grave sites from the mid-1850s for Mary Graves Clark, survivor of the ill-fated Donner Party or Edmond E Wysinger, a former slave born in 1816 whose quest to enroll his son in school went all the way to the Supreme Court.
TULARE COUNTY MUSEUM
The museum houses many interesting and historical items. Along with buildings from the 1800s like Surprise School House, there are artifacts from the Pioneer era as well as other notable items.
NATIVE AMERICAN BASKETRY
See one of the largest collections in California on display and other Native American artifacts.
Insider Tip: For a modern 'cowboy' experience, have breakfast or lunch at Mama K's Diner. Located at the Stockyards where cattle auctions happen every Wednesday, sit in the grandstand and watch as cattle are bought and sold. Be careful though! While it is free to watch the auction, raising your hand at the wrong moment might make you the proud owner of a steer!
