Event Info
Sunday, October 05, 2008
Constitution Park
(one block east of Akers St. and Tulare Ave.)
1139 S Crenshaw
Visalia, CA 93277
Parking and Transit Information
Registration/Check-in Time: 8:30 AM
Opening Ceremonies/Walk Start Time: 10:00 AM
The Kidney TRUST will be offering free CKD testing from 9am-1pm.
About
Visalia is the oldest town between San Francisco and Los Angeles and indeed is the Crown Jewel of the San Joaquin Valley, well worth your time to visit.
Centrally located in the heart of the San Joaquin Valley, Visalia draws visitors from metropolitan areas with its picturesque communities and stunning landscapes against the backdrop of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. With its rich culture, prosperous business community, and thriving agricultural industry, you'll find a family-friendly environment ideal for work or play.
Visalia is named for Nathaniel Vises' ancestral home, Visalia, Kentucky. Early growth in Visalia can be attributed in part to the gold rush along the Kern River. The gold fever brought many transient miners through Visalia along the way and when the lure of gold failed to materialize, many returned to Visalia to live their lives and raise families.
In 1858, Visalia was added to John Butterfield's Overland Stage route from St. Louis to San Francisco. A plaque commemorating the location can be found at 116 East Main Street. Included in the early crop of citizens were some notorious and nasty individuals who preyed upon the travelers along the Butterfield Stage route. Many saloons and hotels sprouted up around the stage stop downtown and commerce was brisk if a bit risky.
Once a creek side settlement, Visalia is now a thriving city with 121,498 inhabitants, and has become a community that takes great pride in the small town feel and high quality of life that accompanies a big city.