Merced, County seat in San Joaquin Valley, United States
Merced is a county seat in the San Joaquin Valley of California, spreading across flat terrain at 52 meters (170 feet) elevation. Agricultural fields surround the town, while transportation routes run through the Central Valley and the university sits on the outskirts.
The railroad company founded the settlement in 1872 on a new rail line after Snelling declined the connection. The courthouse built in 1875 still stands and shows the early construction style of settlers.
The name comes from the Spanish El Río de Nuestra Señora de la Merced, which appears in street names and local references throughout the area. The courthouse district downtown features red brick buildings that residents visit for official business or lunch at nearby cafés.
The bus service connects the town with Yosemite National Park to the east, and the Amtrak station sits south of downtown on the Bakersfield line. Wide streets run through the town, and parking is available in all districts.
The fairgrounds housed an assembly center in 1942 for Japanese American families before they were sent to internment camps farther east. Some barrack structures from that period remain visible on the grounds.
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