Merced, County seat in San Joaquin Valley, United States
Description
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.
History
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.
Culture
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.
Practical
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.
Did you know?
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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Tioga Hotel
261 mThe Mainzer
263 m
Merced County Courthouse
432 m
Leggett House
578 m
Castle Air Museum
10.9 km
Thomas H. Leggett House
509 m
Bank of Italy
67 m
Merced County High School
507 m
Maj. George Beecher Cook House
526 m
Buhach Grammar School
8.7 km
Kaehler-Rector House
890 m
Merced Theatre
332 m
Kiwanis Kiddieland
1.2 km
Wallace Dining Center
8.5 kmYosemite Lake
9.6 kmMerced Golf Club
9.3 kmRancho del Rey Golf Course
9.9 kmSR-71A Blackbird
10.8 kmB-24M Liberator
10.9 kmDouglas VC-9C
10.8 kmCessna 150H
10.9 kmHarvard II
10.9 kmMulticultural Arts Center
238 mLittle Lake Amphitheater
8.5 kmBeginnings
8.8 kmBobcat
8.7 kmBig Rufus
8.3 kmMural, Work of art
8.9 kmDiscover hidden gems everywhere you go!
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