California, Madera County, Madera
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June 1872 a former Fresno County Sheriff Leroy Dennis erected a store and hotel. Feb. 12, 1873 the first official Post Office of Madera County opened. Service stopped on Mar. 23, 1919 and USPS renamed the town Berenda "Female Antelope". The Central Pacific Railroad came through and Berenda became a farming community with several hotels, blacksmith shops and saloons. Cattle ranchers Miller and Lux built and donated a school house. As a gateway to Yosemite, Berenda's boom days were in the late 1880's when Yosemite tourism was by stage. After a wet winter in 1885-1886 stages crossing wet range lands caused delays for tourism from Berenda to Raymond thus creating a new gateway to Yosemite. As the Madera area grew larger and more industrial Berenda began to shrink. The boom time was over and all that remains are a few buildings and this old schoolhouse.
(Education • Settlements & Settlers) Includes location, directions, 4 photos, GPS coordinates, map.
June 1872 a former Fresno County Sheriff Leroy Dennis erected a store and hotel. Feb. 12, 1873 the first official Post Office of Madera County opened. Service stopped on Mar. 23, 1919 and USPS renamed the town Berenda "Female Antelope". The Central Pacific Railroad came through and Berenda became a farming community with several hotels, blacksmith shops and saloons. Cattle ranchers Miller and Lux built and donated a school house. As a gateway to Yosemite, Berenda's boom days were in the late 1880's when Yosemite tourism was by stage. After a wet winter in 1885-1886 stages crossing wet range lands caused delays for tourism from Berenda to Raymond thus creating a new gateway to Yosemite. As the Madera area grew larger and more industrial Berenda began to shrink. The boom time was over and all that remains are a few buildings and this old schoolhouse.(Education • Settlements & Settlers) Includes location, directions, 4 photos, GPS coordinates, map.
