"The Hidden Treasure of the San Joaquin Valley"

That's what the Hanford 2012 Visitor's Guide calls Hanford. I thumbed through the guide in my hotel room shortly after I set down my luggage. My interest piqued, I headed out the lobby door and walked a few blocks to see the sights this small city (2012 population 54,324) had to offer.

I spent only three days in the larger area on business, so I'm no Hanford expert. I saw a few blocks of the downtown in perhaps two hours combined. What little I did see in that short time described a past glory, a stable present, and a promising future.

Hanford is the seat of Kings County. This is the most productive agricultural land on Earth, and Hanford sat on the rail line. Judging from the dates on its larger downtown buildings, the city's heyday was from the 1890s to the 1920s. Then came the Depression.

I passed this drinking fountain at the Courthouse Square. I saw no indication of a significant Japanese population in Hanford nowadays. Did the Americans of Japanese descent return to Hanford following their release from the World War II internment camps? I have no idea.

Likewise, I saw no sign of a significant Chinese population, although Hanford boasts the remnants of a small Chinatown, complete with a Taoist temple.

The original Kings County Courthouse, built 1896, is now occupied by businesses.

The Hanford Auditorium, built 1924, still holds events. The seats with their ornate design are original.

Outside the Veterans Center, built 1925, sit two German 77mm field guns from World War I.

The Fox Theater, built 1929, still draws big names.

Hanford takes pride in its past, and is doing what it can to maintain its historic buildings and attract new business. I walked around the downtown when the temperatures were in the upper twenties. I would suppose pleasant weather brings many events and much activity. I enjoyed my short stay. Hanford deserves its self-appointed description of "The Hidden Treasure of the San Joaquin Valley."