Visalia Tulare County California

Visalia, Tulare County, PO and County seat, is an incorporated city of 2,000 inhabitants, 228 miles south of Sacramento, and is one of the oldest and most prominent towns in the San Joaquin Valley. The site is in the midst of a broad and fertile plain, with Tulare Lake 20 miles to the westward, and the foothills of the Sierra as many to the eastward, the entire valley at this point being about 70 miles in width.

The section was formerly known as the "Four Creek Country," which from its beauty and fertility attracted a large population at an early day, and long before the advent of the iron horse. The San Joaquin Valley branch of the Central Pacific Railroad lies westward of the town, about 11 miles distant, and from the town of Tulare a branch runs to Visalia, thus giving direct railroad communication. Stages connect it with the surrounding towns, thus giving centrality and drawing a large business.

The town is well built, having good public buildings, prosperous and well attended schools, a theatre, four churches, Masonic and Odd Fellows' Temple, three first-class hotels, a flouring mill, planing and saw mill, and many fine business houses and private residences. Gas works supply all the demands made upon them for illuminating purposes, and water of excellent quality is obtained by boring from ten to fifteen feet, or is supplied by Mill Creek, a rapid stream running through the town.

Groves of evergreen and deciduous oaks cover the plains, giving a pleasant feature to the scenery. A few miles south the oaks give way, and the wide open prairie stretches for miles around, now principally occupied for grazing, but susceptible of cultivation. From the Sierra runs the Kaweah, a large stream, which upon entering the valley divides into several branches forming numerous islands comprising an extensive delta as it approaches Tulare Lake, and enclosing in its many arms the region of Visalia. By this abundant water supply an extensive scope of country can be irrigated where necessary, and as nearly all of this broad expanse of valley is exceedingly fertile, its future prosperity is beyond a doubt.

Two newspapers, the Times, and Delta, are published weekly.

Asay J L, dentist, Church
Asher J. liquor saloon. Main
Ashton & Thomson, blacksmiths, Court
Atwell A B, physician. Bridge
Atwell A J., attorney at law. Centre
Bacigalupi & Neil, liquor saloon, corner Church and Centre
Baer B, tinsmith, and gasfitter. Main
Baker M, druggist, and chemist, corner Main and Church
Baker & Bradley, physicians, corner Main and Church
Bank of Visalia, R E Hyde, president, J W Crowley, cashier
Belz Andrew, blacksmith. Church
Benz George, beer saloon
Bernard F, boots and shoes. Main
Beyer A, contractor and builder
Bigle H, proprietor Exchange Hotel, corner Main and Garden
Bishop & Company, druggists, and manufacturing chemists, Main
Blain W H, butcher. Main
Bogle J A, physician, and druggist, corner Main and Church
Bosco ____, physician, corner Court and Willow
Bradley N O, attorney at law
Braverman M, watch maker and jeweler, Main
Brown A A, fruits, vegetables, and varieties
Brown & Daggett, attorney at law, corner Court and Oak
Cantreas Gregorio, liquor saloon
Canty J M, livery stable. Main
Clark John, attorney at law, Court House
Cohn H & Company, dry and fancy goods, watches, jewelry, etc, corner Court and Main
Conyers B L, drugs and medicines, Main
Creighton Thomas, civil engineer and surveyor
Cross W W, attorney at law. Centre
Darling O, agent Eagle Flour Mills
Davenport M G, physician
Delta Publishing Company, proprietors Visalia Delta, Main
Dillon George, livery and feed stable, corner Center and Garden
Dinlays S, barber. Main
Douglass & Company, general merchandise, agricultural implements, and agents Grover & Baker Sowing Machine, Main
Eitel G. proprietor Farmers Home. Main
Enlow J S, groceries, vegetables, etc. Main
Etling G A, blacksmith, corner Main and Court
Exchange Hotel, H Bigle, proprietor, corner Main and Garden
Feliz Carmel Senora, restaurant, Oak
Fingland & Evans, butchers. Main
Foertsch Henry, merchant tailor, Church
Folks S & Company, dry goods, and jeweler, Main
Freeman G M, physician, Garden
Germain Louis, varieties. Main
Gieseler V F, proprietor Visalia House, corner Main and Church
Goldberg & Huhner, barbers. Main
Goldstein J & Company, general merchandise, corner Main and Church
Grangers' Business Association, of Tulare Company, general merchandise. Main
Grannis Eliza Mrs, physician, Church
Grannis M M, physician, Main
Grant Robert P, fruits, and confectionery. Main
Green H, general merchandise. Main
Guard & Allen Mrs, millinery, and dress making. Church
Guggenheim L, forwarding, and commission, and dealer agricultural implements, R R depot
Harriot C, insurance agent
Hering P, barber, Main
Herndon Mary Mrs, ice cream saloon, and baths. Church
Hill Hiram Rev, clergyman (Presb)
Huffaker J V, livery stable. Court
Hunts B, wagon maker. Garden
Hyde R E, flour, and lumber manufacturer, and president Bank of Visalia
Jacob Elias, general merchandise. Main
Jacobs J Jr, attorney at law, corner Main and Church
James David B, auctioneer. Main, and proprietor St Charles Hotel, and grocer. Court
Johnson James M, notary public, and real estate agent. Centre
Earns M, blacksmith and wagon maker. Main
Keyes Joseph A, postmaster
Kincaid R, liquor saloon. Main
Kincaid William, proprietor Eagle Hotel, Main
Krafft G & G F, restaurant, and bakery. Main
Levy Julius, notary public. Church
Liddle J H, firearms and sporting materials, Main
Lindsey Tipton, attorney at law, corner Main and Church
Luce E A & Company, stoves and tinware, tin roofers, and well borers. Court
Martin P H, shoe maker. Church
Martorell & Company, harness and saddlery. Main
Matlick & Butz, proprietors Tulare Weekly Times, corner Church and Main
McDonald R, watch maker and jeweler. Main
McKelvey J Rev, clergyman (Meth)
McMurphy & Cowen, wagon makers, corner Main and Court
McNamara Thaddeus, attorney at law, and notary public
Mead & Baker, liquor saloon. Main
Merrill R P, drugs and medicines
Mickley J J, watch maker. Main - .
Miller Henry, merchant tailor, Graham Block
Mooney M, brewery. Main
Nelson & Henderson, butchers
Norvell Joseph A, real estate agent, and searcher records
O'Conner J B, proprietor Visalia Brewery, corner Main and Bridge
Peck James, undertaker, Court
Phoenix Saw Mill, R E Hyde, proprietor
Ray D, physician. Church
Reynerson & Hanby, blacksmiths, corner Garden and Centre
Riese & Tunze, furniture, and bedding, Court
Rogers A M, general merchandise. Main
Russell W A, physician. Garden
Salazar J, saddle maker, corner Main and Bridge
Samstag J A, harness and saddlery, Main
Sayle & Grady, attorneys at law
Scannel C Rev, clergyman (R C)
Sheppard S A, attorney at law. Church
Shuham & Walker, harness and saddlery, corner Main and Garden
Smith C H, physician. Church
Smith Charles, native wines and liquors
Smith George W, county and U S deputy mineral surveyor. Court House
Smith H C Mrs, human hair goods, Acquia
Spier & Jackson, painters. Court
Stanton M E, shoe maker. Main
Steuben Zane, agent Wells, Fargo & Company, Main
Sweet S & Company, general merchandise, furniture, carpets, and agricultural implements. Main
Thomas Horace, ice cream saloon
Thomas & Jackson, liquor saloon, Visalia House
Tubbs C M, livery and feed stable. Garden
Tulare Valley Flour Mills. R E Hyde, proprietor
Tulare Weekly Times. Matlick & Butz. Proprietors, corner Church and Main
Van Valer & Walker, well borers, and tin roofers
Visalia Delta, Delta Publishing Company, proprietors. Main
Wagy & Smith, lumber manufacturers
Ward J C, notary public, books, stationery, sheet music, and musical instruments. Main
Webster Kate Mrs, dress maker. Main
Weishar A, carpenter and undertaker, and dealer sash, doors, and blinds. Court House Square

California Gazetteer | AHGP California

Source: Pacific Coast Business Directory for 1876-78, Compiled by Henry G. Langley, San Francisco, 1875