Tag: My Town

Let Me Introduce You To My Town- Star Restaurant-Part 15

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Last year, I found that Walmart was selling the game Hanfordopoly. It’s like Monopoly, but for my town. Well, I had to buy it! Then Lauren and I went around town and took pictures of each of the places on the game board. It was so much fun! I can’t wait to introduce you to our sweet little town and some of its history.

Part 1-Freddy the Firetruck and Carousel

Part 2– Hanford Mall

Part 3– Fox Theatre

Part 4– Civic Auditorium and Civic Park

Part 5 – Downtown

Part 6 – The Plunge

Part 7 – Kinga Art Center

Part 8 – Hanford Library

Part 9 – Renaissance Faire

Part 10 – Centennial Park

Part 11 – Las Fiesta

Part 12 – Hidden Valley Park

Part 13 – China Alley

Part 14 – KC Bowling Alley

Today is the Star Restaurant, a staple in Hanford since 1901. But…I have never eaten here before!! When I asked my parents, they hadn’t been there either! Part of the reason, The Star is only open during the week and closes by 1ish. It’s just not that convenient for me to get to. But I was finally able to change that! Haley and Russell came for a last minute visit, so I left work early and we headed over for lunch.

This kind-of-crazy guy is usually outside to greet customers as they come in. He was brought inside as the restaurant came to closing time. We laughed about his very big thumbs and feet!

Do you still have places in your town that still use these old timey cups and napkin holders? We still have several of them and they always bring back fond memories.

It’s definitely on an old-time place! It has the classic red vinyl seats and Formica tables too. It could probably use an update on the decor, but I guess that is what makes is so special. Haley said she was ready to come in and give it a makeover! 😂

We each ordered something different, so we got a good sampling of what The Star offers. I had this burger and fries and it was delicious! The fries were crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. The bacon on the burger was nice and crispy. Haley had a Chef’s Salad which was piled high with turkey and ham. Russell had potato and bacon soup with a grilled sourdough ham and cheese sandwich. There were big chunks of potatoes in the soup and the sandwich was big with cheese melted down the sides.

I would definitely visit again, if I have the chance! The food was really good and satisfying. This was another great stop on Hanfordopoly!!

PS I took my parents too, and they said it was delicious!!

Let Me Introduce You To My Town- Kings County Bowl- Part 14

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Last year, I found that Walmart was selling the game Hanfordopoly. It’s like Monopoly, but for my town. Well, I had to buy it! Then Lauren and I went around town and took pictures of each of the places on the game board. It was so much fun! I can’t wait to introduce you to our sweet little town and some of its history.

Part 1-Freddy the Firetruck and Carousel

Part 2– Hanford Mall

Part 3– Fox Theatre

Part 4– Civic Auditorium and Civic Park

Part 5 – Downtown

Part 6 – The Plunge

Part 7 – Kinga Art Center

Part 8 – Hanford Library

Part 9 – Renaissance Faire

Part 10 – Centennial Park

Part 11 – Las Fiesta

Part 12 – Hidden Valley Park

Part 13 – China Alley

Today I am sharing KC Bowl. This place is very important to our family. My dad is still bowling twice a week (he is 86!) ! It’s such a great place for him to hang out with friends.

KC Bowl has been an important part of Kings County for 61 years! My dad bowled here with friends when I was a kid. I can remember him going out in the evening on bowling nights. Lauren bowled one summer too and we have always enjoyed it as a fun time to hang out.

In 2021, part of the ceiling collapsed over the lanes and this set forth a plan to do a major makeover. Everything from the floor up came out and was redone. The roof was redone, new floors put in, and LED lights installed.

The building also includes a banquet room, bar, luncheonette and pro-shop. The banquet room is the perfect place to host a birthday party!

Don’t you just love all the bright colors here!

The food here is pretty good too!

This is my dad, just waiting for his turn. He missed bowling so much when the alley was closed. He was very happy when it reopened. I’m so glad he has something that keeps him busy and gets him out with his friends.

Do you and your family like to bowl? Do you have a great place in your town?

I believe I have just 2 or 3 more places to tell you all about, but I have to wait until the weather is a little nicer to get them done. See you soon!

Let Me Introduce You To My Town-China Alley-Part 13

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Last year, I found that Walmart was selling the game Hanfordopoly. It’s like Monopoly, but for my town. Well, I had to buy it! Then Lauren and I went around town and took pictures of each of the places on the game board. It was so much fun! I can’t wait to introduce you to our sweet little town and some of its history.

Part 1-Freddy the Firetruck and Carousel

Part 2– Hanford Mall

Part 3– Fox Theatre

Part 4– Civic Auditorium and Civic Park

Part 5 – Downtown

Part 6 – The Plunge

Part 7 – Kings Art Center

Part 8 – Hanford Library

Part 9 – Renaissance Faire

Part 10 – Centennial Park

Part 11 – La Fiesta Restaurant

Part 12 – Hidden Valley Park

Today’s post is featuring our little city’s China Alley. There is so much history here!

“China Alley in Hanford, California is a short street featuring eleven historic buildings near Seventh and Green Streets in downtown Hanford. The alley entrance is on Green Street just north of Seventh Street.

China Alley traces its roots to 1877, when the Central Pacific railroad was extended westward into the area and the new town of Hanford was formed. Numerous Chinese came to the area, many initially to help build the railroads, but others came for farming and agricultural purposes.

The alley grew rapidly and the Chinatown prospered to include restaurants, homes, boarding houses, grocery stores, laundries, herb shops with reputable herbal doctors, sundries stores, gambling establishments, a Chinese school and a Taoist Temple. It soon became known as a “city within a city” with buildings lining both sides of the alley made from bricks formed and fired on site.

Visiting Hanford’s China Alley Historic District is a fascinating adventure that allows us to step back into history. As visitors enter China Alley today, they are met with a sense of historic ambiance that is reminiscent of a strong cultural heritage. Many of the buildings lining the alley are visually unaltered and remain largely as they did over 100 years ago.” (ChinaAlley.com)

Many years ago, when the girls were young, we toured the Temple here on China Alley. Unfortunately, in 2021 the temple had a fire.

“On the night of May 12, 2021, the Taoist Temple Museum in the China Alley Historic District of Hanford, CA was heavily damaged by fire. While the building is stable, the fire caused severe heat and smoke damage to the temple room and its artifacts on the second floor, which will require significant clean up and conservation.” ChinaAlley.com

Imperial Dynasty has the fancy restaurant we would go to when you had a special night out. Oh, the food was so amazing!

“In 1958, the Imperial Dynasty opened its doors and gained reputation and honors, as Uncle Ernie’s wine collection and Uncle Richard’s cuisine acquired award-winning accolades.

After millions of meals had been served and just as many memories had been created, in November 2005 my family announced the Imperial Dynasty, which had anchored Hanford’s fading China Alley, would soon close its doors. On Feb. 18, 2006, the lights in the Imperial Dynasty went dark, thus ending the 123-year run during which my family had a restaurant business in China Alley.” Hanford Sentinel

This restaurant isn’t actually in the alley, but very nearby. This is our favorite Chinese place to go to, Hong Kong Chop Suey.

The Chinese Theater is a local community theater and my kids did several plays here in their Jr. High and High School years. They learned a lot and met a lot of good friends. The first year, one of the performances was on the night of Lauren’s winter formal, so we had several of the kids come over and we had our own formal at home. The kids had a lot of fun!

“The old Chinese school at 514 Visalia St. in Hanford was built in 1922 for $3,500, according to information supplied in Michael Semas “Kings County Postcard History Series.” Children from the town’s Chinese district were sent to the school to learn Chinese history, language and culture. Known as the Chinese Center for Knowledge, it closed in the late 1940s.

The Kings Players, established in 1963 by Audrey Leibold and other community members, turned the school into the Temple Theatre the following year. It offers four plays per year during its regular season and has a supportive foundation called Friends of the Players.” The Hanford Sentinel

I know there is a committee that is working to preserve China Alley, but I don’t see that much has been done. I’m sure it will be a long process. It would be wonderful to see it as a thriving place once again.

Let Me Introduce You To My Town-Centennial Park- Part 10

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Last year, I found that Walmart was selling the game Hanfordopoly. It’s like Monopoly, but for my town. Well, I had to buy it! Then Lauren and I went around town and took pictures of each of the places on the game board. It was so much fun! I can’t wait to introduce you to our sweet little town and some of its history.

If you haven’t read the other My Town posts, you can read them here:

Part 1-Freddy the Firetruck and Carousel

Part 2– Hanford Mall

Part 3– Fox Theatre

Part 4– Civic Auditorium and Civic Park

Part 5 – Downtown

Part 6 – The Plunge

Part 7 – Kinga Art Center

Part 8 – Hanford Library

Part 9 – Renaissance Faire

Centennial Park is one of the newer playgrounds in town. It was not here when my kids were small . It opened in the fall of 2021. The new playground features universally accessible and shaded play structures with slides, swings, large climbing net, musical features and tic-tac-toe. 

“This playground provides a variety of innovative, fun, safe and engaging play features that are accessible to children of all abilities,” Hanford Sentinel.

There is a walking path around the whole park. I’m not sure how far it is in total, but it looked like a nice walk.

There is a dog park that is separated into two sections, one for small dogs and one for large dogs. I didn’t even know this dog park existed! It was pretty warm on this afternoon, so the park was pretty empty.

Anyone for a game of volleyball?

Or a picnic? I know you can reserve spots if you have a large gathering too. This would be a great place for a birthday party.

“When choosing the type of play structure, it was important to the City Council that the new playground include shade and be inclusive for children of all abilities, according to a release.  This includes rubberized surfacing and play features designed for all to enjoy. 

The new playground at Centennial Park is one of many recent improvements to the park.  Over the past year, the City has beautified and re-landscaped the front entrance, installed new disc golf baskets, added two additional competitive horseshoe pits, planted trees, and added a pipe and  cable barrier to prevent vehicles from driving in the park. ” Hanford Sentinel

This climbing structure intrigued me! It was so interesting looking. I had never seen one like this before. It kind of looks like a giant spiderweb.

This xylophone is so pretty with the rainbow colors!

Some tic-tac-toe?

Lots of shade for the climbing wall and slides. There were 3-4 different slides of all different heights’ and lengths.

In our area, we definitely need the water features. This is a great way to cool off in the summer.

Do you have a favorite park in your area? We used to visit all the different parks in our town. The kids would even rate them and say what they liked about each one. Thanks for joining me today!

Let Me Introduce You To My Town-Kings County Library- Part 8

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Last year, I found that Walmart was selling the game Hanfordopoly. It’s like Monopoly, but for my town. Well, I had to buy it! Then Lauren and I went around town and took pictures of each of the places on the game board. It was so much fun! I can’t wait to introduce you to our sweet little town and some of its history.

Part 1-Freddy the Firetruck and Carousel

Part 2– Hanford Mall

Part 3– Fox Theatre

Part 4-Civic Auditorium and Civic Park

Part 5– Downtown Hanford

Part 6– The Plunge

Part 7 – Kings Art Center

Today we visit the library! I love to read, especially a good mystery! I have borrowed so many books and still do, I just reserve them online now! When my kids were little we borrowed books, videos and went to story time here!

The current library opened in August 1968. In July 1975 two libraries were consolidated, and the Hanford library became a branch of the Kings County Library. This building is very 1960’s looking. Not my favorite building, but I love the books inside!

I really love how the children’s section looks! It didn’t look this way when my kids were young, it is a more recent remodel.

I just love the rows and rows of books! So many good ones to choose from.

There are also some computers in various places and games for the kids

Her is just one of the many rows for adults. This is the mystery section, of course!

Does your library still have these stools? I remember being fascinated by them as a kid, the way they would go down a little when you stood on them. Simple pleasures. 🙂

I like this colorful little area! It just makes me happy. Libraries have come a long way from the drab and dreary places they used to be.

There is a small loft area at this end of the library. I went up and took this picture so you could see the layout a little easier. The opening at the right side of the curves in the ceiling is the kids area.

I thought these pictures were so neat! The first one on the left is the original library. It is now the Carnegie Museum. I will cover that one a little later. The second picture is inside the Carnegie. The third picture is inside the Civic Auditorium. I covered that one in Part 4. I’m not sure what event this picture is from, but it’s cool to see the inside of the building.

Here we have the current library. 1. When it was first built, 2. at night, and 3. inside. Looks much like it does today.

Do you still go to the library today? What’s your favorite genre? I still would rather have an actual book rather than a kindle or other media device. There is just something about holding a book!