CURRENT EVENTS
From China to Fresno:
A 150-Year Cultural Journey
Our Current Exhibit in the Gallery at Kearney Mansion is a very special collection containing artifacts that have been hidden away in the Fresno County Historical Society Archive for more than five decades. With the partnership of the Chinese American Museum Project and the Consolidated Chinese Benevolent Association we are excited to present From China to Fresno: A 150-Year Cultural Journey.
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Gallery viewing is included at the end of Kearney Mansion Museum Tours on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays or guests may choose a Gallery Only Visit when booking with us.
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Private Group Tours are also available by appointment only.
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Our Fields of Fresno Ag Tours are back! In partnership with a number of local growers and sponsors we are excited to offer a full slate of engaging and educational experiences. Stops will be based on what crops are in season so each excursion will be unique. Guests will enjoy a curated motor coach ride that will bring to life the Roots of our Valley. Each trip includes a catered lunch and tastings at designated locations, along with a chance to hear directly from the farmers and business owners who work the land and grow the products that we rely on each day.
This year's tours are sponsored by The Fresno Metro Black Chamber of Commerce, Harrison Company, Kool Breeze Solar Hat and Access Plus Capital.
Join us and celebrate Mom on Saturday, May 11, 2024 at the Kearney Mansion Museum with a traditional tea party. This special event offers your choice of seating in the Mansion dining room or on the veranda overlooking Kearney Park.
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The event offers two seating times for tea at 11:00 AM and 3:00 PM and includes a traditional tea service and a tour of the Kearney Mansion Museum and Gallery along with a 10% discount on store merchandise.
CAMP KEARNEY - June 17th to 21st or June 24th to 28th
Kids from 8 to 12-years-old will enjoy full-day camp sessions in the heart of Kearney Park. Held at the Kearney Mansion each day of camp will feature activities on History, Community and Culture in fun and interactive lessons designed to educate and inspire.
Planned experiences include:​
Walking field trips to African American Farmer’s demo site and fire station 56. Visits from the Fresno County Sheriff’s Mounted Patrol Unit, Reptile Ron, The Nature of Wildworks, African American Drum Interactive, Fossil Discovery Museum, Millerton Courthouse Museum, local historical figures. Churning butter, planting vegetables, scavenger hunt, arts and crafts, Frisbee golf and so much MORE!
Made Possible By:
PAST EVENTS
On Friday, March 22, 2024, the Fresno County Historical Society held our annual Gala at the famous Downtown Club. We will celebrated the 1950s with a Tiki-Themed party that brought back the Island fever that swept though the Golden Age of prosperity and progress. This special event featured a grazing feast, the musical stylings of The Hula Girls and classic Tiki cocktails.
This History Happy Hour event honored of the Year of the Dragon and is was a celebration of our collaborative exhibit- From China to Fresno: A 150-Year Cultural Journey, your are invited to join us for a thoughtful panel discussion- Food For Thought… Cultural Perspectives on Chinese Cuisine.
Our four panelists discussed the cultural aspects of Chinese cuisine in America, from family legacy restaurants to commercial restaurant chains and manufacturing.
In December 2023 the Society will brought magic back to the Kearney Mansion Museum & Gallery with the annual display - Christmas at Kearney. The Mansion was filled with decorated trees, each representing a local decorator's interpretation of a treasured Christmas Story for our Holiday Tales theme.
Guests traveled back in time to Fresno County’s early years with an immersive experience on October 21, 2023. Families saw musical and cultural performances, met historical figures like M. Theo Kearney, visited the Buffalo Soldiers’ camp, participated in homelife demonstrations, rope making, gold panning and more.
Guests joined us for a celebratory discussion about the impact of Fresno’s rich cultural history and what the future looks like creatively through the lens of four dynamic African American female artists and Black Folk Arts Founder and CEO, NeFesha Ruth Yisra’el. from 5:30pm to 7:30pm on Friday, October 13, 2023.
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Do you think you are a good detective? Do you always try to solve the murder before the end of the story? Have you always wondered what really happens behind the closed doors of Kearney Mansion? Now you can find out the answers to all these questions and more at the Mystery at Kearney Mansion special event October 26th through 29th at 6:00pm. There is a Matinee planned for October 28th at 11am as well.
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FCHS hosted Sip and Smoke on Saturday, September 30, 2023.
This was a brand new and flavorful event that took a guy's night out to whole new level; Whiskey Tasting and Cigars on the Veranda of Kearney Mansion! This evening consisted of six pours of vibrant whiskey and savory cigars.
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Guests learned the history of whiskey from Carl Rana of Stefanelli Distributing, who taught about the various pours and Aldo Rodriguez of Aldo's Cigars provided a cigar perfectly paired to the whiskey each guest had selected.
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The evening was generously sponsored by Sceptre and Sash.
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Mother's Day Tea Party - May 13, 2023
We celebrated Mom on Saturday, May 13, 2023 at the Kearney Mansion Museum with a traditional tea party. This special event had a choice of seating in the Mansion dining room or on the veranda overlooking Kearney Park.
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There were two seating times for tea at 11:00 AM and 3:00 PM and includes a traditional tea service and a tour of the Kearney Mansion Museum and Gallery along with a 10% discount on store merchandise.
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This holiday season, the Society will bring magic back to the Kearney Mansion Museum & Gallery with our annual display of Christmas at Kearney. The Mansion will be filled with decorated trees, each representing a local decorator's interpretation of a favorite classic toy for our Timeless Toys theme.
Do you think you are a good detective? Do you always try to solve the murder before the end of the story? Have you always wondered what really happens behind the closed doors of Kearney Mansion? Now you can find out the answers to all these questions and more at the Mystery at Kearney Mansion special event this October.
ENCORE! Back by popular demand…our Fields of Fresno Ag Tour offers an engaging and educational experience. Guests will enjoy an elegant mansion tour with deep agri-business roots dating back to the founding of Fresno County, followed by a fun curated motor coach ride with multiple stops at unique Ag sites throughout the County. The trip incudes a catered lunch and tastings at designated locations along with a chance to hear directly from the farmers and business owners who work the land and grow the products that we rely on each day. Monthly tours planed February through October 2022.
Made Possible By:
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The Fresno County Historical Society was excited to host our premiere barbeque competition on September 24, 2022, The Great Kearney BBQ Smoke Out, a KCBS Sanctioned Master's Series event.
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We celebrated Moms on Saturday, May 7, 2022 at the Kearney Mansion Museum with a traditional tea party. This special event offered a choice of seating in the Mansion dining room or on the veranda overlooking Kearney Park.
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There were two seating times for tea at 11:00 AM and 3:00 PM and included a traditional tea service, flower arranging demonstration and a tour of the Kearney Mansion Museum and Gallery along with a 10% discount on store merchandise.
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a night at the
Cocoanut Grove March 25, 2022
On March 25, 2022 the Society celebrate the 1930s. A decade that gave voice to films, filled the radio with fireside chats and saw America tested and our country rise to accomplish more, be more and do more than any decade before. Guests were able to party like movie stars, rub shoulders with gamblers, dance to big band jazz and swing all night long at the Fresno County Historical Society’s Night at the Cocoanut Grove at The Grand 1401.
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This holiday season, the Society will bring Christmas back to the Kearney Mansion Museum & Gallery with our annual display for Christmas at Kearney. The Mansion will be filled with decorated trees, each representing a local decorator's interpretation of a favorite Christmas Carol for our Sounds of the Season theme. From November 26 through New Year's Day, guests will learn the history of some of the oldest, most popular and well-known Christmas songs as well as that of M. Theo Kearney and the Fruit Vale Estate. Several events are planned during the month, including a Meet & Greet with Santa, Holiday Tea Party and a Members' Reception.
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Do you think you are a good detective? Do you always try to solve the murder before the end of the story? Have you always wondered what really happens behind the closed doors of Kearney Mansion? Now you can find out the answers to all these questions and more at the Mystery at Kearney Mansion special event this October.
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Test your sleuthing skills as you interview suspects, find clues and solve the murder mystery…if you can! This fully interactive experience features a cast of colorful characters that will trick and treat you to a delightful and frightful affair…it is no coincidence that THIS murder takes place near Halloween!
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Five performances are available from October 22nd through 24th, and tickets are extremely limited. Don’t delay, or you may be left out in the cold…the cold of the old Ice House that is! All proceeds benefit your Fresno County Historical Society.
Fields of Fresno Ag Tour - September 18, 2021
On September 18th, the Society partnered with the Fresno County Farm Bureau to provide an engaging and informational Ag Tour in and around Fresno County. The unique experience started at the Kearney Mansion Museum & Gallery with coffee and a brief history of M. Theo Kearney and his historic Kearney Ranch and Fruit Vale Estate. Our comfortable and spacious coach bus departed for three stops at Fresno County farms followed by a return to Kearney Park.
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The Fresno Bicycle Coalition led a ride along Historic Kearney Blvd. before a guided tour of the Kearney Mansion Museum & Gallery on Saturday, July 24th. The tour departed from Chandler Field and was a fun, family friendly outing that was both healthy and educational.
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VIRTUAL
EVENT
During the Covid-19 pandemic, your FCHS has been working to ensure our students are still connecting to history and social studies lessons! Although our FCHS annual Living History event was not able to be held in 2020, the Society, along with our generous sponsors, is able to provide the School Days experience through an exciting array of online digital curriculum. Twelve immersive and unique lessons will take students on a journey to the America of the 1800s and will share the story of Fresno County in the 19th century though activities, video presentations and learning about historical figures of the time.
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This project has been made possible by: Educational Employees Credit Union, Clovis Unified School District, Fresno Unified School District, Assemi Group Inc, Smittcamp Family Foundation, The Bonner Family Foundation and California Bank & Trust, with additional support from the Fresno County Superintendent of Schools and Bank of America.
Guests were able to celebrate Mom on Saturday, May 8, 2021 at the Kearney Mansion Museum with a traditional tea party. The planned event was scheduled to be held on the Mansion's veranda with tables well spaced apart.
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The event offered two seating times for tea at 11:00 AM and 3:00 PM and was a sell out.
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Held on December 19, 2020 this virtual Holiday Tea Party featured a seasonal and lavish experience from the comfort and safety of home. This unique event included a tea party in a box complete with keepsake china tea cup and saucer, English tea, honey, clotted cream, scones, cookies & petit fours - just add hot water.
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Our virtual program featured experts in etiquette and gift wrapping as well as a chance to bid on a beautifully decorated Christmas tree.
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From December 1, 2019 to January 3, 2020 the Fresno Historical Society presented a holiday display of Christmas trees throughout the Kearney Mansion Museum. Each tree represented a different decade over the 100 year history of the Fresno Historical Society. The installation was accompanied by festive holiday events throughout the month of December.
On October 19th & 20th of 2019, Kearney Park was transformed for the 30th year of Civil War Revisited, the largest signature event of its kind west of the Mississippi. All proceeds benefited the Society. Hundreds of reenactors, period craftspersons and actors portraying historical figures came together to create a living history that was both educational and entertaining.
Party likes its 1919! On Saturday, April 6, 2019 the Fresno Historical Society hosted a Gala Celebration to kick off the organization's Centennial Year. The event transformed the grounds of Kearney Mansion into a sparkling event in the tradition of the Great Gatsby. Guests enjoyed champagne and cocktails while watching amazing high-wire entertainments and a magician and danced to the music from a bygone era.