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Madera County

Madera County, California
County
County of Madera
Wassama Roundhouse.jpg Devils Postpile National Monument near Mammoth Lakes.jpg
Fresno Dome 2004.jpg Mt Banner and Thousand Island Lake.jpg
Basslake goatmountain.jpg
Flag of Madera County, California
Flag
Official seal of Madera County, California
Seal
Location in the state of California
Location in the state of California
California's location in the United States
California's location in the United States
Country  United States
State  California
Regions San Joaquin Valley, Sierra Nevada
Metropolitan area Metropolitan Fresno
Incorporated 1893
County seat Madera
Area
 • Total 2,153 sq mi (5,580 km2)
 • Land 2,137 sq mi (5,530 km2)
 • Water 16 sq mi (40 km2)
Population (April 1, 2010)
 • Total 150,865
 • Estimate (2015) 154,998
 • Density 70/sq mi (27/km2)
Time zone Pacific Time Zone (UTC-8)
 • Summer (DST) Pacific Daylight Time (UTC-7)
FIPS code 06-039
GNIS feature ID 277284
Website www.madera-county.com

Madera County, officially the County of Madera, is a county at the geographic center of the U.S. state of California. As of the 2010 census, the population was 150,865. The county seat is Madera.

Madera County comprises the Madera, CA Metropolitan Statistical Area, which is included in the Fresno-Madera, CA Combined Statistical Area. It is located in the eastern San Joaquin Valley and the central Sierra Nevada.

The southeasternmost part of Yosemite National Park is located in the county's northeast.

Madera County was formed in 1893 from the southern part of Mariposa County during a special election held on May 16, 1893. Citizens residing in the area that was to become Madera County voted 1,179 to 358 for establishment of the new county.

Madera is the Spanish term for wood. The county derives its name from the town of Madera, named when the California Lumber Company built a log flume to carry lumber to the Central Pacific Railroad there in 1876.

The Madera County Sheriff's Department employed the first woman in California to die in the line of duty as a sworn law enforcement officer—Tulare native Lucille Helm (1914-1959). For 15 years, the Madera housewife and mother of four worked on call as a "matron" assisting with female transfers.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 2,153 square miles (5,580 km2), of which 2,137 square miles (5,530 km2) is land and 16 square miles (41 km2) (0.8%) is water.

Madera County is part of the Madera AVA wine region.


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