Never in the history of Madera have so many milestones emerged to be celebrated in a single year, but this year we are setting a record. In 2026, we will observe four anniversaries of events that are central to who we are as a community. Let’s begin with the oldest.
250 years ago; America’s semiquincentennial
Our first birthday party will recognize our nation, which is 250 years old this year. We may fuss over exactly which day we declared our independence from Great Britain, but we all agree our Declaration of Independence took place in the summer of 1776 — 250 years ago this year, our national semiquincentennial. After signing our Declaration, we then had to fight to prove we were serious. Our War for Independence lasted until our victory in the Battle of Yorktown in 1781, but the peace treaty with Great Britain wasn’t signed until 1783. Nevertheless, we honor July 4,1776, as our Independence Day.
As a side note,1826 also became something of a milestone. In that year, America experienced a rush of irony. John Adams, our second President, and Thomas Jefferson, our third President, died on the same day, July 4, 1826, exactly 50 years after they both signed the Declaration of Independence. Maderans honored the memory of these two giants from our past on the bicentennial of their departure, 200 years after the fact.
150 years ago; Madera’s sesquicentennial
Our next birthday celebrates something that happened 150 years ago, Madera’s Sesquicentennial. On Oct. 11, 1876, the California Lumber Company announced the name of the new town it had created — “Madera,” which is the Spanish term for lumber. The lumber company’s chief operating officer, William H. Thurman came up with the name and watched over the town as its first sheriff.
Madera was actually a late — comer as far as towns in the San Joaquin Valley are concerned. It took the railroad to stimulate the growth of towns. It was in 1872 that the Southern Pacific laid its tracks in the Valley, and in a short time towns popped up along the railroad. Modesto, Merced Minturn, Borden, and Fresno were all thriving little burgs before Madera was ever imagined. It took the lumber industry to put Madera on the map.
60 years ago; Madera Unified’s Diamond Jubilee
The third anniversary celebrated in 2026 is the Diamond Jubilee, the sixtieth birthday, of Madera Unified School District. The election that created MUSD actually took place in 1965, but the new district did not become operational until July 1, 1966. At that time, nine elementary school districts joined with Madera Union High School District to become Madera Unified School District. In addition to the Madera Elementary District, Howard, Dixieland, La Vina, Ripperdan, Eastin Arcola, Berenda, Alpha, and Webster districts joined with Madera Union High School District to form the new unified district.
20 years ago; Madera South High School’s China Anniversary
The final observance in 2026 is the China Anniversary of Madera South High School, its 20th year. The school began as an extension of Madera High School, but in 2006, it gained its independence. Instead of Madera High South Campus, it became Madera South High School.
In the late 1980s, the Madera Unified School District commissioned a new high school to be built, to take some of the weight off of Madera High School by easing up some of the overcrowding of the school. Construction started in 1990, but a limited budget forced an abrupt end in 1992. It was decided that the campus was not big enough to be counted as a separate, stand-alone high school, and the site was eventually renamed Madera High School South Campus.
In November 2002, a school bond was passed, allowing MUSD to fund the completion of the project. As a result, the idea of a new, separate high school was once again possible. Construction resumed on the campus in late 2004, yet heavy rain and other factors slowed it to a halt. The set date of August 2005 was pushed back a year. By August 2006, construction had been completed, and Madera South High School opened its doors.