Springville: Nature, Rodeo and Local History

Springville lies in the Sierra foothills at an elevation of just over 1,000 feet. Local history, recurring community events and natural attractions in the wider area offer different starting points for planning a stay.

Local History and the Name Springville

The town was originally called Daunt, after William Daunt, a settler who opened the first store in 1860. The name Springville was adopted in January 1911, reportedly because of the pleasant-tasting water from the soda springs found in the area. These two names provide a concrete timeline for the town’s history: from Daunt’s first store to its later renaming.

Rodeo, Postal History and Community Events

For more than 50 years, Springville has held a P.R.C.A. rodeo every April. Events include bull riding, barrel racing, team roping, steer wrestling and mutton busting. The organizer may change individual events, so check the current program before your trip.

The Jackass Mail Run highlights another aspect of the region’s history: it reenacts the time when mail was transported through the mountains by mule. The tradition has continued for more than six decades. The Apple & Arts Festival, in turn, celebrates Springville’s agricultural roots and local creativity and is part of the town’s community life.

The Springville Apple & Arts Festival brings together artists and craftspeople, food vendors and community organizations, with live entertainment and family activities. Offerings include homemade apple pies and apple-themed products. The program and offerings may vary from one edition to the next. If you would like to plan your trip around the festival, check the date and program for that year’s edition in advance.

Museum Collections and Archaeological Traces

The Tule River Historical Museum houses the Murphy House, the first residence built in Springville. The fully restored house is furnished with pioneer furniture and features artifacts from early American history, explanatory photographs, stories, documents and genealogical records. The museum’s collections also include early farming, mining and logging equipment, as well as photographs, diaries and early audio recordings.

Nearby, Sunset Point in the Mountain Home Demonstration State Forest offers a self-guided tour of archaeological resources. These include rock basins whose use by Indigenous cultures is documented archaeologically. This gives the forest a cultural-historical dimension in addition to its protected landscapes.

Natural Attractions and Getting Around the Region

Nearby, the Mountain Home Demonstration State Forest protects some of California’s largest stands of old-growth giant sequoias. McCarthy Blue Oak Ranch Preserve, five miles north of Springville, has a different landscape: rolling blue oak woodlands, chaparral and the headwaters of Sycamore Creek. Together, these two areas range from old-growth giant sequoias to oak woodland and scrubland.

Every spring, SCICON opens its campus above Springville to the public for a day of free tours, activities and entertainment. The annual rodeo, SCICON’s spring program and the festival offer different opportunities to plan a stay around an event; check dates and program details in advance.

In the wider region, the Western Divide Route connects Springville with the mountain communities of Camp Nelson and Ponderosa on the way to California Hot Springs. It also provides access to the Trail of 100 Giants in Sequoia National Forest. Since road conditions can change seasonally, check the current route conditions before setting out.

Springville is the last good place to stock up before entering Balch Park or Mountain Home Forest. This information is especially relevant when planning your supplies; it does not replace checking seasonal road conditions if you plan to take the Western Divide Route.

Discover more destinations: Tulare, Lindsay, Porterville, Three Rivers, Visalia, Dinuba, Pixley, Sequoia National Park

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