About Our Community
History
Nestled in the Pleasant Valley at the eastern edge of California's Coastal Mountain Range, surrounded by hills and ranches, Coalinga is 10 miles west of I-5 and 60 miles southwest of the City of Fresno, California's fifth largest city. Coalinga is a full-service city that provides a wide range of services to approximately 18,000 citizens. Coalinga has an excellent school system, regional medical center, parks and recreation district, a 2-year community college, and enjoys a low level of crime through law-abiding citizenry.
100th Birthday
The City celebrated its 100th birthday in 2006. Coalinga has many fun events and activities including the Plaza Market in the summer and the Wham-O-Bass Hot Air Balloon Festival in November. One of Coalinga's longest traditions is the Annual Horned Toad Derby, which is held every Memorial Day weekend and includes a carnival, parade, Fireman's Pancake Breakfast, Horned Toad Races and many more fun family festivities.
View the city's history in photos (PDF).
Location
Nestled in the Pleasant Valley at the eastern edge of California’s Coastal Mountain Range, Coalinga is surrounded by hills and ranches. The City is near the southwestern tip of Fresno County. Monterey County lies to the west. Kings County sits to the east.
The spectacular view of the Valley and surrounding hills is preserved with deliberate planning. You won’t find a hi-rise obstructing the natural beauty. Downtown Coalinga is quaint and filled with personality. It serves as the commercial, civic, cultural and recreational hub.
Local parks, green belts, trails and scenic vistas provide a natural complement to development in the area. Coalinga is accessible to and from major cities within the state. California’s main north-south artery, Interstate 5, is just 10 miles to the east. Highways 198 and 33 intersect the city.
The Community
Coalinga is a full service community with a high quality of life, low crime rates, and quality housing. Coalinga also has quality schools, a library, a museum, and many recreational facilities. Key community events include the Annual Horned Toad Derby, Annual 4th of July Fireworks Display, and Wham-O-Bass Hot Air Balloon Festival. Coalinga also serves as the regional retail center of western Fresno County with a Rite-Aid, Walgreens, and two major grocery stores.
Coalinga is the home of West Hills College. West Hills College (with satellite campuses at Firebaugh and Lemoore) continues to experience significant growth, providing college-level course-work in a variety of disciplines. Enrollment at West Hills College has increased from 2,715 students in the fall of 1994, to 3,886 students in the fall of 1999. West Hills College is also working with Fresno State University to develop cooperative programs which would allow West Hills students to take courses offered by Fresno State. West Hills fields teams in all major sports, and an intercollegiate rodeo team which competes nationally.