Downtown is generally thought to be bounded by Giddings Street on the west, Murray Avenue on the north, Ben Maddox Way on the east, and the Sequoia (198) Freeway on the south.

One of the first inhabitants of a fort built by the settlers, unnecessarily as it turns out; to protect themselves from Native Americans was Nathaniel Vise.

Included in the early crop of citizens were some notorious and nasty individuals who preyed upon the travelers along the Butterfield Stage route.

Visalians then could get timely information of the events taking place on the East Coast which would ultimately develop into the American Civil War.

The federal government however, was not so easily convinced and reacting to concern about sedition banned Visalia's pro-south Equal Rights Expositor newspaper and established a military garrison.

[2] The Transit Center serves passengers for the City Coach Service that circulates to in-town business and shopping areas; the Tulare County Area Transit system which serves outlying cities and hamlets; and bus service to the Amtrak station in Hanford is available.

[3] The Visalia Towne Trolley provides cheap downtown shuttle service from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday thru Thursday; from 7:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday; and on Saturday from 9:30 a.m. to 11 p.m.