The Yokuts people[11] built reed boats and fished in what was later to be called Tulare Lake[12] in their homeland for centuries, until the invasion and settlement by the Spanish and American pioneers.

The lake had been named for the tule rush plant (Schoenoplectus acutus) (pictured left), a species of bulrush that predominantly lined the marshes and sloughs of its shore.

The town suffered through many difficult challenges, but despite burning down and being rebuilt three times in its first fourteen years of existence, it was eventually incorporated in 1888.

Due to the inadequate 10 inches (250 mm) of rainfall per year, water resources had to be found.

Once the water system was established, Tulare burgeoned, becoming a center for farming and agriculture because of its central location.

Until its close, Tagus Ranch produce was known the world over, and was served in the finest restaurants throughout America.

At the end of World War II, a portion of Tagus Ranch served as a German POW camp.

As recorded by Chicano historian Rodolfo Acuña, "they concluded that it took the average picker 10 hours to harvest 300 pounds.

"Tex" Rankin secured a U.S. War Department contract to open and operate a civilian flying school to train United States Army Air Corps flight cadets.

During World War II, in response to the Attack on Pearl Harbor and the West Coast wartime hysteria, the U.S. Army temporarily assumed control of the Tulare County Fairgrounds, converting it to the Tulare Assembly Center, a temporary detention center for Japanese Americans.

[16] The Assembly Center was administered by the Wartime Civil Control Administration, under the Western Defense Command and the U.S. 4th Army.

In the latter part of 1942, internees began being moved to the ten more permanent "War Relocation Camps".

Although the foothills of the Sierra Nevada are only about 20 miles east of town, they are seldom visible due to the chronically poor air quality and very high levels of airborne particulate matter, soot, and other pollution.

The mean average rainfall was 10 inches prior to the drought that began in 2012 and remains ongoing as of September 2018.

Because the Central Valley is the second hottest area in the state behind the Mojave Desert, the ambient temperatures are 80 or above for 11 months out of the year.

Tulare consistently suffers from year round air pollution and air quality that is among the worst in the United States because of both geographic conditions (hemmed in valley, weak winds) and the prevalence of diesel fuel exhaust from farming and truck traffic on Highway 99.

Farming also exacerbates this because it kicks up tremendous amounts of dust, especially in the late summer and autumn months.

There is a large population of Portuguese residents in Tulare, many of whom immigrated from the Azores Islands to start farms and dairies in the Central Valley, becoming part of the now famous Central Valley agricultural boom of the 20th century.

The nation's largest single-site dairy complex, operated by Land O'Lakes, is located in Tulare.

The ten elementary schools are Cypress, Heritage, Garden, Kohn, Lincoln, Maple, Mission Valley, Pleasant, Roosevelt, and Wilson.

There are also five K-8 country schools: Buena Vista, Oak Valley, Palo Verde, Waukena and Sundale.

Tulare was formerly a station stop on the Visalia District of the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway.

[35] Tulare's Greyhound bus depot offers frequent packages and personnel service to all points in the west.

The local Tulare InterModal Express offers a "fixed route" schedule in the city, as well as a Dial-A-Ride service.

[38] The honor commends the city for its commitment to sustainability through extensive building retrofits, residential solar programs and forthcoming citywide Climate Action Plan.