Jones Store

The history of Jones Store began in the 1880s when Tom Beasore, a cattleman and one of Fresno County's first deputy sheriffs, claimed Beasore Meadows under the Swamp and Overflow Act. He moved cattle from the San Joaquin Valley to graze in the mountains seasonally.[2]

Tom Jones, a 17-year-old local, worked with Beasore on his ranch for $1 a day[3] during which time Beasore founded a rustic mountain store.[4] The construction of Beasore Road in 1925 brought demand for the store's goods from the high country.[5] Originally a log structure, the store catered to cowboys and ranchers.[6]

Beasore's will instructed that if he died first, Jones would inherit both the meadow and the store. Upon Beasore's passing, Jones took over the store's operations. The original store was replaced by a two-story building in 1954,[7] and under Jones, the store became a headquarters for pack trips, including hunting and fishing expeditions.[8]

Jones' foster son, Johnny Jones, continued this tradition, leading pack trips from Jones Store into the high country. One notable guest was then-California Governor Ronald Reagan.[9] After Jones led Reagan to the high country near Merced Peak, Reagan became allied with the state's conservationist movement.[10] He opposed the proposed Trans-Sierra Highway near Devil's Postpile, which would have linked the Eastern Sierra and Nevada with the San Joaquin Valley. As President, Reagan helped secure the area's designation as a wilderness by the California Wilderness Act of 1984.[11]

Jones Store provides a variety of food items, including hamburgers and pies, along with an assortment of cold beverages. It also supplies basic items needed by campers, motorcyclists, and tourists. The store further offers rustic cabin rentals during the summer season.

A distinctive feature of Jones Store is its gravity-fed gasoline pump. According to Vern Black, one of the past owners, it is the only gravity pump in the state. The store functions without electricity, phone, or cell service, utilizing propane to fuel the grills and refrigerate food items.[12]

Jones Store continues to be a family business, run by descendants of Tom Jones. The store opens seasonally, as the snow melts, serving both locals and tourists. Its rich history and preserved traditional style make it a key community landmark.[13]