John Hansen Property in California

According to the memory of Wayne Bingham, John Hansen's grandson, John went to California to purchases a piece of property for a retirement home away from the severe Idaho winters.  In 1918 John took the train from Idaho Falls to Madera, California to get things started. The train took him from Idaho Falls down to Ogden, Utah and then across norther Nevada into Sacramento and then down to Winton, California. The property in Winton was 20 acres on which John planned to raise fruit trees. The current address of the property is 6641 Mercedes Ave, Winton, California.  After John's death in 1921 the property was let go by Alice Hansen to cover outstanding taxes and other fees on the property.

Property Owned by John Hansen (Shown in green north)
Overlaid on the 1917 USGS Map of Winton, California Area

Wayne Bingham and his daughter Colleen Reep recently went to the county offices to get the exact location of the property as well as visit the property to see what it looks like today.  There is a home which stands in the same location as the original home but appears to not be the original house that was built prior to John Hansen acquiring the property in 1918.  There are only a couple of trees around the house and the remainder of the property is unplanted.  The property today has been divided into a 15 acre parcel and a 5 acre parcel. All of the properties surrounding the property seem to all be orchards that are well maintained.

View of the property from the road looking south west

Another view of the house and garage

Merced County Assessor's Parcel Map from 1976 showing
details of property once owned by John Hansen (Lot #36 and #37)