Group takes on mighty task

The Giant Sequoia National Monument is more than 17 years old and, sadly, it has not delivered as promised. Because there has been a lack of promotion of the monument to the world, a local group of interested parties has formed the Mighty 190 to promote not only the monument, but also the entire stretch of Highway 190 from Highway 65 to the Trail of 100 Giants along the Great Western Divide Highway.

While visitation may have increased in the Sequoia National Forest since President Bill Clinton designated the monument to highlight and protect more than 30 giant sequoia groves, the promised visitor center has not materialized and there is no signage along the area’s major highways to bring people through Porterville and up Highway 190 into the monument.

The local group made up of city leaders, communities leaders, state and federal officials as well as just those who want to see the area better promoted, are just getting started but by all accounts, a synergy, as City Manager John Lollis put it, has been developed.

The goal is to put the monument and all the Porterville area has to offer on the radar of tourists, similar to what the Kings Canyon and Sequoia National Parks have done for Visalia and Three Rivers.

Coming up with the special attractions here — besides the monument there is Success Lake, Mountain Home State Forest, Balch Park, Springville, Ponderosa and more — will be easy, but getting the word out and especially, the signage, will take some doing. We know that Congressman Kevin Mccarthy is supportive and we expect Assemblyman Devon Mathis to also support any efforts. Tulare County is on board and all three may be needed to get signs directing people to the monument placed along Highway 99 and even Highway 190. Today, there are no such signs.

The monument can be a big draw and we expect that is what draws many people to the parks above Visalia. However, a national forest does not get the draw a national park gets, so the committee has a lot of work to do.

We support and encourage the Mighty 190 effort.