Beloved pillar with mysterious origins in Fresno High neighborhood demolished
.jpeg "The aftermath of a vehicle collision at Palm and Simpson avenues on Dec. 18, 2025. The crash destroyed a historic pillar that stood on the corner.")
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Historic pillar destroyed at Palm and Simpson; city crews cleared rubble.
- Neighbors and councilmember seek reconstruction; public works holds original rubble.
- Historic Preservation Committee to source craftsman and match original pillar design.
An iconic pillar that has stood for nearly a century in the historic Fresno High neighborhood was destroyed after being struck by a vehicle.
The impact of the crash turned the 10-foot-high pillar on the northeast corner of Palm and Simpson avenues into rubble.
“I saw a pile of stones and realized they destroyed the pillar,” said resident Manny Diez, who saw the remnants of the crash about 15 minutes after it happened on Thursday. “That thing had been there forever.”
Although it’s unclear what caused the crash, Diez said it didn’t take long for city workers to clean up the broken bricks and the softball-sized rocks.
Longtime residents say the origin of the pillars is a bit of mystery. There are currently four remaining rough-hewn pillars, two on Van Ness Boulevard and Michigan Avenue, one at Van Ness Boulevard and Simpson Avenue and one at Van Ness Boulevard and Princeton Avenue.
While many agree the pillars were probably built as boundary markers for housing tracts, others believe they identified stops on the trolley that ran through the area a century ago. Still others speculate they may have served as fire pull stations for the fire department.
“Either way, the pillars are very much an integral part of the neighborhood,” said Cathy Cirimele, who has lived in the area for more than 40 years. “And to people who live on those streets, they are very committed to them.”
.jpeg "IMG_2325_fitted (1).jpeg")
Over the years, neighbors have attempted small repairs by patching missing chunks of mortar or cracked bricks.
No one is quite sure of the age of the pillars. Cirimile estimated they may be about 100 years old.
Andy Levine lives near the site of the demolished pillar and said he supported rebuilding it.
“Those pillars were cool and historic, and it would be great if the city could restore it,” he said.
Several Fresno High neighborhood residents agree and have reached out to Fresno City Councilmember Annalisa Perea for help.
Perea said she is committed to seeing the pillar rebuilt. She has asked the public works department for a cost estimate.
Her staff has already found the rubble that was hauled away by city crews. It sits in the public works yard.
Perea said the next step will be to work with the Historic Preservation Committee to find a skilled craftsman to rebuild it.
“The goal,” Perea said, “is to make it look as close to the original.”
