Modern Kingsburg
One of the unique landmarks in the community is the Kingsburg water tower, which is shaped like an antique Swedish coffee pot. The Swedish immigrant heritage of the community is principally preserved with festivals. Kingsburg Swedish Festival, which is the biggest and most known festivals that bring people in from all over the country, is held annually during the third weekend in May. Activities include a Swedish pancake breakfast, a parade and the coronation of the Swedish Festival Queen. Many booths, rides and activities are set up all along the side of Downtown Kingsburg's Draper Street. This festival, which has traditionally been held on Friday, Saturday,and Sunday, was demoted to only Saturday and Sunday in 2009 after the town's centennial due to the suffering economy.But, in 2011 they added Thursday activities to the festival.[9][10]
Historical Kingsburg
Kingsburg was established as a railroad town, its site set by the Central Pacific Railroad when it completed the Valley Line in 1873. In the early 1870s, Swedish natives settled in a railroad town called "Kings River Switch". Kingsburg started out as a flag stop on the Central Pacific Railroad called Kings River Switch. In 1874 Kingsburg was called Wheatville and had a post office, later that year they changed the name to Kingsbury. During this time period, Josiah Draper and Andrew Farley each owned a quarter section, about 160 acres (65 ha), Draper on the east side of the railroad tracks and Farley on the west side of the tracks. So it was suggested that the east side be called Drapersville and the west side called Farleyville. Two years after that it became Kingsburgh and in January 1894 took on its present spelling, "Kingsburg", which was finally established as a town in 1908. By 1921, ninety-four percent of the population within a three-mile radius of Kingsburg was Swedish American, giving the community the nickname of "Little Sweden". To keep up with the town's Swedish history they have most retail businesses designed in Swedish architecture.