▁state ▁of ▁California ▁is ▁located ▁between ▁North ▁F ork ▁and ▁Italian ▁Bar . ▁The ▁point ▁is ▁about ▁ ▁driving ▁distance ▁from ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁Forest ▁Service ▁office ▁in ▁North ▁F ork . ▁The ▁location ▁is ▁marked ▁by ▁a ▁sign ▁and ▁a ▁survey ▁marker . ▁N AD 8 3 ▁coordinates ▁for ▁the ▁exact ▁center ▁of ▁California ▁are ▁ ▁The ▁F res no ▁County ▁line ▁is ▁less ▁than ▁one ▁mile ▁( 1 . 6   km ), ▁( stra ight - line ▁distance ), ▁from ▁the ▁site ' s ▁survey ▁marker . ▁The ▁site ▁is ▁also ▁marked ▁on ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁Forest ▁Service ▁road ▁map ▁of ▁Sierra ▁National ▁Forest , ▁which ▁can ▁be ▁purchased ▁at ▁the ▁North ▁F ork ▁US FS ▁office . ▁The ▁actual ▁site ▁has ▁wooden ▁st airs ▁leading ▁up ▁the ▁hill side ▁about ▁ 5 0 ▁feet ▁from ▁the ▁road . ▁The ▁marker ▁is ▁not ▁wheel ch air ▁accessible . ▁ ▁Cl imate ▁North ▁F ork ▁has ▁a ▁Mediter rane an ▁climate ▁( K ö ppen ▁C fa ) ▁with ▁cool , ▁ra iny ▁winter s ▁and ▁hot , ▁dry ▁sum mers . ▁Its ▁average ▁annual ▁precip itation ▁is ▁. ▁Its ▁hard iness ▁zone ▁is ▁ 7 b . ▁ ▁History ▁The ▁town ' s ▁original ▁inhabitants ▁were ▁members ▁of ▁the ▁Mon o ▁tribe , ▁who ▁still ▁compr ise ▁a ▁significant ▁portion ▁of ▁the ▁population ▁( 9 . 4 % ▁according ▁to ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 0 ▁Census ). ▁The ▁town ▁was ▁originally ▁named ▁Brown ' s ▁after ▁its ▁first ▁white