Former WWII bomb range

Long before it became part of the Bonadelle Ranchos subdivision in Madera County, about six square miles of land east of Madera and north of Fresno served as a practice bombing range for the U.S. Army and Navy during World War II.

The property was leased by the U.S. government from August 1941 through 1946. It was sold to the Bonadelle Ranchos Corporation in 1965. Several residents reported finding mortar shells and other ordnance on their properties in the early 1980s.
Chart: Tim Sheehan | The Fresno BeeSource: U.S. Army