Hanford highlight
Kings County seat
Hanford became the county seat when Kings County was established on March 22, 1893, from the western part of Tulare County, and has served as the seat of government for over 130 years.
When California legislators created Kings County on March 22, 1893, they named Hanford as its county seat, a role it has filled continuously for 133 years. The city was already two years old, having been incorporated on August 12, 1891 after the Southern Pacific Railroad laid tracks through the San Joaquin Valley. The choice of Hanford as the seat reflected its location and early importance as a regional center.
As county seat, Hanford hosts the Kings County Courthouse and government offices that serve a county population of over 152,000 people. The courthouse building anchors the downtown and represents the city's role in the region's legal, administrative and community affairs. County fairs, civic events, and public hearings draw residents from across the county to Hanford.
Serving as a county seat shapes a city's character: there is always a stream of people conducting business with government, and the seat becomes a hub where diverse county residents meet. For many county residents, whether they live in Hanford or elsewhere in Kings County, the courthouse represents stability and continuity. That sense of continuity is also what families seek from insurance: a promise that essential protections won't disappear when circumstances change.