In the early days, a flowing spring beside a large green bush drew wild horses, deer, elk, and antelope, and it also served as a watering place for sheep and cattle. The presence of this water led the railroad in 1872 to locate its station and townsite here. The proposed town was first shown on a map as Green Bush, but because of its central location in Fresno County, Leland Stanford changed the name to Fresno Station. In 1873, when the official map was filed, it was entitled Town of Fresno.