Frederick Erwin Knowles founded the community after buying the land from Frank Ducy and organizing the Raymond Granite Company at what had been called "Ducys Rock Pile." In 1899, the company built a spur track from the quarry to the main line at Raymond, and the railroad was called the "Knowles Spur," giving the community its name. Knowles built a school house in 1891, Fresno County took over the school in 1892, and after the county was divided in 1893, the district became part of Madera County.