District #4 Supervisor Tim Hansen

District 4 of Mono County is the counties’ northern most district and includes the communities of Lee Vining, Bridgeport, Walker, Coleville, and Topaz.  In addition to many beautiful lakes and streams in our High Sierra Mountains, District 4 also includes the Tioga Pass road to the east gate of Yosemite National Park, Mono Lake, Bodie Ghost Town State Park, the East and West Walker Rivers, Sonora Pass, Monitor Pass, and Topaz Lake.

I have been fortunate enough to spend most of my life on the north shore of Mono Lake.  In the 1940's, my grandfather began harvesting Mono Lake salts on our family property.  This is the property where my wife and I built our home and where we have lived for the past 30 years.  I became a year-round resident after discharge from the U.S. Army in 1969.  Since that time, I have had many forms of employment in this beautiful place that we call home.  We have owned High Sierra Brine Shrimp Co. for the past 20 years.  District four is its own unique part of Mono County and it has its own unique problems.  With my background, I look forward to being a good representative for the people of Mono County and District 4. 

The economy of our unique district is based on recreational tourism and agriculture.  Camping, hiking, fishing, hunting, horseback rides, bicycling; mountain biking, off-road vehicle trails, and back county snow shoeing and skiing are popular activities.  Historical touring and geological exploring are also activities enjoyed by tourists from all over the world.  Agricultural businesses are cattle and sheep, alfalfa and other crops, and trout aquaculture.

The 4th District has a rich history that includes the Piaute Indian Tribe, and the California Gold Rush that began in the Eastern Sierra in 1857 at Dogtown just south of the town of Bridgeport.  In addition, John C. Fremont explored the area during one of his famous crossings of the Sierra in the 1840’s.  The town of Bodie exploded into prominence after the discovery of gold there in 1859.  By the 1870’s Bodie was the second largest city in California, and continued to produce gold until the 1930’s.  Bridgeport became the Mono County Seat in the early 1860’s, and the famous Bridgeport Courthouse was built in 1880.  It stands today as the second oldest courthouse in California still in use as a courthouse.