Bakersfield Off The Beaten Path

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The Indian on the circle, he stood there very proud. All the cars would circle and he would draw a crowd. Many would look in amazement, at the largeness he possessed. Others drew back a bow and sent an arrow into his mighty chest. He always seemed to be standing there, watching and protecting everyone below. Then the sad day came along, it was time for him to go. Standard Jr. High School was building a new gym. This seemed like the perfect place for him to fit right in. The school was called the Warriors, and a Warrior he would be, but standing in his brand new gym was not his destiny. Rules and regulations, and policies came around. So the mighty Warrior was hauled to a vacant lot and laid upon the ground. For seventeen years he laid there not knowing his next quest. Then a cowboy came along and said, “I’m going to do my best”. He decided to relocate him for everyone to see, because this mighty Indian is part of our hometown history. Forty years later on the cowboys ranch standing tall and proud. He hadn’t lost his spirit, he still knew how to draw a crowd. In 1999 he was taken to North High to be entered on a float. It wasn’t any surprise that he won the hearts of the judges as well as all of their votes. The cowboy sold his ranch, but kept his word as a man, he promised to relocate the Indian to a place of honor for him to stand. The moral of the journey is to take life in stride, and to always just remember, there’s many more happy trails to ride. Marv 2000 Marv Rohlfing and Peppy.

From the West Hwy 58, exit onto Mt. Vernon Ave and head east to you see Alfred Harrel Hwy, you will come to a small interchange make sure you cross over on the over pass to the other side and you will see a access road to the right, turn right.

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I put places like these on my pages because people forget. I don't want people to forget our pioneers. If it were not for folks like these, we would not be here today.

This small lot holds the remains of 300 Chinese immigrants who came to America looking for work and new home. They brought with them the shear grit to work hard labor and endure grueling long hours. The railroad was quick to hire them because they kept to themselves, worked hard, and was always quiet. As little they were paid by the railroad they were still able to feed themselves and save money. Many bought farms and business and still managed to prosper through such difficult times of racial discrimination. Sadly, the Chinese cemetery that was established in 1870s near Terrace Way that used to stretch along an old farm field that belonged to Yen Ming at one time. Many of graves were forgotten, not marked, and not taken care of. So a gentleman by the name of C.D. Holden a petroleum engineer decided these remains needed to be moved to protect them. Real estate in Bakersfield was booming after WWII and housing needed to be built and oil needed to be pumped. So after convincing the local Chinese Benevolent Association, Chung Wah, they agreed to help the removal and hopefully indentify the ancestors. This memorial was erected in 1958 and is adjacent to Union Cemetery. The pagoda design was by architect Allan Choy.

The words on the plaque in front, was accomplished by the hard work of “Chung Wah members, Mrs. Sing Lum, Earl Wong, Bill Lee, C. Choy, Jack Chow Wong, and D.L. Joe. Jack Chow Wong, who inscribed all the names in a book, and Gregory Lim wrote a plaque in poetic antique Chinese verse. The plaque recognized the hardships faced by Chinese immigrants, expressed the reason for disturbing the remains, expressed regret, and thanked those of the non-Chinese community who helped Chinese immigrants of the early years. “It happened that a Westerner by the name of Horton [sic, Holden] was willing to change the use of his land so that the early residents of Chinese descent would have peace.” (Boyd, op cit, p 237)” Gilbert Gia, 2002. http://www.gilbertgia.com/hist_articles/civRights/chinese_cemetery_aj_civ.pdf

It sits right across the residential area that has seen better days, but they are still homes with loving families. Even though the crime in this area is high. Yet, it sits proudly still and you can sense some peace while the world around it revolves. The Memorial is fenced off, but it needs loads of TLC.

Exit onto Union Ave from Hwy 58 head North and turn right onto 6th street and left on Tulare, you cannot miss it.

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Bakersfield may be the only U.S. city that had distinct Chinatowns at the same time. These were called Old and New Chinatown. Old Chinatown was located where Highway 178 today comes into downtown Bakersfield from the east, between K and N and 20th and 23rd streets. The only remains are China Alley, the Ying On Chinese Association building and the Confucius Church. The famous 1903 shootout between the outlaw Jim McKinney and lawman Will Tibbet (among others) took place there. New Chinatown was between Q and R and 17th and 19th, near the Bill Lee's and Rice Bowl restaurants. All that remains there is the Let Sing Gong Temple. The people in Old Chinatown and New Chinatown were from different districts in China and spoke different dialects -- and they didn't always get along. A small number of them settled near the Southern Pacific Railroad depot in the Old Town area.

Some Chinese also worked for Col. Thomas Baker, one of the founders of Bakersfield, as domestics, or farmed for him. He gave some of them plots of land to farm on their own. One of those plots belonged to Lee Guey and was across the street from where Sam Lynn Ball Park is today.

Chinese also participated in Kern County oil production in Oildale, Taft, Maricopa and McKittrick. In the 1890s and early 1900s, they farmed asphalt and oil out of tar pits. They also had businesses in the westside Chinatowns, were cooks in oil fields, and in one case, sold sheep to the oil workers. Some Chinese immigrants sold vegetables to oil workers on both the west side and Oildale~Ellen Miller of Kernville is co-author of "The Chinese of Kern County".

18th Street Bakersfield, CA 93301

Located at: Exit Highway 58 onto Chester Ave and once you pass under the railroad and Truxton, look for 18th street, turn right. Next to Mexicali Restaurant.

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This is a photographer’s delight and many commercials, and movies are filmed here because of the beautiful wide landscape.

In 1850's General Edward Fitzgerald Beale a hero of the Mexican American War, purchase the bulk of what is Tejon Ranch today. He was also the first to bring news to the President of Washington DC of the gold discover here in California. He is also the founder of the first Indian Reservation in 1853, where Indians, Hispanics and Anglos worked together in agriculture. He helped established Fort Tejon, which experimented with the Camel Corps (that must have been amusing:-) and Butterfield Overland Mail Stage Stop.

His son Truxton eventually purchased the property in 1912 along with a group of pioneer businesses, which today is Tejon Ranch Co.

Tejon Ranch is celebrating its 160 years as one of the most significant ranches due to being the largest pieces of land under single ownership in California. Over 270,000 acres of one the most beautiful expansions of land you'll ever see.

I know, because I cherish the vastness when driving to Bakersfield. It is breath taking to see that we still live in a land so beautiful.

It is one of America's last great historic ranches that still operates towards farming and ranching, which continues to be a primary focus. Almonds, pistachios walnuts and wine grapes are among the chief crops, while more than 10,000 head of cattle graze on the land each year.

Yet, as most business find, it has to give up some of this prime land to develop communities and industrial development which will produce jobs and income into the communities.

You can see this wonderful landscape from Highway 5 Grape Vine and off the Highway 58. These two freeways are miles and miles away from each other so it is a wide space of land.

P.O. Box 1000 Lebec, California 93243

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Located at 1712 19th Street. This was built in 1893 as a Renaissance Revival. This served as the Kern co. Land Company until it outgrown itself and was sold in 1959.

This is a very beautiful brick building. It was will catch your eye if your any kind of a historian.

On the list of National Register of Historic Places #84000780

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A Renaissance Revival style building. Located at 1626 19th Street. It pretty much looks the way it is as it was when it was built. I has a very lovely mural on the side where there is parking.

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The library built in 1915 is a classic example of Italian Renaissance version of Greek Revival Federal public building architecture. Architect O.L. Clark was commissioned by the City of Bakersfield to design the library. In the 1980's the building underwent architectural renovation and seismic retrofit. It was placed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Hours:
Mon 11am-7pm
Tue- Sat Closed
Library Activities

Facts About the Branch:
Materials Checked out-13,583
Library Holdings-17,742
Weekly Hours-Open 8
Year Built-1915
Square Feet-4,242

1400 Baker Street
Bakersfield, CA 93305

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This area was once the City of Sumner, it began after a dispute between Southern Pacific Railroad and the city of Bakersfield, the railroad bypassed the city and laid out their own town in 1874. Named in honor of Joseph W. Sumner, mine owner and judge. The Sumner post office opened in 1876. (Durham, David L. (1998). California's Geographic Names: A Gazetteer of Historic and Modern Names of the State. Quill Driver Books. p. 997.) By 1892 it became Kern, but by 1910, the city became East Bakersfield, annexed to the City of Bakersfield.

It's suppose to be abandon, but you see Union Pacific trucks around it all the time. Its fenced off due to the area. So be careful if you venture this way and do NOT come here at night.

Located on Baker & Sumner Street.