Bakersfield is a city in Kern County, California, United States. It is the county seat and largest city of Kern County. The city covers about 151 sq mi (390 km2) near the southern end of the San Joaquin Valley and the Central Valley region. Bakersfield's population as of the 2020 census was 403,455, making it the 48th-most populous city in the United States of America and the 9th-most populous city in California. The Bakersfield–Delano Metropolitan Statistical Area, which includes all of Kern County, had a 2020 census population of 909,235, making it the 62nd-largest metropolitan area in the United States. The more built-up portion of the metro area that includes Bakersfield and areas immediately around the city, such as East Bakersfield, Oildale, and Rosedale, has a population of 523,994.
The San Joaquin Valley is the area of the Central Valley of the U.S. state of California that lies south of the Sacramento–San Joaquin River Delta and is drained by the San Joaquin River. It comprises seven counties of Northern and one of Southern California, including, in the north, all of San Joaquin and Kings counties, most of Stanislaus, Merced, and Fresno counties, and parts of Madera and Tulare counties, along with a majority of Kern County, in Southern California. Although the valley is predominantly rural, it has densely populated urban centers: Fresno, Bakersfield, Stockton, Modesto, Tulare, Visalia, Hanford, and Merced.
State Route 58 is a major east-west state highway in the U.S. state of California that runs across the Coast Ranges, the southern San Joaquin Valley, the Tehachapi Mountains, which border the southern Sierra Nevada, and the Mojave Desert. It runs between U.S. Route 101 near Santa Margarita and Interstate 15 in Barstow. It has junctions with Interstate 5 near Buttonwillow, State Route 99 in Bakersfield, State Route 202 in Tehachapi, State Route 14 near Mojave, and U.S. Route 395 at Kramer Junction. SR 58 also provides access to Edwards Air Force Base. At various points it is known as the Calf Canyon Highway, Carrisa Highway, Bakersfield-McKittrick Highway, Rosa Parks Highway, Rosedale Highway, Barstow-Bakersfield Highway, Bakersfield Tehachapi Highway, Kern County Korean War Veterans Memorial Highway, and Mojave-Barstow Highway.
State Route 178 is a state highway in the U.S. state of California that exists in two constructed segments. The gap in between segments is connected by various local roads and State Route 190 through Death Valley National Park. The western segment runs from State Route 99 in Bakersfield and over the Walker Pass in the Sierra Nevada to the turnoff for the Trona Pinnacles National Natural Landmark. The eastern segment runs from the southeasterly part of Death Valley to Nevada State Route 372 at the Nevada state line.
Bakersfield station is an intermodal facility in Bakersfield, California. It is the southern terminus of Amtrak California's San Joaquins route, with Amtrak Thruway buses continuing to Amtrak stations and bus stops throughout Southern California and Nevada. The station opened with a celebration on July 4, 2000. It contains an 8,300-square-foot (770 m2) train station with two platforms and three tracks, as well as a 17-bay bus station.
The Fresno County Public Library provides books, ebooks, music, movies, magazines, newspapers, reference assistance, wireless Internet access and a variety of other services at its 35 locations throughout Fresno County, California. The library system is headquartered in Fresno, at the Central Library.
East Bakersfield is a region in Bakersfield, California directly east of downtown. The region was formerly known as the town of Sumner, which was later incorporated and renamed Kern City. It is primarily a mixture of residential and commercial developments. It also contains a small business district centered on the intersection of Baker and Sumner streets. Census data is provided on the right for the time period when the region was an independent town and city. It is part of the Bakersfield urban area of almost 500,000 people.
Golden Empire Transit is the operator of mass transportation in Bakersfield, California. There are 16 routes serving Greater Bakersfield, which includes both the City of Bakersfield and adjacent unincorporated communities. It, however, does not serve Rio Bravo, which is too rural for urban bus service though it is part of the city. Since 2005, the entire bus fleet is powered by compressed natural gas. In 2021, the system had a ridership of 3,065,800, or about 9,300 per weekday as of the fourth quarter of 2021.
Mill Creek is a linear park located in Bakersfield, California. It runs along the Kern Island Canal between Golden State Avenue and California Avenue in downtown, although there is a gap between 19th Street and the BNSF railroad yard. The center of the park is Central Park, the only park in downtown. The park contains a lake with spray fountains and the “Mill Creek” bridge. It is also home to the Bakersfield Museum of Art and the Bakersfield Community House.
Jastro Park is a public park located in Bakersfield, California. It was constructed on two square blocks of land at the corner of Truxtun Ave. and Elm St, in Westchester.
The Kern Veterans Memorial is a monument located in Kern County, California. It honors all Kern County residents who served in the armed forces, both in peacetime and in war. It is located in downtown Bakersfield, at the corner of Truxtun Ave. and S St. The memorial is adjacent to the Kern County Visitors Bureau, Bakersfield Amtrak Station, and Beale Memorial Library. It is also in between the two segments of Mill Creek.
Kern County’s transportation system was quoted as the “unseen industry.” Located at the southern end of the San Joaquin Valley, the county is at a prime location to ship goods west to the central coast, south to ports in Los Angeles, and east to corridors that connect to the rest of the country. It is also on major corridors that link to all northern points.
Downtown is the central business district for Bakersfield, California. It contains several of the cities major theaters, sporting complexes, museums, and historical landmarks.
Beale Memorial Clock Tower is a clock tower located in Bakersfield, California. It was a gift to the city; built by Truxtun Beale in memory of his mother, Mary Edwards Beale. It was dedicated on April 4, 1904, and was built in the middle of the intersection of 17th St. and Chester Ave. When he was ambassador to Spain, Beale was inspired by a clock tower he saw there. He hired architect Clinton Day to design it.
The Kern County Museum is a history museum located in Bakersfield, California. Its main focus is the history of Kern County. Pioneer Village, located on 16 acres (65,000 m2), contains over 50 original buildings from around the county, related to life in the late 19th century. Other features include: Lori Brock Children's Discovery Center, Black Gold exhibit, and Neon Plaza. The museum is accredited by the American Alliance of Museums.
The First Baptist Church, also known as the Bell Towers, is a historic church complex built in 1931 in Bakersfield, California and presently used as an office building. The structure was placed on the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) on January 2, 1979.
The Tevis Block, also known as the Kern County Land Company Building, is a historic office building in Bakersfield, California. The structure was placed on the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) on March 29, 1984.
Bakersfield provides a wide variety of arts and culture.
The South Chester Line was a line of the Bakersfield and Kern Electric Railway. The route originated at the intersection of 19th Street and Chester Avenue, and traveled south on Chester. At the southern end of the line, there was a loop around 8th Street, N Street, and 11th Street. The line was constructed in 1903, as part of the original expansion plan. It closed in 1939.
The following is a timeline of the history of the city of Bakersfield, California, USA.
