Kern County, California
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| Kern County, California | |
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| Map | |
 Location in the state of California |
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| Statistics | |
| Formed | 1866 |
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| Seat | Bakersfield |
| Area - Total - Land - Water |
21,138 km² (8,161 mi²) 21,085 km² (8,141 mi²) 53 km² (20 mi²), 0.25% |
| Population - (2000) - Density |
661,645 31/km² |
| Website: www.co.kern.ca.us | |
Kern County is a county located in the southern Central Valley of the U.S. state of California. Established in 1866, it extends east beyond the southern slope of the Eastern Sierra Nevada range into the Mojave Desert, and includes parts of the Western Indian Wells Valley, and Northern Antelope Valley, north of Los Angeles County, an area larger than the state of Massachusetts. From the Sierras the county extends across the floor of the San Joaquin Valley to the eastern edge of the Temblor Range, part of the Coastal Ranges. To the south the county extends over the ridge of the Tehachapi Mountains. As of the 2000 census, its population is 661,645, but recent California Department of Finance estimates place the county population at 779,869. The county seat is Bakersfield (since 1874) with the original county seat being the former mining town of Havilah in the mountains between Bakersfield and Tehachapi.
The county has a large agricultural base and is a significant producer of oil, natural gas, hydro-electric power, wind-turbine power, and geothermal power. As of 2004, Kern remains California's top oil-producing county, with over 85% of the state's 43,000 oil wells. The county accounts for one-tenth of overall U.S. oil production, and three of the five largest U.S. oil fields are in Kern County. Kern is also noted for its mineral wealth, including gold, borite, and kernite.
Edwards Air Force Base, China Lake Naval Air Weapons Station, and Mojave Spaceport are located in Kern County (the latter being owned and operated by the county itself.)
Kern County is home to the world's largest open pit mine at Boron, which mines borax.
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[edit] History
The Kern County area was first claimed by the Spanish in 1769. In 1772, Commander Don Pedro Fages became the first European to enter the area; the expedition entered via the Grapevine Canyon (later the site of the Ridge Route along U.S. 99 and now Interstate 5). Walker Pass was discovered in 1834 and is an important pass across the Sierra Nevada because it was one of the few passes not snowed in by winter snows. It is now a National Historic Landmark. In 1848, the Kern area was ceded to the United States as part of the transfer of California, Nevada, and Utah and other lands under the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo.
Kern County was created in 1866 and was dominated by mining in the mountains and desert. The area of the San Joaquin Valley was considered inhospitable and impassable at the time due to the various swamps, lakes, sharp tule reeds, and diseases such as malaria. This would change when settlers started draining lands for farming and constructing canals, most dug by hand by hired Chinese laborers, to both irrigate and drain these lands. Within ten years the area of the San Joaquin Valley surpassed the mining areas as the economic influencers of the county and the county seat was moved from Havilah to Bakersfield in 1874.
Tensions between Native Americans (mostly Mohave and Paiutes) following attacks on miners and encroaching settlers in the mountains turned deadly on several occasions. Most notably the ghost town of Keyesville is the location where 5 Indians were killed in cold blood in 1856, and another 35 in were killed by soldiers in the 1863 Keyesville Massacre. The Indians of the San Joaquin Valley, the Yokuts, were peaceful and friendly. There were no reported problems between them and settlers. Spanish explorer Father Francisco Garces befriended the Yokuts at villages at the present day Garces Circle and across the railroad tracks from the campus of Bakersfield High School both on Bakersfield. They lived in Hogans along the different branches of the Kern River Delta and hunted the thousands of antelope, tule elk, deer, grizzley bears, fish, and game birds that lived in the San Joaquin Valley at the time. The Yokuts for the most part died from diseases with a few assimilating into the white man's culture. Many of the Paiute still live in the mountain areas of eastern Kern County, however, there are no reservations in Kern County such as there are in other counties.
Kern County was formed in 1866 from parts of Los Angeles and Tulare Counties. The county derives its name from the Kern River which was named for Edward Kern, topographer for General John C. Fremont's 1845 expedition, which crossed Walker Pass. The Kern River was originally named Rio Bravo de San Felipe by Father Francisco Garces when he explored the area in 1776.
Kern County was the site of the Battle of San Emigdio. A battle between Indians of the Santa Barbara Mission who rebelled against the Mexican government taking over mission property and throwing the Indians out on their own. This battle between Mexican forces that came down from Monterrey occurred at the canyon where San Emigdio Creek flows San Emigdio Mountain and the Blue Ridge south of Bakersfield near Highway 166.
Former U.S. Ambassador and U.S. Army General Edward Beale established and owned the massive Tejon Ranch in the mountains south of Bakersfield. It was actually the consolidation of four separate Mexican Rancheros he purchased in 1846 after his part in winning California independence in the Bear Flag Revolt against corrupt and inept Mexican government officials. Today, the Tejon Ranch is the largest piece of privately owned land in all of California. The Beale Memorial Library, Beale Avenue, General Beale Road, The Beale Memorial Clock Tower, and Truxtun Avenue are named after the influential Beale family, both for Edward and his wife, and their son Truxtun.
Fort Tejon was built at the top of the Grapevine Canyon to protect peaceful Indians living on rancheros and miners in the mountains of present-day Kern County from hostile Mohave and Paiute Indians. The fort was built in the early 1850's after California's annexation into the U.S. and is located next to the Ridge Route (now known as I-5) just north of the town of Lebec. Today the fort is a state historic park and features Civil War re-enactments.
Elk Hills, one of the largest oil fields in Kern County, was involved in the affair remembered as the Teapot Dome Scandal, the most famous example of corruption of U.S. President Warren G. Harding's administration. In 1923, it was revealed that Harding's Secretary of the Interior, Albert Fall, transferred portions of the naval petroleum reserves into private hands without competitive bidding, and in the case of Elk Hills, in exchange for personal 'loans.' The illicit deals involved the reserves at Elk Hills in Kern County and at Teapot Dome in Wyoming.
On July 21, 1952, an earthquake with epicenter in Kern County measuring 7.3 on the Richter scale killed 12 people. The Kern County earthquake was the largest earthquake to strike Southern California since the Fort Tejon earthquake of 1857 and the Lone Pine earthquake of 1872, and it caused immense and widespread damage. In addition to the 12 fatalities, it was responsible for at least 18 injuries and caused at least $50 million in property damage. It was followed by several aftershocks, at least 20 of which were of magnitude 5.0 or greater. The quake occurred on the White Wolf Fault and was the second strongest quake in California history, second only to the 1906 San Francisco earthquake.
As home to Edwards Air Force Base the Air Force's main flight test facility, Kern County has been the site of many aeronautic milestones, including the first supersonic flight and the first landing of the Space Shuttle. Kern County is also the home of the first inland spaceport in the United States, the Mojave Spaceport. Kern County is also home to the China Lake Naval Air Weapons Station at Ridgecrest where many of the weapons used by the Navy today were tested and developed, including the Sidewinder missile.
Between 1983 and 1986, several ritual sex ring child abuse cases allegedly occurred in Kern County. These resulted in numerous long prison sentences, all of which were overturned, some only decades later. The Kern County cases marked the beginning of a series of similar cases all over North America and beyond.
Currently, Kern County is represented by 5 District Supervisors. John McQuiston representing the 1st District, Don Maben representing the 2nd District, Barbara Patrick representing the 3rd District, Ray Watson representing the 4th District, and Michael J. Rubio representing the 5th District.
[edit] Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 21,138 km² (8,161 mi²). 21,085 km² (8,141 mi²) of it is land and 53 km² (20 mi²) of it (0.25%) is water.
[edit] Cities
- Arvin
- Bakersfield, the major city & home of Bakersfield College and CSU - Bakersfield
- California City
- Delano
- Maricopa
- McFarland
- Ridgecrest
- Shafter
- Taft
- Tehachapi
- Wasco
[edit] Towns and CDPs
The following are towns or census-designated places within Kern County:
[edit] Adjacent Counties
- Los Angeles County, California - south
- Ventura County, California - south
- Santa Barbara County, California - southwest
- San Luis Obispo County, California - west
- Kings County, California - northwest
- Tulare County, California - north
- Inyo County, California - northeast
- San Bernardino County, California - east
[edit] Transportation Infrastructure
[edit] Major Highways
Interstate 5
U.S. Highway 395
California State Route 14
California State Route 33
California State Route 43
California State Route 46
California State Route 58
California State Route 65
California State Route 99
California State Route 119
California State Route 155
California State Route 166
California State Route 178
California State Route 184
California State Route 204
California State Route 223
[edit] Demographics
As of the census² of 2000, there were 661,645 people, 208,652 households, and 156,489 families residing in the county. The population density was 31/km² (81/mi²). There were 231,564 housing units at an average density of 11/km² (28/mi²). The racial makeup of the county was 61.60% White, 6.02% Black or African American, 3.37% Asian, 1.51% Native American, 0.15% Pacific Islander, 23.22% from other races, and 4.14% from two or more races. 38.39% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There were 208,652 households out of which 42.20% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.60% were married couples living together, 14.50% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.00% were non-families. 20.30% of all households were made up of individuals and 7.80% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.03 and the average family size was 3.50.
In the county the population was spread out with 31.90% under the age of 18, 10.20% from 18 to 24, 29.80% from 25 to 44, 18.70% from 45 to 64, and 9.40% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 31 years. For every 100 females there were 105.30 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 105.30 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $35,446, and the median income for a family was $39,403. Males had a median income of $38,097 versus $25,876 for females. The per capita income for the county was $15,760. About 16.80% of families and 20.80% of the population were below the poverty line, including 27.80% of those under age 18 and 10.50% of those age 65 or over.
The center of population of California is located in Kern County, in the town of Buttonwillow [1].
[edit] External links
- County website
- Kern government web portal
- Kern County Farm Bureau
- Kern County Hispanic Chamber of Commerce
- Keysville Massacre, April 19, 1863 - original report from officer in charge.
Incorporated places
Bakersfield (County seat) • Arvin • California City • Delano • Maricopa • McFarland • Ridgecrest • Shafter • Taft • Tehachapi • Wasco
Census-designated places
Bear Valley Springs • Bodfish • Boron • Buttonwillow • China Lake Acres • Ford City • Derby Acres • Dustin Acres • Fellows • Frazier Park • Golden Hills • Inyokern • Johannesburg • Keene • Kernville • Lake Isabella • Lake of the Woods • Lamont • Lebec • Lost Hills • McKittrick • Mettler • Mojave • Mountain Mesa • North Edwards • Oildale • Onyx • Pine Mountain Club • Randsburg • Rosamond • Rosedale • South Taft • Squirrel Mountain Valley • Stallion Springs • Taft Heights • Tupman • Valley Acres • Weedpatch • Weldon • Wofford Heights
Other unincorporated communities
Famoso • Grapevine • Walker Basin • Wheeler Ridge
