Kern County, California
Map
Location in the state of California
California's location in the U.S.
Statistics
Founded	1866
Seat	Bakersfield
Area  - Total  - Land  - Water	8,161 sq mi (21,137 km²) 8,141 sq mi (21,085 km²) 20 sq mi (52 km²), 0. California ( is a US state on the West Coast of the United States, along the Pacific Ocean. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the Year 1866 ( MDCCCLXVI) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common A county seat is a term for an Administrative center for a County, primarily used in the United States. Area is a Quantity expressing the two- Dimensional size of a defined part of a Surface, typically a region bounded by a closed Curve. The square mile is an imperial and US unit of Area equal the area of a square of one statute mile. Square Kilometre ( US spelling square kilometer) symbol km2, is a decimal multiple of the SI unit of 25%
Population  - (2000)  - Density	661,645 80/sq mi (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. In Biology a population is the collection of inter-breeding organisms of a particular Species; in Sociology Population density (in agriculture standing stock and Standing crop) is a measurement of Population per unit area or unit volume A county is a Land area of Regional Government within a larger State. The Central Valley is a large flat valley that dominates the central portion of the U A US state is any one of the fifty subnational entities of the United States of America that share Sovereignty with the federal government California ( is a US state on the West Coast of the United States, along the Pacific Ocean. 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 Indian Wells Valley, and the Antelope Valley, and has an area larger than the state of Connecticut. The Sierra Nevada ( Spanish for "Snowy Range" is a Mountain range located in the U For the indigenous American tribe see Mohave. The Mojave Desert (moʊˈhɑːvi or /məˈhɑːvi/ ( Hayikwiir Mat'aar in Mojave The Antelope Valley in California, United States is located in northern Los Angeles County and the southeastern portion of Kern County Connecticut ( is a state located in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. 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. The Tehachapi Mountains (təˈhætʃəˌpi are a short transverse range in southern California in the United States, running SW-NE connecting 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. A county seat is a term for an Administrative center for a County, primarily used in the United States. Havilah is an unincorporated mountain community located in northeastern Kern County, California.

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 active oil wells. "MMIV" redirects here For the Modest Mouse album see " Baron von Bullshit Rides Again " West Texas PumpjackJPG|thumb|right|300px|This Pumpjack located south of Midland TX is a common sight in West Texas. 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. A mineral is a naturally occurring substance formed through geological processes that has a characteristic chemical composition a highly ordered atomic structure and specific Gold (ˈɡoʊld is a Chemical element with the symbol Au (from its Latin name aurum) and Atomic number 79 Kernite, also known as rasorite is a hydrated Sodium Borate Hydroxide mineral with formula Na2B4O6(OH2·3H2O

Edwards Air Force Base, China Lake Naval Air Weapons Station, and Mojave Spaceport are located in Kern County (the latter owned and operated by the county government)

Kern County is home to California's largest open pit mine at Boron, which mines borax. Edwards Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base located on the border of Kern County and Los Angeles County California in the Antelope Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake or NAWS China Lake is an airborne weapons testing and training range operated by the United States Navy and its contractors Borax (from Persian burah) also known as sodium borate, sodium tetraborate, or disodium tetraborate, is an important Boron ^[1]

The American Lung Association ranked Kern County as the most ozone-polluted county in the nation in 2006. The American Lung Association ( ALA) is a Non-profit organization that "fights lung disease in all its forms with special emphasis on Asthma, ^[2]

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. Don Pedro Fages Beleta ( Pere Fages i Beleta) (1734&ndash1794 nicknamed El Oso, was a Soldier, explorer and the second Spanish military Governor The expedition entered via the Grapevine Canyon (later the site of the Ridge Route along U.S. 99 and now Interstate 5). Grapevine is an unincorporated community in Kern County located at the foot of a road grade known as the Grapevine through Tejon Pass in the Tehachapi The Ridge Route, officially the Castaic-Tejon Route, is a narrow two-lane Highway in the northern Greater Los Angeles Area of the U US Route 99 was the main north-south highway on the West Coast of the United States until 1964 running from Calexico California, on the U Route description Southern California See also San Diego Freeway, Santa Ana Freeway, Golden State Freeway Interstate 5 starts Walker Pass was discovered in 1834 and is an important pass across the Sierra Nevada as it is one of the few not closed by winter snows. Walker Pass (el 5250 ft / 1600 m is a Mountain pass in the southern Sierra Nevada mountains The Sierra Nevada ( Spanish for "Snowy Range" is a Mountain range located in the U It is now a National Historic Landmark. A National Historic Landmark (NHL is a Building, site, Structure, Object, or District, that is officially recognized by the 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. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the California ( is a US state on the West Coast of the United States, along the Pacific Ocean. Nevada ( is a state located in the western region of the United States of America. The State of Utah (ˈjuːtɔː or) is a western state of the United States. The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo ( Tratado de Guadalupe Hidalgo in Spanish) is the Peace treaty, largely dictated by the United States to

The Havilah Court building was restored in the 1970s and now serves as a museum. Photo circa 2007.

Kern County was created in 1866 with the county seat located in the now abandoned mining town of Havilah. Havilah is an unincorporated mountain community located in northeastern Kern County, California. In its beginning, Kern County 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 swamps, lakes, tule reeds, and diseases such as malaria. This changed when settlers started draining lands for farming and constructing canals, most dug by hand by hired Chinese laborers, to irrigate and drain these lands. Within 10 years the area of the San Joaquin Valley surpassed the mining areas as the economic influence 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 1856, and another 35 in were killed by soldiers in the 1863 Keyesville Massacre. A ghost town is a Town or City that has been abandoned usually because the economic activity that supported it has failed or due to natural or human-caused Relations with other tribes were more cordial. The Haidu lived on the Tejon Ranch under General Edward Beale's protection on Ranchos, and relations between Beale and the Chiefs were cordial. The Yokut Indians of the San Joaquin Valley were peaceful and friendly. Spanish explorer Father Francisco Garces befriended the Yokuts at villages at the present day Garces Circle. They lived in Hogans along the branches of the Kern River Delta and hunted antelope, tule elk, deer, grizzly bear, fish, and game birds. The Yokuts for the most part died from diseases, with a few assimilating into the white man's culture. The Haidu assimilated into the local population with most intermarrying with Spanish/Mexican Californios. Californio's (Spanish for "Californian" is a term used to identify a Californian of Hispanic and/or Latin-American descent first as a part of New Spain, later Many of the Paiute still live in the mountain areas of eastern Kern County, with no reservations in Kern County as in other counties. However, the less than 100 descendants of the Haidu near Kern City attempted to reorganize as the Rio Bravo Indian Rancheria in the late 1970's.

Kern County was the site of the Battle of San Emigdio, in March 1824, between the Chumash Indians of the Santa Barbara Mission who rebelled against the Mexican government's taking over mission property and ejecting the Indians. Mission Santa Barbara, also known as Santa Barbara Mission, is a Spanish Franciscan mission near present day Santa Barbara, California This battle between Mexican forces from Monterey under the command of Cárlos Carrillo occurred at the canyon where San Emigdio Creek flows down San Emigdio Mountain and the Blue Ridge south of Bakersfield near Highway 166. The San Emigdio Mountains are a part of the Transverse Ranges in Southern California, extending from Interstate 5 at the Grapevine on the It was a low-casualty encounter, with only four Indians killed, and no Mexicans; the surviving Indians were pacified and brought back to Santa Barbara in June 1824, after a pursuit and negotiation in which many were allowed to keep their arms for the return march over the mountains. ^[3]

Former U. S. Ambassador and U. S. Army General Edward Beale established and owned the large Tejon Ranch in the mountains south of Bakersfield. It was the consolidation of four separate Mexican Ranchos 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 tract of privately owned land in California. The Beale Memorial Library, Beale Avenue, General Beale Road, The Beale Memorial Clock Tower, Beale Park, and Truxtun Avenue are named after the influential Beale family, both for Edward and his wife, and their son Truxtun.

In 1854 the First Regiment, U. S. Dragoons established Fort Tejon near the head of the Grapevine Canyon. A dragoon is a soldier intended primarily to fight on foot but trained also in Horse riding and cavalry combat especially Fort Tejon, California is a former United States Army outpost which was active from June 24 1854 until it was abandoned on September 11 1864 The post's mission was protecting peaceful Indians living on the nearby Tejon Indian Rancherias, as well as safeguarding miners from raids by hostile Mohave and Paiute Indians. The Indians of the Tejon Ranch, most of whom were Haidu, assimilated into the local population and the Rancherias no longer exist. Located next to the Ridge Route (now Interstate 5) just north of the town of Lebec, the fort is a California State Historical Park featuring living history programs and Civil War re-enactments (although no Civil War battles were fought there).

Kern County was formed in 1866 from parts of Los Angeles and Tulare Counties. Los Angeles County is a county in California and is by far the most populous county in the United States. Tulare County is a county located in the Central Valley of the U The county derives its name from the Kern River which was named for Edward Kern, cartographer for General John C. Fremont's 1845 expedition, which crossed Walker Pass. The Kern River is a river in the US state of California, approximately long John Charles Frémont ( January 21, 1813 July 13, 1890) was an American military officer, explorer, the 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 nearly named Buena Vista County for the large, and now drained, Buena Vista Lake between Bakersfield and Taft. The western half of Kern county being on the southern end of the Central Valley was regarded as infertile or semi-desert (chapparral) with less than 10,000 residents in the entire county, according to the 1866 population report.

Oil development began in the late 19th century, with the 1894 discovery of the enormous Midway-Sunset Oil Field, the third-largest in the United States. Midway-Sunset Oil Field is a large Oil field in Kern County, San Joaquin Valley, California in the United States. It was on this field, in the southwestern portion of Kern County near Maricopa, that well drillers brought about the 1910 Lakeview Gusher, the largest recorded oil gusher in U. The Lakeview Gusher Number One is regarded as the largest recorded U S. history. The oil well spewed approximately 9 million barrels for a year and a half onto the adjacent landscape before workers finally were able to cap it. ^[4] Other huge oil fields in southwestern Kern County discovered early in the 20th century include the Buena Vista Field, the South Belridge Field, and the Cymric Field, which is currently the fastest-growing field in California in terms of barrels produced per year. Buena Vista Oil Field, formerly the Naval Petroleum Reserve No The South Belridge Oil Field is a large Oil field in northwestern Kern County, San Joaquin Valley California in the United States, about forty Cymric Oil Field is a large Oil field in Kern County, California in the United States. ^[5]

Elk Hills, another one of the large oil fields in Kern County, was involved in the Teapot Dome Scandal, an infamous example of corruption of President Warren G. Harding's administration. The Elk Hills Oil Field (formerly the Naval Petroleum Reserve No Teapot Dome scandal refers to a Bribery scandal of the White House administration of United States President Warren G Warren Gamaliel Harding (November 2 1865 August 2 1923 was the twenty-ninth President of the United States, serving from 1921 until his death from a heart attack aged 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 United States Secretary of the Interior is the head of the United States Department of the Interior. Albert Bacon Fall (November 26 1861 &ndash November 30 1944 was a United States Senator from New Mexico and the Secretary of the Interior under ' The illicit deals involved the reserves at Elk Hills and at Teapot Dome in Wyoming. The Supreme Court in 1927 returned Elk Hills to public ownership, and it became the U. S. Naval Petroleum Reserve No. 1; this was to remain until 1997 when the Department of the Interior sold it to Occidental Petroleum. Occidental Petroleum Corporation (" Oxy " is an international Oil and Gas exploration and production company with operations in the United

On July 21, 1952, an earthquake with epicenter in Kern County measuring 7. Events 356 BC - Herostratus sets fire to the Temple of Artemis in Ephesus, one of the Seven Wonders of the World Year 1952 ( MCMLII) was a Leap year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. An earthquake is the result of a sudden release of energy in the Earth 's crust that creates Seismic waves Earthquakes are recorded with a Seismometer The epicenter or epicentre is the point on the Earth 's surface that is directly above the Hypocenter or focus the point where an Earthquake 3 on the Richter scale killed 12 people. The Richter magnitude scale, or more correctly local magnitude M L scale assigns a single number to quantify the amount of seismic energy released 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, causing immense and widespread damage. Southern California, or So Cal, is defined as the southern portion of the U Click here for Indian Rebellion of 1857 Year 1857 ( MDCCCLVII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display the The Great Lone Pine earthquake was one of the largest Earthquakes to hit California in recorded history Year 1872 ( MDCCCLXXII) was a Leap year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Leap year In addition to 12 fatalities, it was responsible for at least 18 injuries and over $50 million in property damage. It was followed by several aftershocks, at least 20 of which were magnitude 5. An aftershock is an Earthquake that occurs after a previous earthquake (the main shock 0 or greater. The quake occurred on the White Wolf Fault and was the third strongest quake in California history, behind the 1906 San Francisco earthquake and the 1872 Lone Pine quake.

As home to Edwards Air Force Base the Air Force's main flight test facility, Kern County has been the site of many milestones, including the first supersonic flight and the first landing of the Space Shuttle. Edwards Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base located on the border of Kern County and Los Angeles County California in the Antelope WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft. Please see WikipediaWikiProject Aircraft/page content for recommended layout NASA 's Space Shuttle, officially called the Space Transportation System ( STS) is the Spacecraft currently used by the United States Kern County is also the home of the first inland spaceport in the United States, the Mojave Spaceport. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the Kern County is also home to the China Lake Naval Air Weapons Station at Ridgecrest where many naval weapons were (and continue to be) developed and tested. Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake or NAWS China Lake is an airborne weapons testing and training range operated by the United States Navy and its contractors

Between 1983 and 1986, several ritual sex ring child abuse cases allegedly occurred in Kern County. The Kern County child abuse cases started the Day care sexual abuse hysteria of the 1980s in Kern County California. These resulted in numerous long prison sentences, all of which were overturned, some only decades later, because the prosecutors had coerced false testimonies from the children. ^[6] The Kern County cases marked the beginning of a series of similar cases all over North America and beyond. Kern County was used as a dropoff place for paroled sex offenders, as part of California Dept, of Probation policies to relocate them in rural areas 100 miles (160 km) from Los Angeles or San Francisco (urban centers).

Kern County is home to Kieffe and Sons Ford, a Ford Motor Company dealership that, in a radio advertisment in 2008, suggested Christians “just tell the other 14 percent to sit down and shut up”. A statement by the Ford Motor Company claimed that the ad was aired "in error", however a spokesman for Kieffe and Sons subsequently insisted that the dealership "stands behind" the ad, claiming that it was "the truth. "^[7]

The Kern County Clerk announced in mid-June 2008 that the county would stop performing all civil marriage ceremonies. County officials cited budget and staffing constraints. The San Francisco Chronicle reported that Clerk Ann Barnett made her decision after county lawyers told her she could not refuse to marry same-sex couples. ^[8]

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 8,161 square miles (21,138 km²), of which, 8,141 square miles (21,085 km²) of it is land and 20 square miles (53 km²) of it (0. The United States Census Bureau (officially Bureau of the Census as defined in Title) is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census 25%) is water.

Demographics

As of the census^[9] of 2000, there were 661,645 people, 208,652 households, and 156,489 families residing in the county. A census is the procedure of acquiring information about every member of a given population The population density was 81 people per square mile (31/km²). Population density (in agriculture standing stock and Standing crop) is a measurement of Population per unit area or unit volume There were 231,564 housing units at an average density of 28 per square mile (11/km²). 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. 8. 4% were of German, 7. The German people (Deutsche are an Ethnic group, in the sense of sharing a common German culture, descent and speaking the German language as 2% American and 5. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the 7% Irish ancestry according to Census 2000. The Irish people ( Irish: Muintir na hÉireann, na hÉireannaigh, na Gaeil) are a Western European Ethnic group who originate 66. 8% spoke English, 29. English is a West Germanic language originating in England and is the First language for most people in the United Kingdom, the United States 1% Spanish and 1. 0% Tagalog as their first language. Tagalog is one of the major languages used in the Philippines.

There were 208,652 households out of which 42. 2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54. 6% were married couples living together, 14. NOTICE TO WOULD-BE ROMEOS ************** 5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25. 0% were non-families. 20. 3% of all households were made up of individuals and 7. 8% 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. 9% under the age of 18, 10. 2% from 18 to 24, 29. 80% from 25 to 44, 18. 7% from 45 to 64, and 9. 4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 31 years. For every 100 females there were 105. 3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 105. 3 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. Per capita income means how much each individual receives in monetary terms of the yearly income generated in the country About 16. 8% of families and 20. 8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 27. The poverty threshold, or poverty line, is the minimum level of Income deemed necessary to achieve an adequate Standard of living in a given country 8% of those under age 18 and 10. 5% of those age 65 or over.

The center of population of California is located in Kern County, in the town of Buttonwillow [5]. In Demographics, the center of population of a region is the geographical point nearest to all the inhabitants of that region on average Buttonwillow is a Census-designated place (CDP in Kern County, California, United States.

Racial/cultural diversity

Kern County is home to over 200,000 Mexican Americans alone, while the county is a major concentration of migrant laborers arrived in seasonal harvests, mostly from Mexico, Central America and the Philippines, while the Delano area is home to 20,000 Filipino Americans and a sizable Indian American population is in the Arvin area, mainly children and grandchildren of migrant labor families. See also History of Mexican-Americans Mexican Americans are Americans of Mexican ancestry The Philippines ( Filipino: Pilipinas, officially known as the Republic of the Philippines (fil ''Republika ng Pilipinas'' RP Delano is a city in Kern County, California, United States. The population was 38824 at the 2000 census Filipino Americans are Americans of Philippine ancestry which trace back to the Philippines, an archipelagic nation in Southeast Asia. Indian Americans are Americans who are of Indian ancestry The U Arvin is a city in Kern County, California, in the United States.

There are an estimated 50,000 Cherokee Indians, whose families came to the county from their historic range in Oklahoma and the Southeastern US during the 1930s dust bowl migrations of displaced White American and African American farmers from the Great Plains, that as a result brought an uniquely Midwestern/Western country feel to a west coast county, and Bakersfield is referred to as "Nashville West" for its' subvariety of Country music developed by these transplants in California since the 1940's. The Cherokee (ᎠᏂᏴᏫᏯ a-ni-yv-wi-ya, in the Cherokee language) are a people native to North America, who at the time of European contact Oklahoma ( is a state located in the South Central region of the United States of America. The Dust Bowl, or the dirty thirties, was a period of severe Dust storms causing major ecological and agricultural damage to American and African Americans or Black Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have origins in any of the black populations of Africa Country music is a blend of popular musical forms originally found in the Southern United States and the Appalachian Mountains. A large share of local residents are 2nd or 3rd generation Okies proud of their families' struggle to work hard to reestablished themselves, and they usually lived in Arvin, Buttonwillow, Lamont, Lost Hills, Maricopa, Oildale, Rosedale, Shafter, Taft/Ford city, Wasco and Weedpatch. Okie is a term dating from as early as 1907 denoting a resident or native of Oklahoma.

Other large ethnic communities in the county are Armenians, Chinese, Germans, Irish, Italian, Japanese, Swedes, Arabs of either Lebanese or Syrian descent, Spanish includes a large Basque community from northern Spain, and Southeast Asians (Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam) mostly arrived after the Vietnam War of the 1970's. The Armenians (Հայեր Hayer) are a Nation and Ethnic group originating in the Caucasus and in the Armenian Highlands A large The term Chinese people may refer to any of the following A person who resides in and holds citizenship of the People's Republic of China (including Hong German Americans ( German: Deutschamerikaner) are citizens of the United States of Ethnic German ancestry Irish Americans (Gael-Mheiriceánach are citizens of the United States who can claim ancestry originating in Ireland. An Italian American is an American of Italian descent and/or dual citizenship are Americans of Japanese heritage Japanese Americans have historically been among the three largest Asian American communities but in recent decades have become the sixth largest group Swedish Americans are Americans of Swedish descent most often related to the large groups of immigrants from Sweden in the late nineteenth century and early The araB gene Promoter is a bacterial promoter activated by e L-arabinose binding The Lebanese people ( الشعب اللبناني, el shaab el libnene) are a Middle Eastern people originating in the country of Lebanon Syrians today are an overall indigenous Levantine people closely related to their immediate neighbours like the Lebanese and (to a lesser extent Jordanians Spanish American ( Hispano Americano, derived from la ''[[Hispania]]'' now known as es ''[[Spain España]]'' the Roman name for the Iberian Peninsula The Basques (Euskaldunak are a people who inhabit a region spanning over parts of north-central Spain and southwestern France. The Kingdom of Cambodia ( formerly known as Kampuchea (, transliterated: Preăh Réachéanachâkr Kâmpŭchea) is a country in South East Laos (ˈlɑːoʊs or /ˈlaʊs/ officially the Lao People's Democratic Republic, is a Landlocked country in Southeast Asia, bordered by Burma Vietnam (ˌviːɛtˈnɑːm Việt Nam) officially The Vietnam War, also known as the Second Indochina War, or the Vietnam Conflict, occurred in Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia

The homosexual community has historically been marginalized in Kern County. After being informed that gay couples could not be denied licenses in light of the legalization of same-sex marriage, the county announced a halt to all weddings. Officials claimed that there would not be enough resources to accommodate both straight and gay couples. Clerks in other counties have called this rationale hollow. ^[10]

Politics

Kern is a strongly Republican county in Presidential and congressional elections. The President of the United States is the Head of state and Head of government of the United States and is the highest political official in United States by The United States Congress is the bicameral Legislature of the federal government of the United States of America, consisting of two houses The last Democratic candidate for President to win a majority in the county was Lyndon Johnson in 1964. Please DO NOT flip the colors -->The United States presidential election of 1964 was one of the most lopsided presidential elections in the history of the United States

Kern is part of California's 20th and 22nd congressional districts, which are held by Democrat Jim Costa and Republican Kevin McCarthy, respectively. California's 20th congressional district covers parts of Fresno and Kern and all of Kings counties California's 22nd congressional district covers parts of San Luis Obispo, Kern, and Los Angeles Counties James Manuel Costa (born April 13 1952) is a Democratic politician from the U Kevin McCarthy (born January 26 1965) is a US Politician who is the Congressman for the 22nd District of In the State Assembly, Kern is part of the 30th, 32nd, 34th and 37th districts. The California State Assembly is the Lower house of the California State Legislature. The 30th district is held by Democrat Nicole Parra while the 32nd, and 34th districts are held by Republicans Jean Fuller and Bill Maze respectively. Nicole M Parra (born February 3 1970 in Bakersfield California) has been a California State Assemblywoman since 2002 Jean Fuller, PhD (born April 16 1950) is a US politician who is the Republican Assemblymember for the 32nd Bill Maze was first elected in November 2002 to represent California's 34th Assembly District which includes Tulare County, Inyo County, Kern County, and In the State Senate, Kern is part of the 16th and 18th districts, which are held by Democrat Dean Florez and Republican Roy Ashburn respectively. The California State Senate is the upper house of the California State Legislature. Dean Raymond Florez (born April 5 1963 in Shafter California) is a California State Senator. Roy Arthur Ashburn (born March 21 1954 in Long Beach California) is the California State Senator representing the 18th District which includes

At the county level, Kern County is governed by a five-member board of supervisors. The Board of Supervisors is the body governing Counties in the U As of 2008, they are: John McQuiston representing the 1st District, Don Maben from the 2nd District, Mike Maggard from the 3rd, Ray Watson from the 4th, and Michael J. Rubio from the 5th. Michael J Rubio is a county supervisor in Kern County California.

According to the California Secretary of State, as of April 2008, Kern County has 283,732 registered voters. Of those, 101,580 (35. 8%) are registered Democratic, 131,878 (46. 5%) are registered Republican, 10,752 (3. 8%) are registered with other political parties, and 39,522 (13. 9%) declined to state a political party. The cities of Bakersfield, California City, Maricopa, Ridgecrest, Taft, Tehachapi, and the unincorporated areas have a plurality or majority of voters registered Republican. All of the other cities and towns have Democratic pluralities or majorities.

Recreation

Kern County's geography offers a wide variety of outdoor geography. Among the outdoor recreational activities are: Horseback riding, water skiing (Lake Buena Vista, Lake Ming, and private ski ranches), offroad biking and dune buggys (Jawbone Canyon, California City, and Randsburg), auto racing (Willow Springs, Buttonwillow, Bakersfield Speedway, Famoso, & and an unnamed half-mile speedway under construction), hunting, paint ball courses, white water rafting, Olympic quality kayaking, snow skiing (Shirley Meadows), shooting ranges (5 Dogs Creek Range), hiking, biking (trails, paths, and roads), camping, fishing, and other activities.

Cities over 300,000 population

• Bakersfield (County Seat) (Airport: Meadows Field IATA: BFL)

Cities over 50,000 population

• Delano

Cities over 10,000 population

• Ridgecrest
• Wasco
• Arvin
• Shafter
• Tehachapi
• McFarland

Cities under 10,000 population

• California City
• Taft
• Maricopa

Towns and CDPs

The following are towns or census-designated places within Kern County:

Towns over 10,000 population

• Oildale
• Rosamond
• Lamont

Towns over 1,000 population

• Rosedale
• Golden Hills
• Bear Valley Springs
• Mojave (Airport: Mojave Airport IATA: MHV)
• Ford City
• Lake Isabella
• Weedpatch
• Weldon
• Frazier Park
• Wofford Heights
• Boron
• Lost Hills
• South Taft
• Taft Heights
• Bodfish
• China Lake Acres
• Kernville
• Pine Mountain Club
• Stallion Springs
• Lebec
• Buttonwillow
• North Edwards
• Caliente

Towns Under 1,000 population

• Inyokern (Airport: Inyokern Airport IATA: IYK)
• Lake of the Woods
• Mountain Mesa
• Dustin Acres
• Valley Acres
• Squirrel Mountain Valley
• Onyx
• Derby Acres
• Keene
• Tupman
• Johannesburg
• McKittrick
• Mettler
• Fellows
• Randsburg
• Pumpkin Center
• Old River

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

National protected areas

• Carrizo Plain National Monument (part)
• Giant Sequoia National Monument (part)
• Los Padres National Forest (part)
• Sequoia National Forest (part)

Transportation Infrastructure

Major Highways

Public transportation

• Golden Empire Transit is the local bus operator in and near Bakersfield. A county seat is a term for an Administrative center for a County, primarily used in the United States. Meadows Field is the primary airport of Bakersfield, California and is owned by Kern County. Delano is a city in Kern County, California, United States. The population was 38824 at the 2000 census Ridgecrest was incorporated as a city in 1963 Formerly known as Crumville. Wasco is a city in Kern County, California, United States. The population was 21263 at the 2000 census Arvin is a city in Kern County, California, in the United States. Shafter is a city in Kern County, California, United States. It is located about 18 miles northwest of Bakersfield CA Tehachapi (təˈhætʃəpi is a city incorporated in 1909 located in its namesake Tehachapi Mountains between Bakersfield McFarland is a city in Kern County, California, United States. California City incorporated in 1965 is a city located in the northern Antelope Valley in Kern County in the U Taft is a city in Kern County, California, United States. The population was about 9200 people as of March 2008 according to the local newspaper "The Maricopa is a rural town in Kern County, California, United States. A census-designated place ( CDP) is a type of place (a concentration of population identified by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes Oildale is a Census-designated place (CDP in Kern County, California, United States. Rosamond is a Census-designated place (CDP in Kern County, California, USA, North of Palmdale, in the Antelope Valley Lamont is a Census-designated place (CDP in Kern County, California, United States. Rosedale is a Census-designated place (CDP in Kern County, California, United States. Golden Hills is a Census-designated place (CDP in Kern County, California, United States. Bear Valley Springs is a Census-designated place (CDP in Kern County, California, United States. Mojave is a Census-designated place (CDP in Kern County, California, United States. Ford City is a Census-designated place (CDP in Kern County, California, United States. Lake Isabella is a Census-designated place (CDP in Kern County, California, United States, located near Lake Isabella. Weedpatch is a Census-designated place (CDP in Kern County, California, United States. Weldon is a Census-designated place (CDP in Kern County, California, United States. Frazier Park is an Unincorporated area in Kern County, California. Boron is a Census-designated place (CDP in Kern County, California, United States. Lost Hills is a Census-designated place (CDP in Kern County, California, United States. South Taft is a Census-designated place (CDP in Kern County, California, United States. Taft Heights is a Census-designated place (CDP in Kern County, California, United States. Bodfish is a Census-designated place (CDP in Kern County, California, United States. China Lake Acres is a Census-designated place (CDP in Kern County, California, United States. Kernville is a Census-designated place (CDP in Kern County, California, United States. Pine Mountain Club (often abbreviated as PMC) is a Private community in Kern County California, northwest of the San Fernando Valley and Stallion Springs is a Census-designated place (CDP in Kern County, California, USA. Lebec is an Unincorporated area in Kern County, California. It is one of the Mountain Communities of the Tejon Pass. Buttonwillow is a Census-designated place (CDP in Kern County, California, United States. North Edwards is a Census-designated place (CDP in Kern County, California, United States. Caliente is an unincorporated town in Kern County California, with a population of 1019 Inyokern is a Census-designated place (CDP in Kern County, California, United States. Inyokern Airport is a public Airport located in Inyokern, California, United States serving the Indian Wells Valley area of Kern County Lake of the Woods is a Census-designated place (CDP in Kern County, California, United States. Mountain Mesa is a Census-designated place (CDP in Kern County, California, United States. Dustin Acres is a Census-designated place (CDP in Kern County, California, United States. Valley Acres is a Census-designated place (CDP in Kern County, California, United States. Squirrel Mountain Valley is a Census-designated place (CDP in Kern County, California, United States. Onyx is a Census-designated place (CDP in Kern County, California, United States. Derby Acres is a Census-designated place (CDP in Kern County, California, United States. Keene is a Census-designated place (CDP in Kern County, California in the foothills of the Tehachapi Mountains at the southern extreme of the Tupman is a Census-designated place (CDP in Kern County, California, United States. Johannesburg is a Census-designated place (CDP in Kern County, California, in a mining district of the Rand Mountains. McKittrick is a Census-designated place (CDP in Kern County, California, United States. Mettler is a Census-designated place (CDP in Kern County, California, United States. Fellows is a Census-designated place (CDP in Kern County, California, United States. Randsburg is a Census-designated place (CDP in Kern County, California, United States. Los Angeles County is a county in California and is by far the most populous county in the United States. Ventura County is a county in the southern part of the US state of California ( Southern California) Santa Barbara County is a County located on the Pacific coast of the southern portion of the U San Luis Obispo County is a county located along the Pacific Ocean in the Central Coast of the U Kings County is a County located in the Central Valley of the U Tulare County is a county located in the Central Valley of the U Inyo County is located in east-central California in the southwestern United States, on the east side of the Sierra Nevada Mountains and south of Yosemite San Bernardino County is a county in the US state of California. Protected areas are locations which receive protection because of their environmental cultural or similar value The Carrizo Plain is a large enclosed plain approximately 50 miles (80 km long and up to 15 miles (24 km across in southeastern San Luis Obispo County The Giant Sequoia National Monument is a US National Monument located in the Los Padres National Forest is a forest located in southern and central California, which includes most of the mountainous land along the California coast from Ventura to Sequoia National Forest is located in the southern Sierra Nevada mountains of California. Route description Southern California See also San Diego Freeway, Santa Ana Freeway, Golden State Freeway Interstate 5 starts In the US state of California, US Route 395 is a route which traverses from Interstate 15 near the southern city limits of Hesperia, north State Route 14 is a north-south State highway largely in the Mojave Desert of the U State Route 33 is a north-south State highway that connects the central and southern areas of the U State Route 43 is a north-south State highway in the US State of California, routed along the southern San Joaquin Valley connecting the towns State Route 46 (SR 46 is an east-west State highway in the US State Route 58 is an East - West Highway across the southern San Joaquin Valley, the Tehachapi Mountains, which border the State Route 65 (commonly known as Highway 65) is a north-south state highway composed of two segments connecting Bakersfield to Exeter and Roseville State Route 99 (SR 99 commonly known as Highway 99 or 99, is a north-south State highway in the U State Route 119 is a state highway in the US state of California that runs in an east-west direction from State Route 33 in Taft State Route 155 is a state highway in the US state of California connecting State Route 99 and State Route 178, going through the State Route 166 connects the Central Coast of California to the southern San Joaquin Valley. State Route 178 (SR 178 is a route that exists in two constructed segments State Route 184 is a short state route in the extreme southeastern corner of the San Joaquin Valley, and it links SR 223 to SR 178 northeast of Bakersfield State Route 204 is a State highway in the Bakersfield California, United States area forming the state-maintained part of State Route 99 Business State Route 223 is a State highway located in Kern County, California, USA.
• Kern Regional Transit provides countywide intercity bus service.
• Kern County is also served by Greyhound and Orange Belt Stages buses and Amtrak trains. Greyhound Lines is an intercity Common carrier of passengers by Bus serving over 3700 destinations in the United States. Orange Belt Stages (OBS is a bus company based in Visalia, California. The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, Doing business as Amtrak, is a Government-owned corporation that was organized on May 1, 1971

Airports

• Meadows Field in Bakersfield is a international and general aviation airport. Meadows Field is the primary airport of Bakersfield, California and is owned by Kern County.
• Mojave Spaceport in Mojave.

Media

Newspapers

• Bakersfield Californian[6], Bakersfield, north/west Kern
• The Mountain Enterprise, southwest Kern mountains area
• Mojave Desert News [7], east Kern desert area
• The Daily Independent [8], Ridgecrest, China Lake, and The Indian Wells Valley
• The Kern Valley Sun, Kern Valley area

Online

• Bakersfield News, News and Information for all Kern County

References

External links

• Kern County Real Estate Market Blog
• Real Estate Market Opinion - Bakersfield
• NewToBakersfield.com- relocation site
• 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.

Associations

• Kern County Bridal Association
• EAKC - Executives' Association of Kern County
• Kern County Bar Association

Coordinates: 35°20′N 118°43′W / 35.34, -118.72