By Shirlyn Davenport
I would like to begin with a quote by Col. Thomas Baker, 1862, as remembered by his wife, Mrs. Ellen Baker Tracy which appeared in The Bakersfield Morning Echo in 1904:
THIS IS GOD'S COUNTRY! SOMEDAY IT WILL BE FILLED WITH HAPPY HOMES. THE LARGEST TOWN SOUTH OF STOCKTON WILL HAVE ITS SITE HERE. THREE OR FOUR LINES OF RAILROADS WILL COME THROUGH THOSE MOUNTAIN PASSES AND CENTER HERE. THE PLACE IS RICH IN FUTURE POSSIBILITIES.
Col. Baker's dreams of his beloved city turned out to be most prophetic! If he could see Bakersfield today he would feel his visions have come to fruition.
There isn't enough space for today's article to cover all the important people and events that contributed to the historical mosaic of Bakersfield, that brought us to this point with Bakersfield's Centennial approaching in January, 1998. There will be many events in our city throughout this year and next that will provide residents and guests alike with exciting highlights from our past. There are also several excellent books on Bakersfield's history which are available at the Kern County Museum and local libraries.
Many, I am sure, have read about and are familiar with some well-known people whose names are still heard daily such as Truxtun, Beale, Harrell and, of course, Baker. Our city was actually made up of diverse cultures, all of whom had the common goal to provide a better life for themselves and their families. All of these individuals displayed strong character and fortitude in carving out a life, while laying the foundation for our city.
One of the first examples that illustrates the strength of character and fortitude that was demanded of our forefathers was the flood of 1867 which followed a five-year drought. In the fall of 1867 it rained continuously for many days. Many homes had thatched roofs that were held in place by dirt, and had mud floors. The rain trickling through the dirt on the roofs deposited a muddy mess on all their belongings. This created a miserable condition for the settlers, but this wasn't the end of the story. On Christmas Eve, the river broke through the canyon, and roared over the new settlement washing away the mud-laden homes and much of the livestock. The people made the best of it, and were soon cleaning up and building new homes. Col. Baker, whose years of land reclamation were obliterated by the flood, was undeterred, and immediately set about reclaiming the land to build his beloved town.
The town continued to grow, having a population of about 300 by 1869, and 800 by 1871. 1874 brought the first railroad; unfortunately, not to downtown Bakersfield, but to East Bakersfield which was then known as Sumner. The original frontier appearance of the town had changed dramatically by the time of the July 7, 1889 fire. The entire downtown area was leveled, which by this time included several| Ruins of the west side of Chester from the Southern Hotel on the NW corner of 19th looking south after the fire of July 7, 1889. |
buildings, but our persistent founding fathers had completely rebuilt within
two years.
The next major challenge was the great flood of 1893. The Kern River over-ran its banks due to melting snow and heavy rains, sweeping through the entire downtown area, and depositing mud everywhere. As before, immediate cleanup began, quickly restoring "business-as-usual."
The long-awaited San Joaquin Valley Railroad, arrived on May 27, 1898. A train-load of dignitaries and passengers was greeted by more than 1,000 people. They were ushered into carriages, and became part of the elaborate parade down Chester Avenue which became known as the greatest procession in Bakersfield's history.
The town continued to flourish despite a second major fire which in 1919 almost destroyed the downtown area. Resourceful Bakersfield citizens rallied one more time to rebuild their fine city.For more than a century Bakersfield residents battled floods, fires and earthquakes, but by far the most devastating disaster, both financially and
| This photo shows the destruction of the Hockheimer store building on the east side of Chester between 19th and 20th street after the fire of 1919. |
infamous earthquake of
1952. This earthquake changed the face of
Bakersfield more than any
other event since the fire of 1889.
Like the Phoenix, Bakersfield's citizenry has risen from the ashes following each disaster. Those resourceful people who came to Bakersfield more than a century ago stayed for the same reasons people come to Bakersfield today: We are still a community of opportunities and innovative, friendly people who realize the importance of family. We are individuals who boast the same strong character and fortitude that brought our city through one century, and will carry us into the next.
Bakersfield's cultural and industrial diversity, as was the case with its early settlers, continues to play a key role in our economic structure. Even though oil and agriculture have been, and for the foreseeable future will continue to be our economic back bone, diversity in industry is continuing to flourish and bring new opportunities for prosperity to our community. We continue to see changes in the appearance of our city, such as the new Street-scape for Downtown, and a Centennial Plaza celebrating our heritage. These changes reflect our citizens' dreams and aspirations, while paying homage to the pioneering spirit of our founders.
About the author: Shirlyn Davenport has been a resident of Bakersfield for the past 20 years. Since 1979, she and her husband Jack have owned and operated Jack Davenport Sweeping Services, Inc.
Mrs. Davenport is Co-Chair of the Historical Committee for the Centennial Foundation, City of Bakersfield; Vice-Chair of the Historic Preservation Commission, City of Bakersfield; and Co-chair of the Centennial Beautiful Bakersfield Awards.
With the support of the Historic preservation Commission and the City of Bakersfield, Mrs. Davenport has prepared many historic displays and presentations for events in the community, bringing a stronger awareness of the importance of our local history.
