Bakersfield Overview
 Marking the western end of the Highway 178 Corridor is the City
of Bakersfield. Kern County’s largest community has a rich heritage that goes back
8,000 years to the Yokuts Indians, the first people to settle the great San Joaquin
Valley. Early influences also included the Spanish, French, Chinese, Basque, Italians,
and Portuguese -- each leaving an indelible mark on the area’s culture.
Bakersfield enjoys a wide variety of entertainment. Long known to country music
fans as Nashville West, the area spawned a musical style pioneered by Buck Owens
and Merle Haggard and named for the region -- the Bakersfield Sound. Buck Owens’
Crystal Palace nightclub and restaurant, founded by the late country legend, is
a favorite of visitors and locals alike.
The downtown Rabobank Arena and Rabobank Theater play host to activities year-round.
Local sporting events, major theatrical touring companies and headlining entertainers
are regular guests at the facility. Community and dinner theater offerings abound,
and the Bakersfield Symphony Orchestra performs an annual schedule of events.
Museums and art galleries can be found throughout the community. The Kern County
Museum complex includes the Lori Brock Children’s Museum, the storied Pioneer Village,
and a $4 million interactive petroleum exhibit. The Bakersfield Museum of Art, Buena
Vista Natural History Museum, and California Living Museum are also favorites.
Sports enthusiasts can find plenty of distractions. The community has its own minor
league baseball and hockey teams, a semi-pro football team and arena football team.
The National Basketball Association and Major League Soccer placed developmental
teams in the city. Bakersfield Speedway and Famoso Drag Strip are nearby. California
State University- Bakersfield and Bakersfield College offer a full slate of intercollegiate
sports.
Dining is also an event here. Bakersfield’s seven Basque restaurants make the community
a prime destination for connoisseurs of robust, family-style dining. The area’s
eclectic ethnic history also gave rise to a number of first-rate Italian, Chinese,
Spanish, German and Mexican eateries. |
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