Bakersfield California http://www.2ndamendmentsports.com/about-bakersfield.php en-US hourly 1 2000-01-01T12:00+00:00 Overview http://www.2ndamendmentsports.com/about-bakersfield.php/2006/03/04/overview 2006-03-04T11:13:25Z Jeff Profile Bakersfield is the county seat of Kern County, California, in the United States. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 247,057. The city's economy thrives on agriculture, petroleum extraction, and refining. It is one of the fastest growing of the larger cities of the United States. As of 2005 the population is estimated at 307,471 according to local municipal sources. It is California's third largest inland city after Fresno and Sacramento. Bakersfield is the county seat of Kern County, California, in the United States. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 247,057. The city's economy thrives on agriculture, petroleum extraction, and refining. It is one of the fastest growing of the larger cities of the United States. As of 2005 the population is estimated at 307,471 according to local municipal sources. It is California's third largest inland city after Fresno and Sacramento.

]]> History http://www.2ndamendmentsports.com/about-bakersfield.php/2006/02/04/history 2006-02-04T11:14:12Z Jeff History The Yokut Indians were the first people to settle in the San Joaquin Valley, some 8000 years ago. In 1776, the Spanish missionary Father Francisco Garcés was the first European to reach the area. In 1851 gold was discovered in the Kern River, and in 1865 the first discovery of oil was made in the valley. Settlements grew up, and the place soon became known as "Colonel Baker's field", after one of the local settlers. When Colonel Tom Baker was given the assignment of surveying a township in 1869, the town was given the official name of "Bakersfield". The town continued to grow, and reached a population of about 300 by 1869, and 800 by 1871. Adversities such as the floods of 1867 and 1893, and the fires of 1889 and 1919, did not reverse this trend. On May 27, 1898, the San Joaquin Valley Railroad arrived in Bakersfield, giving a great boost to population. Then, in the 1930s, the Dust Bowl brought a great influx of migrant workers from the Great Plains, Arkansas and Oklahoma taking work mostly in agriculture and the oil industry. In later years, farm work in the area has mostly been conducted by Mexican immigrants. In the 1960s, César Chávez led the fight to improve working conditions for migrant farm workers. The great earthquake of July 21, 1952, changed the appearance of Bakersfield, promoting the flat, sprawling style of building that dominates the city today. In 1965, a university in the California State University system was founded in Bakersfield. California State University, Bakersfield today has some 7,700 students, with a special focus on business and administration. Supreme Court Chief Justice Earl Warren was raised in Bakersfield, and would later go on to decide such cases as Brown v. Board of Education and the Miranda decision. The Yokut Indians were the first people to settle in the San Joaquin Valley, some 8000 years ago. In 1776, the Spanish missionary Father Francisco Garcés was the first European to reach the area. In 1851 gold was discovered in the Kern River, and in 1865 the first discovery of oil was made in the valley. Settlements grew up, and the place soon became known as "Colonel Baker's field", after one of the local settlers. When Colonel Tom Baker was given the assignment of surveying a township in 1869, the town was given the official name of "Bakersfield".

The town continued to grow, and reached a population of about 300 by 1869, and 800 by 1871. Adversities such as the floods of 1867 and 1893, and the fires of 1889 and 1919, did not reverse this trend. On May 27, 1898, the San Joaquin Valley Railroad arrived in Bakersfield, giving a great boost to population. Then, in the 1930s, the Dust Bowl brought a great influx of migrant workers from the Great Plains, Arkansas and Oklahoma taking work mostly in agriculture and the oil industry. In later years, farm work in the area has mostly been conducted by Mexican immigrants. In the 1960s, César Chávez led the fight to improve working conditions for migrant farm workers.

The great earthquake of July 21, 1952, changed the appearance of Bakersfield, promoting the flat, sprawling style of building that dominates the city today.

In 1965, a university in the California State University system was founded in Bakersfield. California State University, Bakersfield today has some 7,700 students, with a special focus on business and administration.

Supreme Court Chief Justice Earl Warren was raised in Bakersfield, and would later go on to decide such cases as Brown v. Board of Education and the Miranda decision.

]]> Geography http://www.2ndamendmentsports.com/about-bakersfield.php/2006/01/04/title_18 2006-01-04T11:19:03Z Jeff Geography Bakersfield is located at 35°21'26" North, 119°1'54" West (35.357276, -119.031661)GR1, at 120 m (400 ft) in elevation. It lies near the southern tip of the San Joaquin Valley, and the southern tip of the Sierra Nevadas are just to the east. According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 296.3 km² (114.4 mi²). 292.9 km² (113.1 mi²) of it is land and 3.4 km² (1.3 mi²) of it is water. The total area is 1.14% water. The Kern River (dubbed the "Killer Kern" due to its dangerous swimming conditions) is a river in eastern California in the United States, approximately 250 km (155 miles) long. It drains an area of the southern Sierra Nevada mountains northeast of Bakersfield. Fed by snowmelt near Mount Whitney, the river passes through the Kern River Valley and Lake Isabella, including the nearby towns of Lake Isabella, Wofford Heights, Onyx, Bodfish, Mountain Mesa and Kernville before continuing through scenic canyons in the mountains and is a popular destination for whitewater rafting and kayaking. It formerly emptied into the now-dry Buena Vista Lake at the southern end of the Central Valley, but it is now entirely diverted for irrigation leaving it with no natural outlet. Bakersfield lies approximately 160 km (100 mi) north of Los Angeles (about a 1.5-hour drive) and about 500 km (300 mi) southeast of the state capital, Sacramento (about a 4.5-hour drive). Bakersfield is the second largest city in the United States that is not directly linked to an Interstate highway, although Interstate 5 runs just west of it while another north-south freeway, State Highway 99, bisects the city. Bakersfield is located at 35°21'26" North, 119°1'54" West (35.357276, -119.031661)GR1, at 120 m (400 ft) in elevation. It lies near the southern tip of the San Joaquin Valley, and the southern tip of the Sierra Nevadas are just to the east.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 296.3 km² (114.4 mi²). 292.9 km² (113.1 mi²) of it is land and 3.4 km² (1.3 mi²) of it is water. The total area is 1.14% water.

The Kern River (dubbed the "Killer Kern" due to its dangerous swimming conditions) is a river in eastern California in the United States, approximately 250 km (155 miles) long. It drains an area of the southern Sierra Nevada mountains northeast of Bakersfield. Fed by snowmelt near Mount Whitney, the river passes through the Kern River Valley and Lake Isabella, including the nearby towns of Lake Isabella, Wofford Heights, Onyx, Bodfish, Mountain Mesa and Kernville before continuing through scenic canyons in the mountains and is a popular destination for whitewater rafting and kayaking. It formerly emptied into the now-dry Buena Vista Lake at the southern end of the Central Valley, but it is now entirely diverted for irrigation leaving it with no natural outlet.

Bakersfield lies approximately 160 km (100 mi) north of Los Angeles (about a 1.5-hour drive) and about 500 km (300 mi) southeast of the state capital, Sacramento (about a 4.5-hour drive).

Bakersfield is the second largest city in the United States that is not directly linked to an Interstate highway, although Interstate 5 runs just west of it while another north-south freeway, State Highway 99, bisects the city.

]]> Local Amenities http://www.2ndamendmentsports.com/about-bakersfield.php/2005/12/04/local_amenities 2005-12-04T11:18:23Z Jeff Local Amenities Bakersfield is home to California State University, Bakersfield and Bakersfield College. The Kern County Museum, which boasts an extensive collection of regional artifacts, is located on Chester Avenue, just north of Downtown Bakersfield. Bakersfield is also home to the Bakersfield Blaze, a minor league baseball affiliate of the Texas Rangers, who play at the historical Sam Lynn Ballpark. In downtown Bakersfield there is the major civic center, the Rabobank Arena. This arena hosts a symphony orchestra, an af2 team, the Bakersfield Blitz, and an ECHL hockey team, the Bakersfield Condors. Rabobank Arena also hosts the men's and women's basketball teams of CSU Bakersfield, who compete in the California Collegiate Athletic Association in Division II of the NCAA. The city is also home to the Premier Development League soccer team the Bakersfield Brigade who play at BCHS Stadium. Also downtown is Jerry's Pizza, which is known across the country for supporting the underground music scene much like the influential CBGB. Bakersfield's main airport is Meadows Field Airport, which currently has a new terminal under construction, replacing the long outdated one. The increasing number of metropolitan amenities is due to the city's fast pace growth. Bakersfield facts from Wikipedia. More Bakersfield information and trivia is available at Wikipedia. Bakersfield is home to California State University, Bakersfield and Bakersfield College. The Kern County Museum, which boasts an extensive collection of regional artifacts, is located on Chester Avenue, just north of Downtown Bakersfield.

Bakersfield is also home to the Bakersfield Blaze, a minor league baseball affiliate of the Texas Rangers, who play at the historical Sam Lynn Ballpark. In downtown Bakersfield there is the major civic center, the Rabobank Arena. This arena hosts a symphony orchestra, an af2 team, the Bakersfield Blitz, and an ECHL hockey team, the Bakersfield Condors. Rabobank Arena also hosts the men's and women's basketball teams of CSU Bakersfield, who compete in the California Collegiate Athletic Association in Division II of the NCAA. The city is also home to the Premier Development League soccer team the Bakersfield Brigade who play at BCHS Stadium.

Also downtown is Jerry's Pizza, which is known across the country for supporting the underground music scene much like the influential CBGB. Bakersfield's main airport is Meadows Field Airport, which currently has a new terminal under construction, replacing the long outdated one. The increasing number of metropolitan amenities is due to the city's fast pace growth.

Bakersfield facts from Wikipedia. More Bakersfield information and trivia is available at Wikipedia.

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