Bakersfield, California
Bakersfield is a city in Kern County, California. It is the county seat and the county’s major city. The city was founded in the 1860s by Thomas Baker. Bakersfield had a population of 403,455 people as of the 2020 census.
This area has an arid climate with mild winters and is very suitable for growing various crops, from carrots to almonds and citruses. Bakersfield is a major agricultural center, but also an energy-producing center. Natural gas and other energy extraction, mining, petroleum refining, distribution, food processing, and corporate regional offices are all industries in and around Bakersfield. A number of buildings and sites in the city have been declared as national, state, and local historic sites. Some of them include First Baptist Church, Baker Street Library and Bakersfield Californian Building that are listed on the National Register of Historic Places, Garces Memorial Circle and Colonel Thomas Baker Memorial that are listed on California Historical Landmarks list, and there is also Bakersfield Register of Historic Places, a list that comprises 16 sites that tell the history of this city.
The Bakersfield sound is a country music type that originated in the city. There are a lot of exciting events in Bakersfield all year round; in spring there are California’s Scottish Games and Clan Gatherings, in summer a Greek festival and in September there is a Kern County Fair. This event features a rodeo, music, and a traditional carnival, as well as showcasing the area’s agricultural produce and animal husbandry. Bakersfield is not known only for events that celebrate tradition, there is also Bakersfield Business Conference, a political and business conference that grew over the years and now gathers a lot of attendance, including some famous political figures.
The gastronomy of this area is very interesting, as it features Basque cuisine that can be found in several of Bakersfield’s oldest and most historic restaurants (Wool Growers, Noriega’s, Pyrenees, Benji’s). This cuisine includes meats and seafood grilled over hot coals, lamb stews, cod and many other characteristic dishes.