Introduction to Bakersfield, California
Settled in 1858, Bakersfield is located in inland Southern California, an hour and fifty minutes north of Los Angeles. The city was a past finalist and a past winner of the National Civic League's coveted "All-America City Award".
Bakersfield was originally inhabited by the Yokuts Indians eight thousand years ago. Spanish missionaries were the first Europeans to visit the area in the later part of the eighteenth century. The discovery of gold on the Kern River in 1851 attracted the first wave of pioneers. The City of Bakersfield was formally incorporated in 1898.
Bakersfield has a warm Southern California climate. January is the coolest month of the year with average daily temperatures of 57 degrees Fahrenheit. July is the hottest month of the year with an average daily temperature of 99 degrees Fahrenheit. Bakersfield receives an average of just under six inches of rain a year.
Bakersfield Arts and Entertainment
For a city of modest size, Bakersfield provides a good assortment of arts and cultural offerings. Some of the more notable include:
- The Rabobank Arena Theater & Convention Center
- The McMurtrey Aquatics Center
- The Bakersfield Symphony Orchestra
- The Buck Owens Crystal Palace
- The Fox Theatre
For the sports enthusiast, Bakersfield is home to ECHL Bakersfield Condors Hockey Team. Bakersfield also has its own Minor League Baseball (MiLB) team, the Bakersfield Blaze. The Blaze are a Class A Advanced affiliate of the Texas Rangers. Of course, The city is also within a couple of hours of all of the sporting attractions of Los Angeles.
Bakersfield and the surrounding areas provide the opportunity for a wealth of outdoor activities, including: auto racing, fishing, biking, camping, golf, hiking and backpacking, jet skiing, kayaking, mountain biking, tennis, white water rafting, and more.
