There are many cities that have flown under our radar, and while we didn't do an extensive tour of Bakersfield, we had a nice introduction to a complex and rather interesting town.
After being founded by Thomas Baker, in 1869, its history was altered by San Francisco capitalists. These investors acquired large-scale landholdings in the area, developed an extensive irrigation system to distribute the waters of the Kern River; with the region subsequently becoming important in the production of grain, alfalfa, and livestock. The discovery of the Kern River oil fields in 1899 brought a large-scale petroleum industry, which was centered at Bakersfield.
Directly across the street is the Kress Building. It was built in 1931 out of reinforced steel and brick. The designer of this splendid Art Deco building was American architect Edward Sibbert.S. H. Kress & Co. was the trading name of a chain of "five and dime" retail department stores in the United States of America, established by Samuel Henry Kress, which operated from 1896 to 1981. In the first half of the 20th century, there were Kress stores with ornamented architecture on "Main Street" in hundreds of cities and towns. Do you ever think you were born in the wrong era? Bakersfield's heyday really calls my name.One of the ten suggested photo ops from VisitBakersfield.com is the Fox Theater, which opened on Christmas Day, 1930. The 1930s were a strong period for the Fox Theater. The silver screen featured the latest "talkie" pictures, and the stage was graced by numerous acts. Because of the Fox Theater's Type I construction of poured concrete over steel, the theater withstood the 1952 earthquake which shook Bakersfield and leveled many buildings throughout the city. Pre-Covid, it was still the heart of Downtown Bakersfield's arts and entertainment district.
Hotels were found throughout our touring path with the Padre Hotel, visible from a distance. This grand multi-story hotel was designed by John M. Cooperin in the Spanish Colonial Revival style and was completed in 1928.
The Tegeler Hotel (1914) was originally four levels, with a basement café and a roof that was later converted to a garden. A fifth floor was added and then removed after the 1952 earthquake. I love the ad, still visible on the side- "Reasonable Rates, Air Cooled Steam Heat". I'm sold.This very modern building surprised me. The Sill Building (1939), an art moderne building (right corner of photo), has a distinct wrap-around terrace and stands as a beautiful beacon downtown. It is still owned and managed locally by the family who had it made.It was constructed under the direction of Catherine Ann Bresnahan Sill (from the pioneering Sill family which arrived here in the late 1800s), at a time when a woman staking her claim in the business world was still a very progressive thing. It’s fantastic to see this building’s rich history immaculately maintained, right down to the original metal-inlaid terrazzo floors, elevator dial and wall clocks. Every detail speaks of another time yet still feels fresh today. 
I especially love the Letter Box (check out that font).
Oh to be in downtown after dark. I would love to see this historic neon sign illuminated. For over 75 years, this beacon has been calling imbibers down an alley to this Bakersfield institution- Guthrie's Alley Cat Bar.Have you ever laughed out loud, after you figured something was funny? Nestled between "H" and "J" Streets is Eye Street. I read that it has been a long held convention to refer to "I" Street as Eye Street so as to not confuse it with an "L" or "1" (one), yet this was a first for us, causing the chuckle. It was so unexpected.
How amazing is this mural? Thomas "Zak" Zachery, the painter, and himself a Vietnam War veteran, began to piece together photos he thought represented the era. This process culminated in a mural of iconic images, such as the flag raising at Iwo Jima and Rosie the Riveter. "I also wanted to make sure that certain groups that never really got the credit that did so much in the war were highlighted," Zachery said. To this end, he added images of the Tuskegee Airmen, the Navajo Codetalkers and women working for the Red Cross. The painting accounts for well over 2,000 square feet. Lady Liberty's torch actually lights up at night, Zachery said, and a flag extends from the painting into real life, waving above the building. So powerful!
And while there are at least two other shoe dwellings in the United States, this is the only one with a shoe lace, a 50-ft. long black rope. And it is the only one used in a DuPont Carpet ad (1976). Groovy indeed!I like this quote, "Historic buildings add to the authenticity of a place. They add warmth and character. They help us think about things in new ways, tell a story about the past and dream about the future of a city. This is why I think historic preservation is all the more important. It’s a progressive movement that still feels a bit counter to today’s “in with the new, out with the old” world." I have always said, every town holds treasures. You sometimes just have to dig for what's buried.
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Oh to be in downtown after dark. I would love to see this historic neon sign illuminated. For over 75 years, this beacon has been calling imbibers down an alley to this Bakersfield institution- Guthrie's Alley Cat Bar.
Have you ever laughed out loud, after you figured something was funny? Nestled between "H" and "J" Streets is Eye Street. I read that it has been a long held convention to refer to "I" Street as Eye Street so as to not confuse it with an "L" or "1" (one), yet this was a first for us, causing the chuckle. It was so unexpected.
I like this quote, "Historic buildings add to the authenticity of a place. They add warmth and character. They help us think about things in new ways, tell a story about the past and dream about the future of a city. This is why I think historic preservation is all the more important. It’s a progressive movement that still feels a bit counter to today’s “in with the new, out with the old” world." I have always said, every town holds treasures. You sometimes just have to dig for what's buried.
1 comments:
Wow. Who would have guessed Bakersfield has such amazing architecture! Nice find. I will keep it in mind the next time I am in the area!
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