City history
From a frontier settlement in the San Joaquin Valley to a major agricultural and energy hub, Bakersfield's history is defined by its rapid development and connection to California's central corridors.
Chapter one
Earliest documented name
"The land belonging to Thomas Baker"
Before official incorporation, the area was known as Baker's Field, named after Colonel Thomas Baker, who established a settlement in the area during the mid-19th century.
Field of Thomas Baker
The original designation for the settlement founded by Colonel Thomas Baker.
The city named after its founder
Officially incorporated as Bakersfield in 1873.
Chapter two
The implementation of standard time zones in the United States helped synchronize local rail travel, influencing how Bakersfield coordinated with other growing California hubs.
The adoption of the Uniform Time Act established consistent daylight saving time practices across the region, ensuring Bakersfield followed the same seasonal adjustments as the rest of the state.
Chapter three
Colonel Thomas Baker established a presence in the area, marking the beginning of permanent settlement in what would become the city.
Bakersfield was officially incorporated as a city, allowing for more formal governance and infrastructure development in the Kern County region.
The arrival of major rail lines connected Bakersfield to broader markets, significantly altering the pace of local commerce and time-sensitive logistics.
The discovery and exploitation of massive oil fields transformed the local economy and accelerated the urban development of the Bakersfield area.