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Ridgecrest, California

Ridgecrest is a city in Kern County, California, United States, along U.S. Route 395 in the Indian Wells Valley in northeastern Kern County, adjacent to the Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake (NAWS, or China Lake). It was incorporated as a city in 1963. The population was 27,959 at the 2020 census, up slightly from 27,616 at the 2010 census.

Ridgecrest is surrounded by four mountain ranges; the Sierra Nevada on the west, the Cosos on the north, the Argus Range on the east, and the El Paso Mountains on the south. It is approximately 82 mi from the Lancaster/Palmdale area, 110 mi from Bakersfield, and 120 mi from San Bernardino, the three nearest major urban centers. Private air travel in and out of the city is provided through the Inyokern Airport. There are currently no scheduled commercial flights.

The city has been near the epicenter of major earthquakes, including one in 1995 and a series of quakes in July 2019.

History
The settlement began as a farming community called Crumville in 1912, honoring James and Robert Crum, local dairymen. The first post office opened in 1941. By 1943, Ridgecrest had grown to 115 homes and 196 residents. NOTS (Naval Ordnance Test Station) was established in November 1943, providing a strong job base for the years to come.

Ridgecrest incorporated in 1963. During this era the growth of Ridgecrest was governed by the continuing needs of the high tech industries coupled to the Naval Air Weapons Station (NAWS) programs for testing arms and guidance systems.

Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 21.4 mi2, of which 20.8 mi2 is land and 0.7 mi2 of it (3.04%) is water. Ridgecrest is located in Indian Wells Valley, which is a southern extension of Owens Valley, broken up by the volcanic Coso Range.

1995 earthquake
The area, associated with the Eastern California Shear Zone, has in the past experienced numerous earthquake swarms, groups of several thousand quakes under magnitude 6.0 or so, often with no obvious mainshock. The 1995 Ridgecrest earthquake sequence started on August 17, when a magnitude 5.4 quake, centered 18 km north of the town of Ridgecrest, shook the area and spawned over 2,500 aftershocks over the course of the following five weeks. Then, on September 20, 1995, the second large quake struck the area: it measured magnitude 5.8, and was at that time the largest earthquake to hit southern California since the 1994 Northridge earthquake.

2019 earthquakes
On July 4–5, 2019, Ridgecrest was associated with a series of earthquakes, including the largest to affect the area in decades, measuring 7.1 magnitude. The epicenter was about 10 miles northeast of Ridgecrest. The earthquake sequence started with a 4.0 quake 11 km southwest of Searles Valley, then at 10:33 A.M. a 6.4 quake struck 12 km southwest of Searles Valley. Over 1,400 aftershocks struck Searles Valley and Ridgecrest. On July 5, 2019, at 8:19 P.M., the magnitude 7.1 earthquake occurred, with the epicenter approximately 10 miles northeast of Ridgecrest.

Climate
The weather in the Indian Wells Valley is predominantly influenced by its high desert location. The climate is characterized by hot days and cool nights with extremely arid conditions prevailing throughout the summer months. The mean annual maximum temperature for the Ridgecrest area is 75 °F while the mean annual minimum temperature is 48 °F. There are wide annual temperature fluctuations that occur from a high of 119 °F to a low of 1 °F. On average, annual rainfall is less than 5 in "equivalent rainfall" per year, which includes less than 2 in of snow. The area is known to have wind as high as 75 mph. December is the coolest month with an average maximum temperature of 60 °F and an average minimum temperature of 30 °F. The all-time minimum temperature of 1 °F was recorded on December 23, 1963, and January 7, 1973.

July is the hottest month with an average maximum temperature of 103 °F and an average minimum temperature of 66 °F. The all-time maximum temperature of 119 °F was recorded on July 11, 2021, tied with July 1988 and July 1993.

2010
The 2010 United States Census reported that Ridgecrest had a population of 27,616. The population density was 1,289.5 PD/sqmi. The racial makeup of Ridgecrest was 21,387 (77.4%) White, 1,113 (4.0%) African American, 341 (1.2%) Native American, 1,209 (4.4%) Asian, 143 (0.5%) Pacific Islander, 1,836 (6.6%) from other races, and 1,587 (5.7%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4,941 persons (17.9%).

The Census reported that 27,420 people (99.3% of the population) lived in households, 109 (0.4%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 87 (0.3%) were institutionalized.

There were 10,781 households, out of which 3,901 (36.2%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 5,211 (48.3%) were opposite-sex married couples living together, 1,352 (12.5%) had a female householder with no husband present, 609 (5.6%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 681 (6.3%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships, and 64 (0.6%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 2,978 households (27.6%) were made up of individuals, and 1,001 (9.3%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.54. There were 7,172 families (66.5% of all households); the average family size was 3.10.

The population was spread out, with 7,544 people (27.3%) under the age of 18, 2,654 people (9.6%) aged 18 to 24, 7,157 people (25.9%) aged 25 to 44, 6,844 people (24.8%) aged 45 to 64, and 3,417 people (12.4%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33.8 years. For every 100 females, there were 100.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 99.9 males.

There were 11,915 housing units at an average density of 556.3 /mi2, of which 6,525 (60.5%) were owner-occupied, and 4,256 (39.5%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 2.9%; the rental vacancy rate was 9.2%. 16,520 people (59.8% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 10,900 people (39.5%) lived in rental housing units.

2000
According to the census of 2000, there were 24,927 people, 9,826 households, and 6,691 families residing in the city. The population density was 1179.9 PD/sqmi. There were 11,309 housing units at an average density of 535.3 PD/sqmi. The racial makeup of the city was 82.02% White, 3.53% Black or African American, 1.08% Native American, 3.88% Asian, 0.58% Pacific Islander, 4.93% from other races, and 3.98% from two or more races. 12.04% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 9,826 households, out of which 35.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.2% were married couples living together, 11.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.9% were non-families. 27.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.51 and the average family size was 3.06.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 29.1% under the age of 18, 8.5% from 18 to 24, 28.1% from 25 to 44, 23.0% from 45 to 64, and 11.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 99.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.9 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $44,971, and the median income for a family was $52,725. Males had a median income of $46,993 versus $29,558 for females. The per capita income for the city was $21,312. About 10.2% of families and 12.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 17.5% of those under age 18 and 5.1% of those age 65 or over.

 * Crime index: 40.0% safe city
 * High school or higher: 87.4%
 * Bachelor's degree or higher: 24.4%
 * Graduate or professional degree: 8.5%
 * Unemployed: 6.8%
 * Mean travel time to work: 14.9 minutes

 * Never married: 22.1%
 * Now married: 56.7%
 * Separated: 2.6%
 * Widowed: 6.6%
 * Divorced: 12.1%

 * Males: 12,924 – (49.9%)
 * Females: 12,971 – (50.1%)
 * Median resident age: 35.5 years
 * California median age: 33.3 years

People in group quarters:
 * 987 people in military barracks, etc.
 * 87 people in nursing homes
 * 33 people in other non-institutional group quarters
 * 22 people in state prisons

Economy
Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake (NAWS China Lake) is an airborne weapons testing and training range located adjacent to Ridgecrest and operated by the United States Navy and its contractors. Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake provides the majority of employment in the city at just under 8,000 jobs in 2018. This includes the government civilian workforce, active duty military personnel and private contractors.

AltaOne Federal Credit Union has its corporate headquarters in Ridgecrest.

The Searles Valley Minerals plant is located adjacent to the Searles Dry Lake near the town of Trona, California, about thirty miles east of Ridgecrest.

Top employers
The principal employers in Ridgecrest in 2020 were:

Local features and activities

The most notable feature in the nearby area is the Coso People rock art in Big and Little Petroglyph Canyons. The Coso People were prolific artists and traded with distant tribes using tools crafted of stone. Archeological recovery at coastal Chumash sites in California indicates considerable trade with the Coso People.

Other activities in the area are:

 * Hunting and shooting
 * Hiking
 * Horseback riding
 * Off-roading and dirt biking
 * Golf
 * Road cycling
 * Camping
 * Flying and gliding

Maturango Museum
The Maturango Museum is located in Ridgecrest. The museum is best known for the guided tours to Little Petroglyph Canyon on China Lake Naval Weapons Station (NAWS). The museum offers exhibits and displays featuring both the natural and the cultural history and diversity of the Northern Mojave Desert with exhibits of plants, animals, Native American artifacts, geology and contemporary arts and crafts.

Coso Rock Art District

Coso Rock Art District, sometimes equated with the Big and Little Petroglyph Canyons is a site containing over 20,000 Native American petroglyphs now located within Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake, near China Lake and Ridgecrest, California. In fact, there are several other distinct canyons to the Coso Rock Art District besides the Big and Little Petroglyph Canyons. The most popular subjects are bighorn sheep, deer, and antelope. Big and Little Petroglyph Canyons were declared a National Historic Landmark in 1964. In 2001, they were incorporated into a larger National Historic Landmark District, called Coso Rock Art District. In 2014, the Ridgecrest Petroglyph Festival, a celebration of the petroglyphs, native culture, and Ridgecrest as a California tourist destination was created as an annual event. It was named as one of Groupon's "10 Most Unique Autumn Festivals in the Country"

Walker Pass
Walker Pass (elevation 5250 ft) is a mountain pass by Lake Isabella in the southern Sierra Nevada mountains. It is located in northeastern Kern County, approximately 53 mi ENE of Bakersfield and 10 mi WSW of Ridgecrest. The pass provides a route between the San Joaquin Valley on the west and the Mojave Desert on the east.

Trona Pinnacles
Trona Pinnacles featured in many notable films are located near Ridgecrest.

Red Rock Canyon State Park
Red Rock Canyon State Park is also very close to Ridgecrest and provides the community with hiking and camping opportunities.

Education

Sierra Sands Unified School District, which serves the city of Ridgecrest, Inyokern, and the surrounding communities, includes the following elementary schools: Las Flores Elementary, Faller Elementary, Richmond Elementary currently displaced to Vieweg Elementary due to damage in recent earthquakes, Gateway Elementary, Pierce Elementary, and Inyokern Elementary. For middle-schoolers the school district includes James Monroe Middle School, and Murray Middle School. The district's primary high school, Sherman E Burroughs High School, serves Ridgecrest, China Lake NAWC, Inyokern, Buttermilk Acres, Red Mountain, and Randsburg. There is also an alternative high school, Mesquite High School. Ridgecrest Elementary Academy for Language, Music, and Science (REALMS)is a public charter school sponsored by the Kern County Office of Education. Opened in 2019, the school educates children from Transitional K to the 6th grade. The school campus was formerly a Transitional K to 8th grade school which operated from 2001 to 2018 under the name Ridgecrest Charter School.

College
Cerro Coso Community College, a part of the Kern Community College District, was established in 1973 and has a full-time enrollment of 2,347. The 420 acre Indian Wells Valley Campus (IWV) is located in the upper Mojave Desert near Ridgecrest. The IWV Campus is the largest of the Cerro Coso campuses. It serves a population of about 50,000. The college serves the communities of Ridgecrest, China Lake, Inyokern, and Trona.

Public library
Ridgecrest Branch Library, a branch of the Kern County Library, serves Ridgecrest, Inyokern, China Lake, Trona and surrounding communities.

Public safety

Ridgecrest has its own police department, as well as a regional station of the Kern County Sheriff's Department. The Kern County Fire Department provides fire protection and emergency medical services. Full-time law enforcement employees in 2008 numbered 56 (41 officers).

Crime statistics for 2011 (reported by the Ridgecrest Police Department):

 * Homicide: 1
 * Manslaughter by negligence: 0
 * Robbery: 15
 * Rape: 11
 * Assault: 337
 * Burglary: 192
 * Theft: 292
 * Auto theft: 37
 * Arson: 14
 * Total violent crimes: 364
 * Total property crimes: 535
 * Total crimes: 899
 * Percentage change since prior period: -9%
 * Calls for service: 33,440

Notable people
Notable natives include:
 * Rebekka Armstrong, Playboy Playmate and HIV/AIDS activist
 * Ted Bachman, former American football defensive end, attended Burroughs High.
 * Lacy Barnes-Mileham, (b. 1964), graduated Burroughs High (1983) and Fresno State (1988). Won U.S.A. Track and Field discus championships in 1999 and 1991, and competed in the 1996 Atlanta Olympics.
 * Jerome Davis (sprinter), sprinter
 * Mark Hoppus, co-lead singer and bassist of the rock band Blink-182
 * Jason Monks, politician and member of the Idaho House of Representatives
 * Sabaa Tahir, author

Media

Ridgecrest has one TV station, KZGN-LD, owned by Wiknich Broadcasting Corp., that has 3 channels serving the entire Indian Wells Valley over the air and on Mediacom Cable. KZGN provides local news, weather and sports. KZGN also provides a daily local interview program, Ridgecrest Talk. Ridgecrest is served by two newspapers, The Daily Independent and the News Review, as well as a mixture of local broadcast stations and repeaters from radio and TV stations based in Los Angeles and Bakersfield. The repeaters are operated by the IWV TV Booster. Radio stations in the area include KRSF 89.3 a Christian radio format with Radio 74; KZFX 93.7 a classic rock format with ABC and California news and weather; KSSI (FM) 102.7, broadcasting rock music, local news and weather; KLOA (AM) 1240, broadcasting CBS Sports Radio; KZIQ 92.7, featuring adult contemporary music; KRAJ The Heat 100.9 FM, featuring a hip-hop format; and K296AI the 107.1, with KCNV classical music feed. KRCK-1360, "Ridgecrest Radio", went off the air in the 1970s. TV repeater K05FO 5 rebroadcasts KTLA; and K35HO-D 35 rebroadcasts KBAK.

In popular culture
The town of Junktown in the video game Fallout is based on a post-apocalyptic version of Ridgecrest.

In a 1984 Sony commercial, Ridgecrest is known as the "Earthquake Capital of the World..."

Transportation
Ridgecrest is located at the junction of highways California State Route 178 and U.S. Route 395 (business route).

The city of Ridgecrest provides the Ridgecrest Transit shuttle bus service to and from Inyokern, connecting with the Eastern Sierra Transit Authority bus that serves Bishop and Mammoth Lakes to the north, and Lancaster (Metrolink station), with connections to the San Fernando Valley and Los Angeles, to the south. Kern Transit connects Ridgecrest to Lake Isabella and Mojave.

title: Ridgecrest, California


text:
Rosamond, California

Rosamond is an unincorporated community in Kern County, California, US, near the Los Angeles county line. Rosamond is part of Greater Los Angeles and is located in the Mojave Desert just north of Lancaster and Palmdale, two of the largest cities in Antelope Valley. As of the 2010 Census, Rosamond's population was 18,150. For statistical purposes, the United States Census Bureau has defined Rosamond as a census-designated place (CDP).

Rosamond is a suburban bedroom community with many residents employed by nearby Edwards Air Force Base or commuting to Los Angeles, Lancaster, and Palmdale for work. The town is about 15 minutes north of the Lancaster Metrolink station providing direct access to Los Angeles Union Station in just two hours.

History
Rosamond was established in 1877 as a townsite owned by the Southern Pacific Railroad; it was named for the daughter of one of the railroad's officials. The first local industries were mining and cattle. During the 1890s, gold was discovered in the area, quickly drawing miners and prospectors. After the initial boom, gold mining gradually declined, though it had a second, smaller boom during the 1930s. In 1933, Muroc Army Air Field was established some 20 mi miles away; it was later renamed Edwards Air Force Base in honor of fallen test pilot Glenn Edwards.

The Rosamond post office opened in 1885, closed in 1887, and re-opened in 1888.

1932 Ford V-8 endurance test
In July 1932, racing driver Eddie Pullen and his team demonstrated the endurance of the newly developed Ford V-8 engine, by driving a Ford V-8, model 18, 33,301 mi in 33 days, in the Mojave desert. The average speed was 42 mph over course of 82 mi of difficult desert terrain, where temperatures were as high as 114 F. Fuel consumption averaged 19.64 miles/gal.

Geography
Rosamond sits in the northern end of the Antelope Valley, the westernmost valley of the Mojave Desert. Because the elevation is 2000 to 3000 feet above sea level, the area, like the other parts of the Mojave Desert region, is referred to as the High Desert. Some cities and communities within the trading area of Rosamond include Lancaster, Palmdale, Hi Vista, Roosevelt, Redman, Lake Los Angeles, Quartz Hill, Ridgecrest, and Santa Clarita. Residents of these desert cities and unincorporated communities share Sierra Highway, Angeles Forest Highway, Angeles Crest Highway (State Route 2), and the Antelope Valley Freeway (State Route 14) for commutes to the San Fernando Valley and Los Angeles Basin in order to get to work.

Willow Springs lies west of central Rosamond and was a watering hole for stagecoach travelers for generations, though its springs have dried up. Willow Springs Raceway is nearby, which hosts a variety of motor racing events, attracting people from all over Southern California and beyond.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 52.336 sqmi, of which, 52.121 sqmi of it is land and 0.215 sqmi of it (0.41%) is water. The Census Bureau definition of the area may not precisely correspond to the local understanding of the historical area of the community.

2010
At the 2010 census Rosamond had a population of 18,150. The population density was 346.8 PD/sqmi. The racial makeup of Rosamond was 11,294 (62.2%) White, 1,476 (8.1%) African American, 221 (1.2%) Native American, 658 (3.6%) Asian, 66 (0.4%) Pacific Islander, 3,258 (18.0%) from other races, and 1,177 (6.5%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 6,230 persons (34.3%)

The census reported that 18,145 people (100% of the population) lived in households, 5 (0%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and no one was institutionalized.

There were 6,197 households, 2,603 (42.0%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 3,254 (52.5%) were opposite-sex married couples living together, 843 (13.6%) had a female householder with no husband present, 390 (6.3%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 432 (7.0%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships, and 40 (0.6%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 1,317 households (21.3%) were one person and 342 (5.5%) had someone living alone who was 65 or older. The average household size was 2.93. There were 4,487 families (72.4% of households); the average family size was 3.43.

The age distribution was 5,290 people (29.1%) under the age of 18, 1,956 people (10.8%) aged 18 to 24, 4,708 people (25.9%) aged 25 to 44, 4,716 people (26.0%) aged 45 to 64, and 1,480 people (8.2%) who were 65 or older. The median age was 32.0 years. For every 100 females, there were 100.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 100.2 males.

There were 6,968 housing units at an average density of 133.1 per square mile, of the occupied units 4,202 (67.8%) were owner-occupied and 1,995 (32.2%) were rented. The homeowner vacancy rate was 4.5%; the rental vacancy rate was 12.7%. 12,388 people (68.3% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 5,757 people (31.7%) lived in rental housing units.

2000
At the 2000 census there were 14,349 people, 4,988 households, and 3,626 families in the CDP. The population density was 274.7 PD/sqmi. There were 5,597 housing units at an average density of 107.2 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the CDP was 72.0% White, 6.6% Black or African American, 1.3% Native American, 3.0% Asian, 0.2% Pacific Islander, 11.7% from other races, and 5.2% from two or more races. Of the 4,988 households 41.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.7% were married couples living together, 12.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.3% were non-families. 21.9% of households were one person and 6.2% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.88 and the average family size was 3.38.

The age distribution was 32.9% under the age of 18, 7.9% from 18 to 24, 32.0% from 25 to 44, 19.3% from 45 to 64, and 7.9% 65 or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females, there were 102.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 101.5 males.

The median household income was $42,307 and the median family income was $46,918. Males had a median income of $42,484 versus $26,745 for females. The per capita income for the CDP was $17,440. About 11.6% of families and 14.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 19.2% of those under age 18 and 12.0% of those age 65 or over.

Education
There are five schools in Rosamond: Rosamond Elementary School, West Park Elementary School, Tropico Middle School, Rosamond High School and Rare Earth High School (alternative education).

There also was a special education schooling facility that went by the name "Ascend Academy". It got defunded by the Southern Kern Unified School District (SKUSD) in mid-2019.

Transportation
Rosamond sits along the California State Route 14, also known as the Antelope Highway, providing direct access to Los Angeles to the south and Mojave to the north.

Bus service from Rosamond to Bakersfield and Lancaster is provided by Kern Transit. The nearest Metrolink station is located about 15 minutes south in Lancaster. Expansion of the Metrolink train north to Rosamond has been discussed in a 2012 Kern County Council of Governments report.

Notable people

 * Kay Ryan, poet and writer
 * John Quade, actor

license: Creative Commons - Attribution Share-Alike - https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

title: Rosamond, California


text:
Rosedale, California

Rosedale is a census-designated place (CDP) in Kern County, California, United States. The population was 14,058 at the 2010 census, up from 8,445 at the 2000 census. Formerly a country town 10 mi west of Bakersfield, it is now surrounded by suburban housing and currently has the highest household income in Kern County, according to Census estimates.

Geography
Rosedale is located at 35.38361°N, -119.14528°W.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 34.0 sqmi, all of it land.

History
Rosedale was founded in 1891 as a colony of English farmers. A post office operated at Rosedale from 1891 to 1913.

2010
At the 2010 census Rosedale had a population of 14,058. The population density was 413.9 PD/sqmi. The racial makeup of Rosedale was 11,695 (83.2%) White, 208 (1.5%) African American, 159 (1.1%) Native American, 389 (2.8%) Asian, 24 (0.2%) Pacific Islander, 997 (7.1%) from other races, and 586 (4.2%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2,495 persons (17.7%).

The census reported that 14,049 people (99.9% of the population) lived in households, 9 (0.1%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and no one was institutionalized.

There were 4,565 households, 1,941 (42.5%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 3,386 (74.2%) were opposite-sex married couples living together, 290 (6.4%) had a female householder with no husband present, 208 (4.6%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 171 (3.7%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships, and 35 (0.8%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 522 households (11.4%) were one person and 161 (3.5%) had someone living alone who was 65 or older. The average household size was 3.08. There were 3,884 families (85.1% of households); the average family size was 3.32.

The age distribution was 3,811 people (27.1%) under the age of 18, 1,223 people (8.7%) aged 18 to 24, 3,124 people (22.2%) aged 25 to 44, 4,642 people (33.0%) aged 45 to 64, and 1,258 people (8.9%) who were 65 or older. The median age was 40.1 years. For every 100 females, there were 99.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 97.4 males.

There were 4,799 housing units at an average density of 141.3 per square mile, of the occupied units 4,106 (89.9%) were owner-occupied and 459 (10.1%) were rented. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.6%; the rental vacancy rate was 9.4%. 12,647 people (90.0% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 1,402 people (10.0%) lived in rental housing units.

2000
At the 2000 census there were 8,445 people, 2,566 households, and 2,304 families living in the CDP. The population density was 223.1 PD/sqmi. There were 2,776 housing units at an average density of 73.3 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the CDP was 88.98% White, 1.22% Black or African American, 1.22% Native American, 1.36% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 4.30% from other races, and 2.89% from two or more races. 11.00% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. Of the 2,566 households 49.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 80.4% were married couples living together, 5.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 10.2% were non-families. 7.8% of households were one person and 2.6% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 3.28 and the average family size was 3.45.

The age distribution was 33.3% under the age of 18, 6.4% from 18 to 24, 28.7% from 25 to 44, 25.6% from 45 to 64, and 6.0% 65 or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 98.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.7 males.

The median household income was $76,277 and the median family income was $83,704. Males had a median income of $61,379 versus $33,750 for females. The per capita income for the CDP was $25,414. About 4.5% of families and 6.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 7.4% of those under age 18 and 2.8% of those age 65 or over.

title: Rosedale, California


text:
Shafter, California

Shafter is a city in Kern County, California, United States. It is located 18 mi west-northwest of Bakersfield. The population was 16,988 at the 2010 census, up from 12,736 at the 2000 census. The city is located along State Route 43. Suburbs of Shafter include Myricks Corner, North Shafter, Smith Corner, and Thomas Lane.

History

The city of Shafter began as a loading dock along the Santa Fe Railroad (former San Francisco and San Joaquin Valley Railroad) right-of-way. The community was named for General William Rufus Shafter who commanded US Forces in Cuba during the Spanish–American War. Property was sold beginning in 1914 and the city incorporated on January 11, 1938.

The first post office opened in 1898, moved in 1902, closed in 1905. A new postal service started in 1914.

Shafter is home to Minter Field, which began operations in June 1941 and saw heavy use during World War II. Approximately 7,000 troops were stationed at the airstrip which hosted up to 600 prisoners of war as well. It is publicly owned and administered by the Minter Field Airport District and serves as an industrial center and airport for crop dusters and private aircraft. The Minter Field Museum is maintained on location as well.

The first truly successful human powered airplane, the Gossamer Condor, piloted by Bryan Allen won the Kremer prize on August 23, 1977, at Shafter's Minter Field. Allen piloted, and powered, the Paul MacCready designed airplane along the one mile long figure '8' course with two 10 foot high obstacles as specified by the Royal Aeronautical Society to claim the £50,000 prize. A California State Monument is located at the field for this event.

The Shafter Historical Society maintains two other museums. The Green Hotel and the Shafter Depot Museum emphasize various aspects of the daily lives of Shafter residents in years past; both structures are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

In 2009, a Shafter High School senior, Anna Jelmini, received the key to the city for placing in the Junior Olympics. She also fell just short of meeting the standards for the 2008 Olympics.

In 2013 Shafter celebrated the 100 year anniversary of its founding. The Centennial Celebration included several events highlighting the history of the town, including a flyover of a PT-13 Training Plane that was stationed at Minter Field during World War II.

Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 27.9 mi2, all of it land.

2010
At the 2010 census Shafter had a population of 16,988. The population density was 607.9 PD/sqmi. The racial makeup of Shafter was 8,150 (48.0%) White, 219 (1.3%) African American, 198 (1.2%) Native American, 111 (0.7%) Asian, 19 (0.1%) Pacific Islander, 7,645 (45.0%) from other races, and 646 (3.8%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 13,634 persons (80.3%).

The census reported that 16,323 people (96.1% of the population) lived in households, 148 (0.9%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 517 (3.0%) were institutionalized.

There were 4,230 households, 2,583 (61.1%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 2,562 (60.6%) were opposite-sex married couples living together, 720 (17.0%) had a female householder with no husband present, 365 (8.6%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 345 (8.2%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships, and 34 (0.8%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 446 households (10.5%) were one person and 203 (4.8%) had someone living alone who was 65 or older. The average household size was 3.86. There were 3,647 families (86.2% of households); the average family size was 4.11.

The age distribution was 6,121 people (36.0%) under the age of 18, 2,126 people (12.5%) aged 18 to 24, 4,666 people (27.5%) aged 25 to 44, 2,951 people (17.4%) aged 45 to 64, and 1,124 people (6.6%) who were 65 or older. The median age was 25.9 years. For every 100 females, there were 105.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 107.5 males.

There were 4,521 housing units at an average density of 161.8 per square mile, of the occupied units 2,471 (58.4%) were owner-occupied and 1,759 (41.6%) were rented. The homeowner vacancy rate was 2.2%; the rental vacancy rate was 6.9%. 9,552 people (56.2% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 6,771 people (39.9%) lived in rental housing units.

2000
As of the census of 2000, there were 12,736 people in 3,293 households, including 2,759 families, in the city. The population density was 708.4 PD/sqmi. There were 3,624 housing units at an average density of 201.6 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the city was 29.0% White, 2.0% Black or African American, 2.0% Native American, 0.75% Asian, 0.75% Pacific Islander, 0.25% from other races, and 0.25% from two or more races. 65.0% of the population is Hispanic or Latino of any race.

Of the 3,293 households 52.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 61.7% were married couples living together, 15.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 16.2% were non-families. 13.3% of households were one person and 7.4% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 3.67 and the average family size was 3.98.

The age distribution was 36.6% under the age of 18, 11.7% from 18 to 24, 28.5% from 25 to 44, 15.0% from 45 to 64, and 8.1% 65 or older. The median age was 26 years. For every 100 females, there were 104.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 106.0 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $29,515, and the median family income was $31,457. Males had a median income of $31,605 versus $21,603 for females. The per capita income for the city was $10,961. About 22.5% of families and 29.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including 36.8% of those under age 18 and 11.0% of those age 65 or over.

Economy
Historically, much of Shafter's economy has been based on agriculture and ag-related industry. Local crops include almonds, pistachios, cotton, grapes and alfalfa as well as some carrots, potatoes and other vegetables. Cotton and potatoes have a special historical significance for the town of Shafter as leading industries in different periods of the town's development.

Shafter has become a hub for a variety of economic endeavors including; manufacturing, logistics, and energy.

Rail Facility
The City of Shafter's Rail Facility has more than 10,000 feet of track owned by the City of Shafter and operated by the Public Works Department. It connects the BNSF Railway to tenants in the Paramount Logistics Park. This is the only rail served industrial park in the San Joaquin Valley. The Paramount Logistics Park (PLP) (formerly the International Trade and Transportation Center (ITTC)) was built to facilitate Central Valley access to ports in Long Beach and Los Angeles. Ross Dress for Less announced its plans to move into the PLP in 2013.

American Tire Distributors signed a 20-year lease with Roll Real Estate to lease over 1 million square feet of distribution space. The tire and wheel distributor has begun working out of a portion of the space as of Summer 2014, while the rest continues to be built out.

Modified Community Correctional Facility
The City of Shafter reopened the Shafter Modified Community Correctional Facility in 2013 after a two-year closure. Profits from the facility directly benefit public safety initiatives and the Shafter Education Partnership, focused on early literacy and college readiness.

Fiber-Optic Network
In 2006 the City of Shafter began construction on a 25-mile fiber-optic backbone ring. The city currently operates a 10 Gbit/s Ethernet network over the Shafter Connect network with near-zero unscheduled downtime since the network inception in 2007. The installed infrastructure will support 40 Gbit/s and faster speeds as technology standardizes. The network currently serves several areas of the city including:
 * Shafter Core – Downtown municipal, educational and law enforcement facilities
 * Minter Field Airport and Industrial Park development near Highway 99 and Lerdo Highway
 * Paramount Logistics Park at 7th Standard Road and Zachary Avenue
 * Future Residential/Commercial developments along 7th Standard Road between Calloway Drive and Zerker Road

The City of Shafter is the only municipality in the Central Valley that offers fiber-optic connections.

Education
Shafter is home to the Richland School District which oversees operation of four schools: Golden Oak Elementary School (K-6), Redwood Elementary School (K-6), Sequoia Elementary School (K-6) and Richland Junior High School. The district operates under the leadership of superintendent Mrs. Raquel Posadas-Gonzalez. Class sizes in grades K-3 average 20 students, while grades 4-8 average 30 students. The district has three libraries as well as a marching band program, Gifted And Talented Education (GATE), and Project Lead the Way’s Gateway to Technology Program.

Richland Schools are active in academic competitions, including Math Field Day, History Day, and the Oral Language Festival.

Math has been a strength of Richland Schools in recent years. The percentage of Richland 8th graders scoring “Proficient” or “Advanced” in Algebra quadrupled from 2008 (8%) to 2013 (33%), earning the Richland Junior High Algebra Department an Award from the Shafter Chamber of Commerce in 2013. In 2014, Richland students placed in the top three in four of eight categories at the Kern County Math Field Day Competition.

In 2014, Mr. Claudio Martinez from Richland's Sequoia Elementary was honored as the regional GATE Teacher of the Year from the Regional California Association for the Gifted.

Shafter is also home to Shafter High School, a member of the Kern High School District. It was built by architects Edwin J. Symmes and Clarence Cullimore in the late 1920s. Officially founded in 1928, Shafter High School has a history as old as the town itself. Today, it is administered by Principal Russell Shipley. The school has undergone many recent renovations including the construction of a new cafeteria and new classroom space to meet the needs of a growing student body. The school is also home to the historical Fred L. Starrh Performing Arts Center, a large theater building with a fully functional fly system.

Shafter is also home to Kern Adventist Elementary. Kern Adventist Elementary is a small, one-teacher Christian school. It has been in operation for over 92 years.

Shafter Education Partnership
In 2010, the City of Shafter, the Richland School District, and Shafter High School formed the Shafter Education Partnership. The Partnership is funded by the City of Shafter with a 2014-15 budget allocation of $865,618.

In order to support its goal of forming a strong foundation in reading the Shafter Education Partnership distributes books for children to take home, offers summer and after school reading programs.

Shafter Learning Center
The Shafter Education Partnership, in conjunction with the Kern County Library and Richland School District, opened the Shafter Learning Center in June 2014. In that same year the building, which had housed the Shafter branch of the Kern County Library, was remodeled to include two classrooms and a computer lab. Classes are offered for students in the community and subjects range from math, keyboarding, art, science and reading to language courses. In 2021 the Kern County Shafter Library Branch closed. In response to the closure, the City of Shafter opened a municipal city library in the same building in partnership with Bakersfield College.

Notable people

 * Dean Florez – CA state senator, candidate Lt. Governor
 * Annette Funicello - actress, singer, Mouseketeer; lived in Shafter for two years
 * Anna Jelmini – Track and field athlete
 * Larsen Jensen – Olympic medalist – Swimming
 * Joe O'Brien, Harness racing driver.

title: Shafter, California


text:
South Taft, California

South Taft is a census-designated place (CDP) in Kern County, California, United States. South Taft is located 0.5 mi south of Taft, at an elevation of 1017 feet. The population was 2,169 at the 2010 census, up from 1,898 at the time of the 2000 census.

Geography
South Taft is located at 35.13472°N, -119.45611°W.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 1.1 sqmi, all of it land.

2010
At the 2010 census South Taft had a population of 2,169. The population density was 2,015.5 PD/sqmi. The racial makeup of South Taft was 1,404 (64.7%) White, 21 (1.0%) African American, 55 (2.5%) Native American, 5 (0.2%) Asian, 11 (0.5%) Pacific Islander, 596 (27.5%) from other races, and 77 (3.6%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 931 people (42.9%).

The census reported that 2,028 people (93.5% of the population) lived in households, 141 (6.5%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and no one was institutionalized.

There were 606 households, 293 (48.3%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 251 (41.4%) were opposite-sex married couples living together, 117 (19.3%) had a female householder with no husband present, 72 (11.9%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 73 (12.0%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships, and 4 (0.7%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 115 households (19.0%) were one person and 33 (5.4%) had someone living alone who was 65 or older. The average household size was 3.35. There were 440 families (72.6% of households); the average family size was 3.75.

The age distribution was 732 people (33.7%) under the age of 18, 275 people (12.7%) aged 18 to 24, 567 people (26.1%) aged 25 to 44, 457 people (21.1%) aged 45 to 64, and 138 people (6.4%) who were 65 or older. The median age was 27.1 years. For every 100 females, there were 116.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 119.1 males.

There were 733 housing units at an average density of 681.1 per square mile, of the occupied units 270 (44.6%) were owner-occupied and 336 (55.4%) were rented. The homeowner vacancy rate was 3.8%; the rental vacancy rate was 8.9%. 790 people (36.4% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 1,238 people (57.1%) lived in rental housing units.

2000
At the 2000 census there were 1,898 people, 629 households, and 471 families living in the CDP. The population density was 1,766.2 PD/sqmi. There were 724 housing units at an average density of 673.7 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the CDP was 79.14% White, 0.37% Black or African American, 1.95% Native American, 0.11% Asian, 0.79% Pacific Islander, 13.96% from other races, and 3.69% from two or more races. 25.66% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. Of the 629 households 41.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.6% were married couples living together, 18.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.0% were non-families. 20.7% of households were one person and 9.7% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 3.02 and the average family size was 3.39.

The age distribution was 35.1% under the age of 18, 9.0% from 18 to 24, 29.0% from 25 to 44, 17.5% from 45 to 64, and 9.4% 65 or older. The median age was 29 years. For every 100 females, there were 104.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.3 males.

The median household income was $20,921 and the median family income was $23,317. Males had a median income of $28,889 versus $24,635 for females. The per capita income for the CDP was $9,929. About 29.6% of families and 39.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 61.7% of those under age 18 and 21.4% of those age 65 or over.

title: South Taft, California


text:
Squirrel Mountain Valley, California

Squirrel Mountain Valley is a census-designated place (CDP) in the southern Sierra Nevadas, in Kern County, California, United States. Squirrel Mountain Valley is located in the Lake Isabella area 5 mi northeast of Bodfish, at an elevation of 2900 feet. The population was 547 at the 2010 census, up from 498 at the 2000 census.

Geography
Squirrel Mountain Valley is located at 35.62333°N, -118.40972°W.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 0.7 sqmi, all of it land.

2010
At the 2010 census Squirrel Mountain Valley had a population of 547. The population density was 766.7 PD/sqmi. The racial makeup of Squirrel Mountain Valley was 509 (93.1%) White, 2 (0.4%) African American, 9 (1.6%) Native American, 1 (0.2%) Asian, 0 (0.0%) Pacific Islander, 13 (2.4%) from other races, and 13 (2.4%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 22 people (4.0%).

The whole population lived in households, no one lived in non-institutionalized group quarters and no one was institutionalized.

There were 255 households, 38 (14.9%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 162 (63.5%) were opposite-sex married couples living together, 9 (3.5%) had a female householder with no husband present, 13 (5.1%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 5 (2.0%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships, and 2 (0.8%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 63 households (24.7%) were one person and 43 (16.9%) had someone living alone who was 65 or older. The average household size was 2.15. There were 184 families (72.2% of households); the average family size was 2.51.

The age distribution was 68 people (12.4%) under the age of 18, 22 people (4.0%) aged 18 to 24, 58 people (10.6%) aged 25 to 44, 209 people (38.2%) aged 45 to 64, and 190 people (34.7%) who were 65 or older. The median age was 58.3 years. For every 100 females, there were 104.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 99.6 males.

There were 304 housing units at an average density of 426.1 per square mile, of the occupied units 230 (90.2%) were owner-occupied and 25 (9.8%) were rented. The homeowner vacancy rate was 3.4%; the rental vacancy rate was 16.7%. 488 people (89.2% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 59 people (10.8%) lived in rental housing units.

2000
At the 2000 census there were 498 people, 218 households, and 165 families living in the CDP. The population density was 712.0 PD/sqmi. There were 243 housing units at an average density of 347.4 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the CDP was 93.17% White, 0.40% Black or African American, 0.80% Native American, 0.20% Pacific Islander, 1.61% from other races, and 3.82% from two or more races. 5.42% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. Of the 218 households 19.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 69.3% were married couples living together, 3.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 23.9% were non-families. 22.5% of households were one person and 16.1% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.28 and the average family size was 2.64.

The age distribution was 17.9% under the age of 18, 2.8% from 18 to 24, 13.9% from 25 to 44, 30.5% from 45 to 64, and 34.9% 65 or older. The median age was 54 years. For every 100 females, there were 100.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.6 males.

The median household income was $42,083 and the median family income was $52,875. Males had a median income of $62,656 versus $49,000 for females. The per capita income for the CDP was $31,909. None of the families and 2.5% of the population were living below the poverty line, including no under eighteens and 5.8% of those over 64.

title: Squirrel Mountain Valley, California


text:
Taft, California

Taft (formerly Moron, Moro, and Siding Number Two) is a city in the foothills at the extreme southwestern edge of the San Joaquin Valley, in Kern County, California. Taft is located 32 mi west-southwest of Bakersfield, at an elevation of 955 feet. The population was 9,327 at the 2010 census. According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 15.1 mi2.

It was named for President William H. Taft in 1909.

History
The town began as Siding Number Two on the Sunset Railroad. According to a display at the West Kern Oil Museum, local residents asked the Southern Pacific Railroad if the station could be named Moro when the rails arrived in about 1900, but a railroad official declined because the name would be too easily confused with the coastal town of Morro Bay. Instead, the railroad directed the station be called Moron, a word which as yet had no association with lack of intelligence (cf. Spanish word for hillock, morón). Pictures of local businesses, including the Moron Pharmacy, hang in the museum.

After a fire burned much of the town, the name was changed to Taft in honor of William Howard Taft.

Taft was once a sundown town that posted "No Colored Allowed" signs.

Oil industry

Taft is situated in a major petroleum and natural gas production region in California and is one of the few remaining towns in the United States which exist exclusively because of nearby oil reserves. The discovery of oil in the region occurred in the late 19th century near Maricopa, 7 mile south of Taft. Many other oil and gas accumulations were discovered around Taft during the early-to-mid-20th century, notably the Midway field (near Fellows, California), the Sunset field (later found to be part of the same trend, accounting for the modern combined name of Midway-Sunset), and the Buena Vista. The town is built directly between these two huge fields. The operational activities within these fields, as well as California Resources Corporation's Elk Hills Oil Field north of Taft, have been the economic lifeblood of the town for over 100 years.

The super-giant Midway-Sunset field has produced approximately 2800000000 oilbbl of crude oil, most of it heavy gravity (13-14 degrees API). Enhanced oil recovery operations in the form of steam production and injection have been used on the thick viscous crude oil of the Midway-Sunset field since the mid-to-late-1960s. The reservoirs of the Midway-Sunset field are composited layers of mostly unconsolidated sandstones of late Miocene age, shallowly buried. The shallow burial depth and ideal nature of the sandstones make them almost perfectly suited for steam injection. As a result, the amount of oil that can be recovered has greatly increased.

Standard Oil, later the Standard Oil Company of California (modern Chevron), made Taft its corporate operational headquarters. At one time, it is reported that as many as 6,000 inhabitants of Taft were employed by Standard Oil. The hub of this activity was "11-C Camp", so named due to its survey township location in section 11 and designated "township C" by Standard's mapping department. The infrastructure to run a large oil and gas company included: a rail spur from the line running through Taft, steel and timber for derrick construction and maintenance, pipe, valves, numerous offices, an expansive and highly specialized machine shop, supply shops, the car and truck fleet on one side of the Main Street; bunkhouses for workers, and fourteen blocks on four streets of company homes for employees on the other side. 11-C Camp also included a playground, baseball field, tennis courts, a swimming pool, a cook-house open to the public, landscaped grounds, a clubhouse with a television, pool and card tables, and an ice-cream stand. The huge complex gradually closed down over a period of many years. In 1968, Standard Oil of California moved its accounting and finance offices to Concord, California. In the late 1980s, the machine shop was closed and auctioned, signaling the end of the 11-C Camp era. The houses were moved outside the camp into a new neighborhood.

Many other oil companies had operations in the area, including larger companies such as Shell, Texaco, Exxon, Mobil, Gulf, and ARCO, as well as smaller operations (but with a large local presence), such as Santa Fe Energy, Berry Petroleum, Tannehill, M.H. Whittier, and lately Plains Exploration & Production. In the mid-1990s, according to California's Division of Oil, Gas, and Geothermal Resources (DOGGR), there were 68 operating companies working the Midway-Sunset field alone. While the names of most of these companies have changed, due to mergers, acquisitions, and liquidations, the production activities have been continuous.

In the early days of oil exploration and production, long before the advent of modern blowout preventions, gushers were the norm. Although there were many, the Lakeview Gusher gushed more than any, producing 100000 oilbbl of oil per day at its peak. In all, the Lakeview No.1 produced about 9000000 oilbbl of oil (a very respectable cumulative production for a single well in this area). The well and its State historical marker can be found along the Petroleum Club road, just off SR 33 south of town.

Recent history
Taft was also the site of a military airfield, Gardner Army Airfield, which was used to train pilots during World War II. After the base was closed, its abandoned airstrip served as a clandestine dragstrip for many years.

The railroad—originally built to export crude oil and import drinking water—is gone, but the area still has a significant oil industry presence.

A private prison, Taft Correctional Institution, operated by Management & Training Corporation under contract to the U.S. Bureau of Prisons, is located on Cadet Road south of town. There is a large, modern high school serving area students. The West Kern Oil Museum, at 1168 Wood Street, has vast holdings, including pumps, fire apparatus, trucks, a historic wooden derrick, photos, models, and extensive displays of local history back to Indian times. The town's newspaper, the Midway Driller, was reputed to be the oldest daily newspaper in California. About 2005, the Daily Midway Driller became the Midway Driller and is now published on Tuesdays and Fridays. The town's second weekly newspaper, the Taft Independent, began publication on July 4, 2006.

The city owns a 46 acre in the center of town which features the West Kern Oilworker's Monument, a 37 feet tall bronze sculpture that features several human figures displayed on an oil derrick by artist Benjamin Victor that was paid for with donations from local residents, visitors and several oil companies. The railroad property is part of a redevelopment project that the city is using to attract new businesses, housing and commercial office space.

Climate
Taft has a desert climate (Köppen BWh), with long, hot, dry summers, and brief, cool, moist winters. Rainfall averages only 5.39 in annually, mostly falling during winter and spring. Typically, no rain falls from June through September. The year with the most rainfall is 1998, with 17.61 in. The year with the least rainfall is 2007, with 1.93 in. The most rainfall in one month was 6.96 in, in February 1998. The most rainfall in one day was 1.48 in, on May 6, 1998. Taft averages 112.7 days with highs above 90 F and 6.2 days with lows below 32 F. The highest recorded temperature in Taft is 112 F on July 11, 2008. The lowest recorded temperature in Taft is 24 F on December 23, 1998.

2010
The 2010 United States Census reported that Taft had a population of 9,327. The population density was 617.1 PD/sqmi. The racial makeup of Taft was 7,388 (79.2%) White, 396 (4.2%) African American, 118 (1.3%) Native American, 93 (1.0%) Asian, 65 (0.7%) Pacific Islander, 1,023 (11.0%) from other races, and 244 (2.6%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 3,353 persons (35.9%).

The Census reported that 6,372 people (68.3% of the population) lived in households, 123 (1.3%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 2,832 (30.4%) were institutionalized.

There were 2,254 households, out of which 914 (40.6%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 1,119 (49.6%) were opposite-sex married couples living together, 289 (12.8%) had a female householder with no husband present, 178 (7.9%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 176 (7.8%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships, and 9 (0.4%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 543 households (24.1%) were made up of individuals, and 246 (10.9%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.83. There were 1,586 families (70.4% of all households); the average family size was 3.32.

The population was spread out, with 1,844 people (19.8%) under the age of 18, 1,041 people (11.2%) aged 18 to 24, 3,521 people (37.8%) aged 25 to 44, 2,136 people (22.9%) aged 45 to 64, and 785 people (8.4%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34.9 years. For every 100 females, there were 186.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 219.0 males.

There were 2,525 housing units at an average density of 167.1 /sqmi, of which 1,375 (61.0%) were owner-occupied, and 879 (39.0%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 2.6%; the rental vacancy rate was 10.8%. 3,847 people (41.2% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units, and 2,525 people (27.1%) lived in rental housing units.

2000
According to the census of 2000, there were 6,400 people, 2,233 households, and 1,565 families residing in the city. The population density was 422.6 PD/sqmi. There were 2,478 housing units at an average density of 163.6 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the city was 83.16% White, 1.97% Black or African American, 0.84% Native American, 1.27% Asian, 0.44% Pacific Islander, 10.39% from other races, and 1.94% from two or more races. 15.55% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 2,233 households, out of which 33.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.9% were married couples living together, 10.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.9% were non-families. 24.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.62 and the average family size was 3.09.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 25.6% under the age of 18, 12.1% from 18 to 24, 27.9% from 25 to 44, 21.5% from 45 to 64, and 12.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females, there were 108.5 males. For every 100 females aged 18 and over, there were 109.6 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $33,861, and the median income for a family was $42,468. Males had a median income of $47,000 versus $26,838 for females. The per capita income for the city was $17,564. About 13.1% of families and 17.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 26.5% of those under age 18 and 5.5% of those age 65 or over.

Education
Taft City School District operates elementary and junior high schools:
 * Jefferson Elementary School
 * Parkview Elementary School
 * Conley Elementary School
 * Taft Primary School
 * Roosevelt Elementary School
 * Lincoln Junior High School

Taft Union High School is the local high school.

Taft College is the community college.

Law enforcement
The Taft Police Department employs 16 sworn officers, 12 civilian employees, and 2 volunteers. It operates its own jail.

Arts and culture
In October 2010 Taft had its 100-year birthday.

Every five years during October, Taft holds a birthday celebration. This event began as a parade and civic luncheon, commemorating Taft's 20th birthday in November 1930. These celebrations were held every five years until World War II, during which time none were held.

After the war, in 1946, the celebrations began again and the Taft District Chamber of Commerce made them permanent. A contest was held to choose a name for the event, and "Oildorado" was chosen, having been submitted by W.A. Poff.

Oildorado is a week long celebration honoring the history of Taft as a place of oil production and exploration. There are several oilfield-type skill contests, including: welding, pipe threading and fitting, rod wrenching, various skill tests with a backhoe, and at least as late as 1965 a regular well-pulling contest with local well-servicing rigs and crews. Owing to safety and probably liability issues, the well-pulling contests ceased.

Additionally, there is a beauty pageant where an Oildorado Queen is selected, a facial hair growing contest, talent shows, barbecues, street fairs, parades, and in 2005, motocross races. People usually dress in cowboy boots and a cowboy hat throughout the week.

It is also customary for all men to grow facial hair during this time. If a man does not grow facial hair, he must pay for a permit and wear a bolo tie or lapel pin called a Smooth Puss Badge. If he is caught clean-shaven without his badge, he may be arrested by the Posse, a group of men dressed in western garb, sporting pistols and rifles filled with blanks and, of course, facial hair. The man will be placed in a jail truck called "The Hoosegow" and driven around town for an hour for all to see. Warrants may also be purchased to have somebody else arrested and placed in The Hoosegow.

The Posse is overseen by the Grand Marshal. The group patrols the streets, schools, and businesses and engages in make-believe shootouts with the Bandits (the Wooden Nickel Gang), who customarily wear bandanna masks on their faces.

Other staples of this week-long celebration include wooden nickels, dinner theatres, classic car shows, and rodeos.

Attractions
Taft is the nearest town of any size to the Carrizo Plain National Monument, which is located about an hour west. Note that the shortest route (per Google Maps) has dirt sections and isn't recommended for standard passenger cars. Like many dirt roads in the area, it is impassable after heavy rains.

The Temblor Recreation Area in the Temblor Range, property of the Bureau of Land Management, is less than 3 miles Southwest of Taft.

Transportation
Taft is located at the junction of California State Route 33 and California State Route 119.

The City of Taft operates Taft-Maricopa Area Transit, with buses serving Taft and Maricopa. Kern Transit operates intercity transportation between Taft and Bakersfield.

Taft-Kern County Airport is located at the east edge of town and is a favorite for parachutists in Kern County and the South San Joaquin Valley.

Notable people

 * Sam Andrew, artist and founding member and guitarist of Big Brother and the Holding Company, born in Taft
 * Bill Bagnall, editor and publisher, member of Motorcycle Hall of Fame
 * Jordan Belfort, businessman and convicted felon, "Wolf of Wall Street"; not originally from Taft, spent time at Taft Correctional Institution
 * Jeanne Cooper, actress
 * Loren Cunningham, co-founder of Youth With A Mission
 * Dennis Fimple, actor
 * Leon Goldman, San Francisco-based surgeon and father of Dianne Feinstein
 * Ron Graham, mathematician, juggler
 * Billy Nelson, 2008 Olympian, track & field
 * Tracy Rogers, NFL football player
 * Ryan Shuck, guitarist
 * Benjamin Victor, sculptor

In popular culture

 * 25 Hill
 * Attack of the 50 Ft. Woman
 * The Best of Times. A movie about Taft.
 * Five Easy Pieces
 * A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night
 * Meteor
 * No Breaks. A 1976 film detailing the town's attempts to break the world record for longest loaf of bread and longest submarine sandwich in the Guinness Book of World Records, which it did successfully.
 * Thelma & Louise
 * Too Young to Die?
 * Robbers by The 1975. A music video directed by Tim Matti in 2014. The video depicts a couple who rob a shop to obtain money to "fund their alcohol and drug addiction."
 * John Dies at the End. A 2012 film based on the book of the same name written by David Wong, which features many of Taft's iconic Center Street scenes.
 * Break Up. A 1998 film starring Kiefer Sutherland and Bridget Fonda.
 * Today. A 1993 music video by The Smashing Pumpkins; opens with Billy Corgan sitting on the curb outside Wilson's Taft Hardware store.
 * California's Gold, Episode 609
 * California's Gold, Episode 13002
 * Oildorado - Road Trip with Huell Howser Episode 137

title: Taft, California


text:
Taft Heights, California

Taft Heights (formerly, Boust City) is a census-designated place (CDP) in Kern County, California, United States. Taft Heights is located 1 mi west-southwest of Taft, at an elevation of 1178 feet. The population was 1,949 at the 2010 census, up from 1,865 at the 2000 census.

Geography
Taft Heights is located at 35.13472°N, -119.4725°W.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 0.3 sqmi, all of it land.

History
The place was originally called Boust City in honor of E.J. Boust, an oilman who founded the town.

2010
At the 2010 census Taft Heights had a population of 1,949. The population density was 6,430.2 PD/sqmi. The racial makeup of Taft Heights was 1,602 (82.2%) White, 15 (0.8%) African American, 35 (1.8%) Native American, 11 (0.6%) Asian, 0 (0.0%) Pacific Islander, 220 (11.3%) from other races, and 66 (3.4%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 441 people (22.6%).

The whole population lived in households, no one lived in non-institutionalized group quarters and no one was institutionalized.

There were 674 households, 297 (44.1%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 306 (45.4%) were opposite-sex married couples living together, 112 (16.6%) had a female householder with no husband present, 59 (8.8%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 78 (11.6%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships, and 3 (0.4%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 145 households (21.5%) were one person and 54 (8.0%) had someone living alone who was 65 or older. The average household size was 2.89. There were 477 families (70.8% of households); the average family size was 3.32.

The age distribution was 589 people (30.2%) under the age of 18, 260 people (13.3%) aged 18 to 24, 475 people (24.4%) aged 25 to 44, 451 people (23.1%) aged 45 to 64, and 174 people (8.9%) who were 65 or older. The median age was 29.3 years. For every 100 females, there were 98.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.5 males.

There were 776 housing units at an average density of 2,560.2 per square mile, of the occupied units 345 (51.2%) were owner-occupied and 329 (48.8%) were rented. The homeowner vacancy rate was 3.9%; the rental vacancy rate was 9.5%. 923 people (47.4% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 1,026 people (52.6%) lived in rental housing units.

2000
As of the census of 2000, there were 1,865 people, 676 households, and 484 families living in the CDP. The population density was 6,123.1 PD/sqmi. There were 769 housing units at an average density of 2,524.8 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the CDP was 88.20% White, 0.54% Black or African American, 1.45% Native American, 0.91% Asian, 0.97% Pacific Islander, 5.63% from other races, and 2.31% from two or more races. 13.14% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

Of the 676 households 37.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.9% were married couples living together, 12.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.3% were non-families. 21.4% of households were one person and 9.0% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.76 and the average family size was 3.20.

The age distribution was 31.8% under the age of 18, 10.0% from 18 to 24, 27.6% from 25 to 44, 18.8% from 45 to 64, and 11.8% 65 or older. The median age was 30 years. For every 100 females, there were 100.5 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.9 males.

The median household income was $37,684 and the median family income was $37,944. Males had a median income of $36,098 versus $21,765 for females. The per capita income for the CDP was $14,485. About 17.2% of families and 18.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 27.2% of those under age 18 and 3.7% of those age 65 or over.

title: Taft Heights, California


text:
Tehachapi, California

Tehachapi (Kawaiisu: Tihachipia, meaning "hard climb") is a city in Kern County, California, United States, in the Tehachapi Mountains, at an elevation of 3970 ft, between the San Joaquin Valley and the Mojave Desert. Tehachapi is 35 mi east-southeast of Bakersfield, and 20 mi west of Mojave. According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 10 sqmi and a population of 14,414. The Tehachapi area is known for the nearby Tehachapi Loop (a popular railfan site), the Pacific Crest Trail and for the excellent conditions for the aerial sport of gliding.

History

The Kawaiisu people (also Nuwu ("people" in Kawaiisu), or Nuooah) are the Native American tribe whose homeland was the Tehachapi Valley, and seasonally the southern Sierra Nevada and Mojave Desert, for thousands of years.

One possibility for the origin of the name Tehachapi comes from the Kawaiisu language. It may be derived from the word for "hard climb" or tihachipia, according to the Tomi-Kahni Resource Center. The settlement has been formerly known and spelled as: Tehachapai; Tehachapa; Tehachepi; Tehachipi; and Summit Station. According to Yokuts informant Wahumchah, recorded by anthropologist Frank Forrest Latta, Tehachapi derives from a Yokuts-Ute amalgam, from Yokuts taheech[e] "oak-covered flat" + Ute pah' "water" (cl. Pah-ute, lit. 'Water Ute'). On an 1864 map of California, the name appears as Taheechepah.

The original settlement in the Tehachapi Valley, once called Williamsburg or 'Tehichipa', was founded in the 1860s. Now known as ‘Old Town’, it was located four miles west of present-day downtown Tehachapi and was an important station on the road linking the San Joaquin Valley with Southern California. It is now registered as California Historical Landmark #643 for being the oldest settlement in the Tehachapi Valley.

In 1869, Peter D. Greene, a gold prospector and rancher who originally arrived in 1856, was appointed postmaster of a new post office near the Tomlinson Stage Company station at Oak Creek to be called ‘Tehichipa’, which was the only post office in the area. In 1875, Greene founded the community of Greenwich three miles east of Williamsburg and was appointed postmaster there.

Under the leadership of civil engineer J.B. Harris, the Southern Pacific Railroad line through the Tehachapi Pass was completed in July 1876 and became the final link connecting San Francisco and Los Angeles. A telegraph office near the railroad tracks located one mile east of Greenwich was the first structure on the empty plain and would become the site of the Tehachapi Railroad Depot and the beginning of the downtown core. The depot is now on the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP)—and was the oldest building in downtown Tehachapi until it burned in June 2008. The building had been in the final stages of becoming a museum. It has since been rebuilt using the original plans with only minor modifications to meet modern building codes. The new depot was dedicated on June 5, 2010.

The new railroad town was given the name of Tehachapi Summit, and Williamsburg and Greenwich, having been bypassed by the railroad, saw their population decline as many of the area's residents moved to the new town. In 1885, Greene moved the post office to Tehachapi Summit, the postal name was later changed to ‘Tehachapi’ in 1893. The town was incorporated on August 13, 1909.

1952 Kern County earthquake
Tehachapi experienced the 7.3 magnitude 1952 Kern County earthquake on the White Wolf Fault. At the time, the earthquake was the largest in Southern California in the twentieth century and the largest since the 1872 Lone Pine earthquake. It was felt as far away as Reno, Nevada. Twelve people died in the quake and severe damage was done to buildings and rail lines in the area.

Faults
Downtown Tehachapi is approximately 15 mi from the White Wolf Fault, 6 mi from the Garlock Fault and 30 mi from the San Andreas Fault. The 1857 Fort Tejon earthquake on the San Andreas Fault had an estimated magnitude of 7.9 but there is no record of the local effects of this quake. The Garlock Fault last ruptured approximately 500 years ago.

Climate

Tehachapi has a hot-summer mediterranean climate (Köppen Csa).

Tehachapi is known for its four-season climate. The wet season is generally November through May, although thunderstorms are common during the summer, especially over the nearby mountain peaks. Average temperatures range from 88 to 58 F in July to 52 to 29 F in January. The area typically collects 15 to 20 inch of snow each winter. There are an average of 31.1 days with highs of 91 F or higher and an average of 94.8 days with lows of 31 F or lower annually.

The region is notably windy throughout the year, with most days out of the year experiencing strong wind gusts (typically coming from the northwest). The wind can cause temperatures to feel significantly colder than they are, especially in winter. When strong high pressure systems are over the area, the winds often cease. The windy weather provides excellent conditions for renewable electricity generation and aerial gliding.

The highest recorded temperature was 105 F on July 27, 1934. The lowest recorded temperature was -4 F on January 14, 1932, and December 21, 1967. Annual precipitation averages 11.08 in and there is measurable precipitation on average of 42 days annually. The wettest year was 1983, with 27.77 in and the driest year was 1989, with 4.3 in. The most precipitation in one month was 11.59 in in March 1983. The most precipitation in 24 hours was 3.4 in on March 1, 1983. The snowiest year was 1967, when 62 in fell. The most snow in one month was 44 in in January 1933.

Demographics
The population was 14,414 at the 2010 census, up from 10,957 at the 2000 census.

2010
The 2010 United States Census reported that Tehachapi had a population of 14,414. The population density was 1,445.7 PD/sqmi.

The racial makeup of Tehachapi was 9,426 (65.4%) White, 1,297 (9.0%) African American, 206 (1.4%) Native American, 238 (1.7%) Asian, 21 (0.1%) Pacific Islander, 2,725 (18.9%) from other races, and 501 (3.5%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 5,466 persons (37.9%).

The Census reported that 8,487 people (58.9% of the population) lived in households, 6 (0%) lived in non-institutionalized group quarters, and 5,921 (41.1%) were institutionalized.

There were 3,121 households, out of which 1,199 (38.4%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 1,504 (48.2%) were opposite-sex married couples living together, 418 (13.4%) had a female householder with no husband present, 181 (5.8%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 194 (6.2%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships, and 18 (0.6%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 879 households (28.2%) were made up of individuals, and 428 (13.7%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.72. There were 2,103 families (67.4% of all households); the average family size was 3.34.

The population was spread out, with 2,599 people (18.0%) under the age of 18, 1,542 people (10.7%) aged 18 to 24, 5,891 people (40.9%) aged 25 to 44, 3,115 people (21.6%) aged 45 to 64, and 1,267 people (8.8%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34.4 years. For every 100 females, there were 234.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 283.0 males.

There were 3,539 housing units at an average density of 354.9 /mi2, of which 1,841 (59.0%) were owner-occupied, and 1,280 (41.0%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate was 3.2%; the rental vacancy rate was 12.2%. 4,913 people (34.1% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 3,574 people (24.8%) lived in rental housing units.

2000
As of the census of 2000, there were 10,957 people, 2,533 households, and 1,709 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,144.0 PD/sqmi. There were 2,914 housing units at an average density of 304.2 /mi2.

The racial makeup of the city was 57.2% White, 13.8% Black or African American, 1.4% Native American, 0.7% Asian, 0.2% Pacific Islander, 23.8% from other races, and 3.0% from two or more races. 32.7% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 2,533 households, out of which 35.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.5% were married couples living together, 14.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.5% were non-families. 28.8% of all households were made up of individuals, and 13.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.59 and the average family size was 3.19.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 18.5% under the age of 18, 12.9% from 18 to 24, 42.7% from 25 to 44, 16.5% from 45 to 64, and 9.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females, there were 224.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 270.0 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $29,208, and the median income for a family was $40,030. Males had a median income of $50,446 versus $26,023 for females. The per capita income for the city was $18,220. 20.4% of the population and 17.4% of families were below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 24.5% of those under the age of 18 and 15.5% of those 65 and older were living below the poverty line.

Economy

Tehachapi has historically been agrarian, with apples, peaches, grain, vegetables and hay grown year-round.

Wine grapes were grown in the area from the 19th century up until prohibition. A 2007 application to the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) for the "Tehachapi/Cummings Valley AVA" was declined due to insufficient planted acreage. The Tehachapi Mountains American Viticultural Area was approved in 2020. It is approximately 58,000 acres.

Roughly half of Tehachapi's water supply originates as groundwater that is replenished by local precipitation; the other half comes from the California Aqueduct.

The California Correctional Institution, a maximum security prison also known as Tehachapi State Prison, is in the area. Edwards Air Force Base lies 40 mile to the east.

The Tehachapi area has been a center for renewable wind energy, containing 4,531 turbines that produce 3,200 megawatts of electricity as of 2019. In the same year, Amazon announced it would begin sourcing wind energy from Tehachapi as part of its goal to become carbon-neutral by 2040. The Tehachapi Energy Storage Project, commissioned in 2014, is located at Monolith Substation.

In 2019, a Walmart store opened in Tehachapi, which would provide up to 200 full and part-time jobs.

Recreation and culture
The Tehachapi area is known for the nearby Tehachapi Loop (a popular railfan site), Tehachapi Pass Wind Farm, the Tehachapi Depot Museum, the Tehachapi Museum, the Tomo-Kahni State Historic Park and Tomi-Kahni Resource Center (Native American), and excellent air conditions for gliding. Tehachapi is on the Pacific Crest Trail. 10 mi to the west, at Keene, is the National Chavez Center, established to share the legacy of Cesar Chavez.

Cycling
Tehachapi has a thriving and growing cycling community for both mountain biking and road cycling. The Tehachapi Gran Fondo, a mass cycling event in September, was named Best Century by Cycle CA magazine two years in a row. The event offers several distance choices, the longest being around 100 mile and 7000 feet of climbing through wind farms, vegetable farms, orchards and mountains.

Tehachapi Mountain Trails Association (TMTA) is a local group of riders and trail builders. The trails are often used for singletrack mountain biking. TMTA members are walkers, hikers, road bicyclists, mountain bikers, horseback riders, and outdoor enthusiasts interested in developing and preserving multi-use non motorized trails throughout the greater Tehachapi area.

Community orchestra and theater
Tehachapi boasts two local orchestras. The Tehachapi Community Orchestra, now called the Tehachapi Symphony Orchestra, was founded in 1997 by Joan Samara and Deborah Hand as an outgrowth of the Da Camera Players String Ensemble, and incorporated in 1998 by Gayel Pitchford. It performs 5 free-to-the public concerts each year, with familiar selections from the classical canon. This orchestra and its founders' vision were profiled in the Sept/Oct 2005 issue of Symphony Magazine. (See also The Tehachapi News October 12, 1997)

The Tehachapi Pops Orchestra (T-Pops), founded in 2006 by Deborah Hand, plays an eclectic blend of popular and jazz music, as well as original compositions. T-Pops performs 5 to 6 concerts each year. All are free to the public except for the Halloween concert held at the Beekay Theater with the local theater group, the Tehachapi Community Theater.

, a local theater group, the Tehachapi Community Theater, performs in the restored downtown BeeKay Theater.

Law enforcement
The Tehachapi Police Department has been dissolved and reformed several times throughout the city's history. Initially created with the founding of the city, it was later disbanded. It was reestablished in 1955 and disbanded a second time. It was reestablished once more on November 27, 2006, with the swearing in of the Chief of Police, Jeff Kermode. , the chief of police is Richard Standridge.

Newspapers
The city has several local news publications, including the Tehachapi News (since 1899) and The Loop.

Transportation
The Tehachapi Park and Ride facility at 335 W Tehachapi Boulevard offers free parking and connections to Kern Transit and Amtrak Thruway buses. Kern Transit Route 100 goes from Lancaster to Bakersfield. The Amtrak Thruway bus provides connections to Oxnard and Santa Barbara.

Tehachapi Municipal Airport is located approximately one mile east of the Park and Ride facility.

Film productions
Tehachapi has been host to productions by both Hollywood and independent filmmakers, as well as being frequently mentioned, particularly during the noir era.

Perhaps the first movie to be filmed in Tehachapi was The Lady of the Dugout (1918), which starred former outlaws Al and Frank Jennings playing themselves. The brother outlaws were well known to Americans of the time.

Referencing the local women's prison was a common manner in which Tehachapi received mention in noir film, including James M. Cain adaptations The Postman Always Rings Twice and Double Indemnity, in which Fred MacMurray's character tells of one woman who killed her husband: "All she collected was a three-to-ten stretch in Tehachapi (neither of Cain's novels mention Tehachapi)."

In The Maltese Falcon, Sam Spade (played by Humphrey Bogart) tells a female criminal and love interest, "Well, if you get a good break, you'll be out of Tehachapi in twenty years and you can come back to me then." In the book, the reference was not to Tehachapi but to San Quentin.

Nocturne (1946) featured a housemaid mysteriously referred to as the "Tehachapi Debutante," and 1948's The Hunted has a heroine fresh out of Tehachapi after four years for jewelry theft.

In The Story of Molly X (1949), Molly X is the leader of a San Francisco gang sent to Tehachapi for her role in a burglary attempt instead of San Quentin for execution. Most of the film then takes place at the prison, as Molly goes from being trouble to a model prisoner.

In 1001 Rabbit Tales, Bugs Bunny tells the sultan's son that Hansel and Gretel's witch was sent to Tehachapi.

In Star Trek Generations (1994), actors Patrick Stewart and William Shatner appear in a scene filmed in the Tehachapi mountains.

The Christina Applegate vehicle originally titled Tehachapi sends her character to Tehachapi because her lover is in prison here. The movie was eventually released under the title Across the Moon (1995).

The fourth season of the teen-geared television series, Endurance produced by the Discovery Kids Network was filmed in Tehachapi and aired from 2005 to 2006.

In Mac and Me (1988), after the characters state they have to "drive to Woolworth's in Palmdale" the next shot shows them driving up a dirt road through a Tehachapi wind farm. Similarly, Terminal Velocity (1994) has a fight sequence filmed on top of a hill in one of the farms.

Herbie: Fully Loaded (2005) shot a sequence at a wind farm and on Oak Creek Road, which winds through several farms.

Tehachapi was featured in several episodes of the Animal Planet reality show Pit Bulls and Parolees. The show focuses on the Villalobos Rescue Center and the pit bulls cared for by the center; in 2011, the rescue's application to use property owned in Tehachapi to expand rescue operations was denied by the Kern County Planning Department.

Other movies filmed in Tehachapi include Face to Face (2001), Fault (2002), Batman: Revenge (2003), The Gentleman Don La Mancha (2004), I.F.O. (Identified Flying Object) (1985), Motor Mansions (2005), The Legend of Bloody Mary (2008), The Grapes of Wrath (1940, featuring the scene at Keene Ranch), and The Hangover Part III (2013).

Music
The American Country Rock band Little Feat references Tehachapi in its song, Willin', written by its multi-instrumentalist band member Lowell George. The song has been covered numerous times, most notably by Linda Ronstadt on her 1974 album, Heart Like a Wheel, by Commander Cody and His Lost Planet Airmen on its 1975 eponymous album, and by Gregg Allman on his 2017 album, Southern Blood (released posthumously).

Condor mass perching
In May 2021, a resident came home after a holiday to find that about 15 to 20 condors had descended on her home. She said, "To have that many condors on my house was surreal; they can be destructive and messy. Nature is amazing!" The birds had ripped up decking, taken to a bath spa and knocked over several plants.

The Fish and Wildlife Service responded to tweets about the incident that the house is in a condor habitat where there are food sources and that sometimes condors use houses and decks as perch locations. Spokeswoman Pam Bierce said that as condors re-colonized historical ranges "people could increasingly find themselves interacting with the curious, intelligent and social birds".

Mickols' daughter Seana Quintero stated that all-in-all her mother was in "good stride and appreciating this once-in-a-lifetime annoyance but hoping they decide to leave her house alone soon".

title: Tehachapi, California


text:
Tupman, California

Tupman is a census-designated place (CDP) in Kern County, California, United States. Tupman is located 20 mi west-southwest of Bakersfield, at an elevation of 331 feet. The population was 161 at the 2010 census, down from 227 at the 2000 census.

Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 0.5 sqmi, all of it land. Tupman is located at the east end of the Elk Hills, about 3 mi northwest of California State Route 119.

History
Hamer Irwin Tupman was the original owner of the oil lease in this area. In 1920, Standard Oil Company bought the land from H. I. Tupman and founded the town. The first post office at Tupman opened in 1921. Tupman Zoological Reserve, now Tule Elk State Natural Reserve, was established near Tupman in 1932.

2010
At the 2010 census Tupman had a population of 161. The population density was 305.0 PD/sqmi. The racial makeup of Tupman was 149 (92.5%) White, 0 (0.0%) African American, 0 (0.0%) Native American, 0 (0.0%) Asian, 0 (0.0%) Pacific Islander, 2 (1.2%) from other races, and 10 (6.2%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 12 people (7.5%).

The whole population lived in households, no one lived in non-institutionalized group quarters and no one was institutionalized.

There were 55 households, 24 (43.6%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 26 (47.3%) were opposite-sex married couples living together, 12 (21.8%) had a female householder with no husband present, 4 (7.3%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 3 (5.5%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships, and 0 (0%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 8 households (14.5%) were one person and 2 (3.6%) had someone living alone who was 65 or older. The average household size was 2.93. There were 42 families (76.4% of households); the average family size was 3.29.

The age distribution was 45 people (28.0%) under the age of 18, 19 people (11.8%) aged 18 to 24, 34 people (21.1%) aged 25 to 44, 46 people (28.6%) aged 45 to 64, and 17 people (10.6%) who were 65 or older. The median age was 32.5 years. For every 100 females, there were 106.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 114.8 males.

There were 73 housing units at an average density of 138.3 per square mile, of the occupied units 34 (61.8%) were owner-occupied and 21 (38.2%) were rented. The homeowner vacancy rate was 0%; the rental vacancy rate was 12.5%. 103 people (64.0% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 58 people (36.0%) lived in rental housing units.

2000
At the 2000 census there were 227 people, 66 households, and 53 families living in the CDP. The population density was 426.0 PD/sqmi. There were 75 housing units at an average density of 140.8 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the CDP was 92.95% White, 0.44% Black or African American, 0.88% Native American, 2.64% from other races, and 3.08% from two or more races. 6.17% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. Of the 66 households 37.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.0% were married couples living together, 25.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 18.2% were non-families. 18.2% of households were one person and 3.0% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 3.44 and the average family size was 3.76.

The age distribution was 37.9% under the age of 18, 8.4% from 18 to 24, 27.8% from 25 to 44, 20.7% from 45 to 64, and 5.3% 65 or older. The median age was 30 years. For every 100 females, there were 97.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 101.4 males.

The median household income was $27,500 and the median family income was $43,125. Males had a median income of $38,125 versus $28,750 for females. The per capita income for the CDP was $8,482. About 12.5% of families and 20.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 9.3% of those under the age of eighteen and 42.9% of those sixty five or over.

Notable people

 * Trice Harvey, former California State Assembly member.

title: Tupman, California


text:
Valley Acres, California

Valley Acres is a census-designated place (CDP) in Kern County, California, United States. Valley Acres is located 5.2 mi north-northeast of Taft, at an elevation of 420 feet. The population was 527 at the 2010 census, up from 512 at the 2000 census.

Geography
Valley Acres is located at 35.20611°N, -119.40667°W.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 4.1 sqmi, all of it land.

History
The community was founded in 1937.

2010
At the 2010 census Valley Acres had a population of 527. The population density was 127.8 PD/sqmi. The racial makeup of Valley Acres was 428 (81.2%) White, 1 (0.2%) African American, 10 (1.9%) Native American, 1 (0.2%) Asian, 0 (0.0%) Pacific Islander, 42 (8.0%) from other races, and 45 (8.5%) from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 121 people (23.0%).

The whole population lived in households, no one lived in non-institutionalized group quarters and no one was institutionalized.

There were 175 households, 59 (33.7%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 103 (58.9%) were opposite-sex married couples living together, 17 (9.7%) had a female householder with no husband present, 16 (9.1%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 14 (8.0%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships, and 1 (0.6%) same-sex married couples or partnerships. 34 households (19.4%) were one person and 12 (6.9%) had someone living alone who was 65 or older. The average household size was 3.01. There were 136 families (77.7% of households); the average family size was 3.38.

The age distribution was 134 people (25.4%) under the age of 18, 64 people (12.1%) aged 18 to 24, 99 people (18.8%) aged 25 to 44, 155 people (29.4%) aged 45 to 64, and 75 people (14.2%) who were 65 or older. The median age was 39.8 years. For every 100 females, there were 105.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 111.3 males.

There were 193 housing units at an average density of 46.8 per square mile, of the occupied units 137 (78.3%) were owner-occupied and 38 (21.7%) were rented. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.4%; the rental vacancy rate was 5.0%. 379 people (71.9% of the population) lived in owner-occupied housing units and 148 people (28.1%) lived in rental housing units.

2000
At the 2000 census there were 512 people, 183 households, and 144 families living in the CDP. The population density was 124.6 PD/sqmi. There were 194 housing units at an average density of 47.2 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the CDP was 89.84% White, 0.59% Black or African American, 1.76% Native American, 0.20% Asian, 0.59% Pacific Islander, 4.69% from other races, and 2.34% from two or more races. 7.42% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. Of the 183 households 35.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 67.2% were married couples living together, 6.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 21.3% were non-families. 18.0% of households were one person and 8.2% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.80 and the average family size was 3.18.

The age distribution was 30.3% under the age of 18, 5.3% from 18 to 24, 26.2% from 25 to 44, 28.1% from 45 to 64, and 10.2% 65 or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females, there were 109.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 108.8 males.

The median household income was $41,477 and the median family income was $48,958. Males had a median income of $36,513 versus $45,357 for females. The per capita income for the CDP was $18,013. About 5.1% of families and 8.2% of the population were below the poverty line, including none of those under age 18 and 8.5% of those age 65 or over.

title: Valley Acres, California