Thank you guys!

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! Hope we’re all having a Wonderful holiday with family and friends. I wanted to say thank you so much for continued support and helping me spread the word about the newsletter and the socials I run. I couldn’t have done it without you guys. I recently reached some milestones on multiple platforms! Thank you guys so much.

Remembering the past. Bakersfield History.

Bakersfield’s Public Transit That Was
Part. II

As stated in the first part of this miniseries, the horse-powered transit was the first public transportation Bakersfield had seen. It was introduced in 1888, but my 1901 it was out of business replaced by the new public transit.

If you guys have been here for a while, you saw the piece I did on The Great Bakersfield Fire of 1889, and the effects it had on our city. Essentially, Bakersfield had in ways reached capacity with the way the town at the time was built. The census in 1890 had Bakersfield’s population at 2,626. The city almost doubled in a decade to 4,836!

So what caused the massive change in a decade?

There were a many reasons for this massive change. After the 1889 fire, Bakersfield’s infrastructure was rebuilt with a new purpose. It was built to have about 5000 people living in it as opposed to what it was before, roughly 2,500. Some of the things that were changed were wider streets, bigger hotels and brick buildings, more jobs with the railroad and the businesses that followed suite and once the oil boom started in Kern County in 1899, the city was locked in for big changes in years and decades to come.

All this led to the need of a newer, better public transit, and those needs were answered with the transition from horse drawn public transit to electric trolleys that expanded the routes and areas the old system serviced.

Bakersfield and Kern Electric Railway really paved the way for the city we know today. It allowed for a lot of growth in every direction of the city, while still allowing work, stores, churches and necessities to still be accessible.

If you’re wondering when everyday families began owning and operating cars, that happened to be closer to 1920, so just imagine the profound change that the electric trolleys allowed for about 20 years before cars really became mainstream. These trolley’s were the lifeline of Bakersfield for about two decades.

Where do you think Bakersfield would be if we never got the Electric Car Trolley?

🎟️ Events This Week: November 28th-December 3rd

A shorter than normal list, but here’s some of the things going on in the city.

💡 Click the underlined event name for tickets or more info.

Friday, November 28

• Holiday Skate Opening Weekend @ Valley Children’s Ice Center (various times) 1325 Q St – Opening weekend for Bakersfield’s winter public ice skating season.
• Sip & Shop @ Stage Fright Clothing (5pm–8pm) 1438 19th St – Holiday mini pop-up with coffee and alternative/goth accessory vendors in downtown Bakersfield.
• Greg In Good Company @ Temblor Brewing (5pm) 3200 Buck Owens Blvd – Free live music blending rock, folk, and Americana at the brewery.
• Thnks Fr Th Mmrs 90s/2000s Rock Night @ Crusader Brewing Co. (doors 5:30pm) 5880 District Blvd Ste 18 – A nostalgia party featuring live performances by Bad Modem and Reissued, playing 90s–2000s grunge, emo, pop punk, and alt rock. All ages, $8 presale / $10 at the door.
• Johnny Owens & The Bakersfield Sound @ Legends Event Center (doors 6pm, show 7pm) – A full night of Bakersfield country music featuring Johnny Owens and guests.
• Friday Night Magic @ Bakersfield eSports Center (6:30pm) 7104 Golden State Hwy – Weekly Magic: The Gathering event welcoming all skill levels.
• Mary Poppins Musical @ Ovation Theatre (7:30pm) 1622 19th St – SOLD OUT! Next weekend’s shows still have availability.
• Friday Night Party @ Jerry’s Pizza (doors 9pm) 1817 Chester Ave – Late-night hangout with pizza, drinks, and a live DJ.

Saturday, November 29

• Backcountry Planting Day @ Wind Wolves Preserve (9am–12:30pm) 16019 Maricopa Hwy – Volunteer planting day to restore native habitat; registration recommended.
• Bako Market @ Dignity Health Arena Plaza (10am–2pm) 1001 Truxtun Ave – Outdoor market with food, clothing, crafts, and local small businesses.
• Collector’s Vault Comic-Con @ DoubleTree Hotel (10am–6pm) 3100 Camino Del Rio CT – Comic and pop-culture convention with vendors, artists, cosplay, and collectibles.
• Counter Strike 2 Tournament @ Bakersfield eSports Center (3pm) 7104 Golden State Hwy – Competitive PC tournament with a $20 entry fee and prizes.
• Sip & Shop @ Stage Fright Clothing (5pm–8pm) 1438 19th St – Holiday sip and shop with coffee and curated alternative vendors.
• Night Artisan Fair @ The Shops at River Walk (5pm–9pm) 11298 Stockdale Hwy – Evening market with handmade goods, art, candles, and food.
• Villa Winter Fest @ Villa La Serena (5pm–10pm) 7837 E White Ln – Family-friendly winter fest with lights, vendors, food, and holiday activities.
• The Wall St Market: Small Business Saturday @ The Wall St (5pm–10pm) Downtown Bakersfield – A pop-up market celebrating Small Business Saturday with local vendors, food, and shopping down Wall Street Alley.
• K-Pop Demon Hunters Party @ Jerry’s Pizza (6pm–8pm) 1817 Chester Ave – Anime and K-pop themed party hosted at Jerry’s.
• The Fab Four Beatles Tribute @ Fox Theater (doors 6:30pm, show 7:30pm) 2001 H St – Nationally touring Beatles tribute playing the classic hits.
• Teddy Bear Toss @ Condors vs Henderson Silver Knights @ Mechanics Bank Arena (7pm) 1001 Truxtun Ave – AHL hockey showdown on Teddy Bear Toss night.
• Bassgiving Weekend @ Paradise Palace (8pm–2am, afterparty 2am–4am) 1430 Weedpatch Hwy – Multi-genre EDM night featuring bass, house, and hardstyle.
• Thanksgiving Bingo @ Bottleshock Wine + Brew (8pm) 1002 E 19th St – Thanksgiving weekend bingo with prizes for a 21+ crowd.
• DJ Pretty Thugger @ Jerry’s Pizza Basement Bar (9pm) 1817 Chester Ave – 21+ DJ night with hip-hop and alternative mixes in the basement bar.

Sunday, November 30

• Rio Bravo Farmers Market @ Rio Bravo Country Club (10am–2pm) 15200 Casa Club Dr – Farmers market with local produce, food, and artisan vendors.
• Tree Farm Minis @ CALM Zoo HolidayLights (sessions 10am–3:30pm) 10500 Alfred Harrell Hwy – Private 10-minute holiday photoshoot sessions among Christmas trees and a vintage truck backdrop, including a 5–6 ft Douglas Fir tree, meet-and-greet with CALM animals, and six tickets to return for HolidayLights. $350 per family, reservation required.
• Ron Houston Live @ Jerry’s Pizza (11am–2pm) 1817 Chester Ave – Outlaw country and Americana set during a late-morning show.
• Collector’s Vault Comic-Con @ DoubleTree Hotel (11am–5pm) 3100 Camino Del Rio CT – Final day of Bakersfield’s Comic-Con weekend with vendors and cosplay.
• Mary Poppins Musical @ Ovation Theatre (2pm) 1622 19th St – SOLD OUT! Next weekend’s performances still have available seats.
• Pajama Party Movie Night: A Christmas Story @ Reading Cinemas (various times) Valley Plaza – Holiday pajama-themed screening of the classic Christmas movie.
• EA FC Tournament @ Bakersfield eSports Center (5pm) 7104 Golden State Hwy – Competitive EA FC (soccer) video game tournament, $20 entry.

Monday, December 1

• No confirmed public events.

Tuesday, December 2

• No confirmed public events.

Wednesday, December 3

• Family Game Night @ Temblor Brewing (4pm) 3200 Buck Owens Blvd – Casual board game night in a family-friendly brewery setting.
• Cornhole Tournament @ Temblor Brewing (5:30pm) 3200 Buck Owens Blvd – Weekly cornhole bracket with open sign-ups and prizes.
• Wine Bottle Paint & Sip: Snowman Showdown @ Tlo Wines (6pm–7:30pm) – Guided paint and sip class focused on snowman-themed designs on glass bottles.
• Cigar Night @ 17th Street Cigar Co (6pm–10pm, 21+) 1717 19th St – Weekly cigar social with drinks and lounge vibes downtown.
• Christmas Paint Class @ Headquarters Bar & Eatery (6:30pm) 3015 Calloway Dr – Holiday painting class hosted by Peony Arts with step-by-step instruction.
• Condors vs Tucson Roadrunners @ Mechanics Bank Arena (6:30pm) 1001 Truxtun Ave – Midweek AHL game as the Condors host the Tucson Roadrunners.

That’s it for this week.

Sorry it was late guy! I spent Thanksgiving with family so time was not ample.

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The Bakersfield Guy

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