t was water, agriculture, and oil that brought a steady stream of settlers to the swamp land of the Kern Delta—people drawn by a dream to stake claim to the riches of the Valley. Seemingly overnight, fortunes were made and the city of Bakersfield was born—born on the backs of those early migrants determined to build a new life—a life of promise and prosperity, a life of hope and future.

Today, the people of Kern County honor the vibrant history of its earliest citizens and the Native Americans who shared the land. Their struggle to survive and thrive is the story proudly shared by the Kern County Museum. It is a heritage that must be preserved. To do so requires actively embracing the challenges of expansion and renovation as well as a dynamic and spirited vision—a vision that will ensure history for the future.

Oil was first discovered in 1886 in the fertile Kern River flood plan. Today, Kern County is the second leading producer of oil in the United States

Edison packing shed, circa 1930