Lopez-Hill House

lopezhouse1:

José and Mary Lόpez belonged to the first generation of Americans born in California after statehood was granted on September 9, 1850.

José Lόpez came to Kern County to raise sheep in 1873. The following year Edward Beale, owner of the Tejon Ranch, hired Lόpez to manage the sheep on his ranch. In 1885, Lόpez became the manager of the Tejon Ranch overseeing ranch operations for the next twenty-four years.

Mary Winter came to Kern County with her Scottish immigrant family in 1868 settling in the Tehachapi Mountains. José and Mary were married in 1885. After their marriage, Mary taught piano to some of the children from the Sebastian Indian Reservation located on the Tejon Ranch.

About 1906, José and Mary moved into this house at 1203 Chester Avenue, south of downtown Bakersfield, with their daughter Margaret Pearl. In the late 1920s, the house was rotated on its lot to face California Avenue. In 1953, Margaret Pearl sold the home to Otis Coppock who moved the home to Rosedale Highway.

Lois Lavern Hill and her family moved into this house in 1966. Lavern lived and worked in the home she loved for nearly 40 years. Arlin Hill, Glenda Rankin and Dianne Sharman donated this house in 2008 fulfilling their mother’s dream of moving the house to the museum.

LopezHouse1:
The house at 1203 Chester Avenue.
LopezHouse2:
Mary Lopez with her grandchildren Joe and Lucille on the backsteps of her house.


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