Bakersfield, California
Bakersfield, California is a large metropolitan community at the southern end of the San Joaquin Valley in Kern County. Bakersfield is the 11th largest city in California, encompassing over 140 square miles, with an estimated 318,436 residents in 2008 according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
Bakersfield has the distinction of being the county seat of Kern County, and as such, the city is home to the Metropolitan Division of the Kern County Superior Court. The Metropolitan Division handles felony criminal matters, probate matters, and civil suits such as personal injury cases at 1415 Truxtun Avenue in Bakersfield. Traffic and non-traffic infractions, misdemeanor criminal cases, family law matters, and court trials are held at the Justice Building, located at 1215 Truxtun Ave. The Juvenile Justice Center is at 2100 College Ave. The Courts of Appeal are the next highest judicial authority within California. The Courts of Appeal review contested decisions of the superior courts. The Supreme Court of California has the highest judicial authority within the California judicial Branch and reviews decisions from the Courts of Appeal, especially decisions in which the death penalty is imposed. The California Courts' Online Self-Help Center provides California residents with helpful information regarding the California Judicial Branch and Bakersfield court terms.
Once populated by settlers seeking gold, Bakersfield's economy now relies primarily on oil production and refining, agriculture, and manufacturing. The Greater Bakersfield Chamber of Commerce states that Kern County produces 77% of California's crude oil and 65% of the state's natural gas. Refinery operations in Kern County range from large full-scale operations to smaller specialty facilities, producing gasoline, diesel fuel, propane, motor oil, asphalt, and ammonia. The top employers in Bakersfield include Edwards Air Force Base, the County of Kern, China Lake Naval Weapons Center, Giumarra Farms, Grimmway Farms, and Wm. Bolthouse Farms, Inc.
Transit options for Bakersfield, California residents include Bakersfield Municipal Airport and Meadows Field Airport, and Amtrak, which offers daily trains between Bakersfield and the San Francisco and Sacramento areas. Local city-wide bus transportation is provided by Golden Empire Transit. Bakersfield is served by three freeways: State Route 99 which bisects Bakersfield from north to south, State Route 58, and State Route 178.
Bakersfield, California residents have the luxury of choosing from three hospitals operated by Catholic Healthcare West : Bakersfield Memorial Hospital, the two campuses of Mercy Hospitals of Bakersfield, and Mercy Southwest Hospital. Bakersfield is served by the Kern High School District. Higher education is offered by Bakersfield College, a public community college, and California State University, Bakersfield. Kaplan College and the University of LaVerne also have branches in Bakersfield, CA.
Art and cultural activities are abundant in Bakersfield, CA, with four museums in the city: the Bakersfield Museum of Art, the Buena Vista Museum of Natural History, the Kern County Museum, and the California Living Museum. Performing arts are also numerous in Bakersfield. Highlights include: the Bakersfield Symphony Orchestra, the Dore Theatre, the Fox Theater, and the Empty Space Theater. Bakersfield residents are surrounded by a wealth of recreational and tourism opportunities. The Kern River, with its world-class rapids, is a mecca for outdoor recreational enthusiasts.
Valley, mountain, and desert areas surrounding Bakersfield provide a constant source of bird-watching, golfing, hunting and fishing, camping, sky diving, rock climbing, biking, skiing, kayaking, and windsurfing. From Bakersfield's location at the southern end of California's great Central Valley, Southern California, the San Joaquin Valley, the Sierra Nevada, and the Mojave Desert are all within driving distance.
