Old West History of Kern County

Robbers Roost (unincorporated Kern County, California, also known as Robber's Roost and Bandit Rock) is a rock formation in the foothills of the Scodie Mountains portion of the Southern Sierra Nevada Mountain Range in the NorthMojave Desert. The formation overlooks the southern portion of the Indian Wells Valley. The nearest municipality isRidgecrest, California. The Los Angeles Aqueduct is within several hundred yards of the formation. The area is managed by the Bureau of La...Continue reading

Tejon Ranch Boasts 155-Year History As Contiguous Unit By Colleen Schreiber...Continue reading

THIS IS THE MAIN ENTRANCE TO THE KERN COUNTY LAND CO.'S CANFIELD RANCH. I GREW UP HERE FROM THE AGE OF 3 YRS TO 16 YEARS. MY DAD, JOHN HENRY BULLS WAS THE SUPERINTENDENT OF IT.

TONY AROJO, SR. A GOOD FRIEND OF MY DAD'S, HELPED START THE TEJON RANCH.

ONE OF THE MOST FAMOUS OF ALL KERN COUNTY RANCHES IS THE TEJON RANCH. IT WAS ORIGINALLY A SHEEP RANCH IN THE EARLY 1800S. MY DAD'S GOOD FRIEND, TONY AROJO SR. HELPED START THE TEJON.

Joss House Old West Shootout On April 19, 1903, Bakersfield was the scene of one of the great gun battles of the Wild West. Notorious desperado Jim McKinney was holed up in a fortified Chinese joss house (temple) at the corner of L and 22nd Streets. Officers surrounded the house and Deputy Sheriff Will Tibbett and City Marshal Jeff Packard called for McKinney to surrender. McKinney opened fire, killing Tibbett instantly and mortally wounding Packard. Bert Tibbet, Will’s broth...er, returned fire and killed McKinney. Tibbet and Packard were solemnly laid to rest in Historic Union Cemetery, their graves an eternal reminder of Bakersfield’s Wild West past. See more

In 1892 a deadly California feud erupted in the rugged Kern River country of the lower Sierra Nevada. The cause of the hostilities was simple enough a dispute over a gold mining claim. Before the disagreement was settled, two men had served prison terms for a crime they hadn’t committed, one man was a permanent fugitive from justice, four men were dead and one survivor was the defendant in one of the most sensational murder trials in the history of Kern County. Some 28 year...Continue reading

This is a pic of the old Onyx Store up in Walker Basin.