Taft Oildorado

"Drilling Ahead in 2005"

Taft, California and the West Side

And Taft’s 90^th Birthday Celebration

By Pete Gianopulos (1/26/99)

Taft and the West Side of Kern County is oil country. This community is surrounded by some of this country’s greatest oil fields and is nestled in the foothills of the southwestern San Joaquin Valley and the southwestern portion of Kern County. It was oil that brought those early pioneers to the area at the turn of the century from various parts of the country.  (pic1)(pic2)

The geographic area of the West Side is that area from Maricopa to the south to the Belridge oil fields north of McKittrick. This territory is generally in the Maricopa Unified and the Taft Union High School Districts.

The City of Taft, which was incorporated in 1910, has been celebrating its incorporation for many years by holding a unique party every five years, and in keeping with this areas oil heritage, the celebration has been "Taft Oildorado," This celebration brings out thousands of people to the community, including many visitors, to enjoy the many activities and fun-filled events.

Taft has always enjoyed these celebrations, which have always included a parade. One of the earliest parades was held in 1912, just two years after the incorporation of the City of Taft, and there have been many since.  (pic3)

In the year 2000 Taft will celebrate its 90^th birthday with another giant celebration on October 14 - 22, 2000. The first giant birthday celebration was held in 1930, just 20 years after the 1910 incorporation of the City of Taft. The celebration was spearheaded by the West Side Business- Men’s Club, and the parade of over 200 entrants was viewed by a crowd of 20,000 people.(pic5)

State Senator Samuel Shortridge was the speaker at the civic luncheon, which have always been held during these celebrations and are always sold out. (pic6)

The 1935, the 25^th anniversary became known as the Taft "Silver Jubilee," and a telegram was received from President Franklin D. Roosevelt. There was a queen contest, a street dance, a barbecue, a rodeo, a grand ball, horse races, a horse show and a civic luncheon where the governor of the State of California was the speaker — Frank Merriam. (pic4)

In 1940 the first "Whiskerino Contest" was held and a Kangaroo Court organized to deal "harshly" with the clean-shaven adults who had not grown beards and mustaches. 

World War II caused a postponement of the celebration, but in 1946 the Chamber of Commerce formed a permanent organization to plan and oversee the event. The committee went all-out and the celebration was very successful with a parade that was six miles long, an air show and an old-timers barbecue.

Another celebration was held in 1947, and after that celebration it was decided to continue to hold the celebrations very five years, with the next one to be held in 1950. Lt. Governor Goodwin Knight was the grand marshal in 1950.

In 1955 an "Old Time Passenger Train" made the round trip from Bakersfield with 500 passengers from the East Bakersfield Progressive Club and with many others aboard. (pic7)

For the 50^th anniversary of Taft in 1960 Center Street in downtown Taft was painted gold. There were over 250 entries and 1,400 participants in the Grand Parade.

In 1965, William E. Warne, the director of the State Department of Water resources was the grand marshal of the Grand Parade, and he and Taft’s Mayor, Pete Gianopulos, participated in the groundbreaking ceremonies of the Buena Vista Pumping Plant, which became a part of the great California Aqueduct. Another special passenger train made the round-trip from Bakersfield, bringing many visitors to Taft. (pic33)

In 1970, Mayor Glenn Black led the ceremonies for the dedication of the Buena Vista Pumping Plant. And Supervisor Vance Webb broke ground before a large group of people for the construction of Buena Vista Lake. (pic8)

Under Taft Oildorado president Jerry Free the 1975 celebration got into the record books when Leonard Gentieu, local restaurateur, created the world’s longest sandwich with many volunteers -- it being 464 feet long. The West Kern Oil Museum was dedicated that year by the museum association and the Native Daughters of the Golden West — Miocene Chapter. (pic32)

In 1980 the first World Championship Back Hoe and Welding Contests were held and covered nationally over TV. The new Taft College Athletic Center and the new West Kern Water District office were dedicated. A corner stone was laid for the West Side Recreation and Park District Community Center.

In 1985, the Veterans Memorial constructed at the City of Taft’s Civic Center was dedicated to all of those Westsiders who had lost their lives in this country's wars.

In 1990 the U. S. Post Office offered a special hand-stamped Taft Oildorado special cancellation issue. The West Kern Water District offered a special showing of an old film taken in Taft of the 1913 Langford/Lester fight, which was held in the special arena constructed for the occasion, to hold 9,000 spectators.

In 1995 another successful Taft Oildorado was held, with record breaking crowds on hand to celebrate Taft’s 85 birthday. In addiction to the usual events, a special historical plaque was dedicated at the entrance to the old World War II air force base, which was located in the area to train pilots for that war.  (pic9)

It was an oil boom that brought the early pioneer to this area. They came to settle this barren, semi-arid, treeless wasteland, covered with grass and flowers in the springtime, originally the home of Indians, elk, jackrabbits, rattlesnakes, Kit Foxes, blunt-nosed lizards, the Tipton Kangaroo rat and birds. They came on horseback and in horse drawn-wagons, following dirt trails and dirt roads, and then by train after the railroads were constructed from Bakersfield to the West Side. They came to start their businesses and to work in the oil fields. They came to develop and claim the land for the production of oil, that liquid gold or sometimes called Black gold! They were said to be a rowdy bunch. The early settlements, which resembled mining camps, were described as more-like raucous, dusty, western towns with tent houses, saloons, brothels, hotels and a graveyard high on a hill overlooking Taft. There was no running water or suitable ground water for human consumption; so, water was hauled into the area in barrels by horse-drawn wagons or by railroad cars. (pic10)