1950 Map of Oil Center

About this map

Bakersfield and its industrial outskirts are defined by the intensive petroleum development and irrigation systems found here in the mid-twentieth century. The landscape is a network of water management and extraction, where the Kern River is tapped by the Beardsley Canal, China Grade Canal, and South Side Canal to support the surrounding valley. To the north, the focus shifts to the oil fields, where specialized settlements like Oil Center and Oil City sit alongside schools such as Aztec Sch and Petroleum Sch. The presence of the Southern Pacific railroad and the County Hospital reflects the essential infrastructure supporting a growing labor force. Steep drainage cuts like Sacramento Gulch and West Shore Gulch provide a stark contrast to the expanding street grid visible along Nile Street, capturing a period of transition as the city limits began to press against the industrial and agricultural machinery of the region.