SHAFTER HISTORICAL SOCIETY

SHAFTER, CA

Scrub Jay 2011 02 07 03 Bakersfield, California 2011
Scrub Jay 2011 02 07 03 Credit: davidseibold

The Shafter Historical Society is a non-profit organization dedicated to preserving and promoting the history of Shafter, California. Founded in 1985, the society operates a museum and historical park in the heart of Shafter, and offers a range of educational programs and events for residents and visitors.

At the museum, visitors can explore exhibits and artifacts that tell the story of Shafter's past, from its days as a railroad town to its role in California's agricultural industry. The museum also features a research library and archives, where visitors can access historical documents and photographs.

The historical park, located adjacent to the museum, includes several restored and reconstructed buildings that offer a glimpse into life in Shafter during the early 20th century. These buildings include a schoolhouse, blacksmith shop, and general store, among others.

The Shafter Historical Society also hosts a variety of events throughout the year, including lectures, workshops, and community celebrations. These events are designed to engage visitors of all ages and interests in the rich history of Shafter and the surrounding area.

Overall, the Shafter Historical Society is an important resource for anyone interested in the history of California's Central Valley, and a valuable community asset for the residents of Shafter and beyond.

SHAFTER HISTORICAL SOCIETY is a Historical Societies, Historic Preservation in SHAFTER CA. US MID #8400602695

The museum is classed as HSC (Historical Societies, Historic Preservation). It comes under American Alliance of Museums (AAM) region: Western (Alaska, Arizona, California, Hawaii, Idaho, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, Washington). Total revenue from most recent IRS 990 Form: $ 45,752 from tax period 201209 (YYYYMM).

Scrub Jay 2011 02 07 03 Bakersfield, California 2011
Scrub Jay 2011 02 07 02 Bakersfield, California 2011
Palm Springs
Bird House 2008 11 09 01 Bakersfield, California 2008
No elk available today Our first visit to Tule Elk Reserve State Natural Reserve was elk-free, but was a welcome break from I-5, and much preferred to the hectic rest stop nearby in Buttonwillow. We were the only visitors, and a helpful ranger guided us to a view of nesting Great Horned Owl near the visitor center.
Delano / Sierra theater (# 2442) Heading from Bakersfield to Fresno, I decided to wander into various small towns along the way to see what I could see. This is Delano, an agricultural town of 50,000, 30 miles north of Bakersfield. One of the things that often amazes me in these towns is the reminders of the time when all of these smaller cities were fairly independent and people shopped and entertained themselves in town, rather than going off to the somewhat large places nearby. Harking back to those days, they often have movie theaters that look more elaborate than what you would now expect. This is the Sierra theater, that opened in 1946 with 894 seats! It apparently closed in 2008, but the signs under the marquee suggests that it might still be rented as an event space. Source: <a href="https://cinematreasures.org/theaters/3841" rel="noreferrer nofollow">cinematreasures.org/theaters/3841</a> <b>Update:</b> Turns out I had taken a picture of this in 2015 and nothing has changed, but the older picture was from a different angle and shows more detail: <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/donbrr/20101548373">www.flickr.com/photos/donbrr/20101548373</a>
Oildale (Bakersfield) Standard School Auditorium (# 2439) I almost missed this building. I was headed out of Bakersfield, going through the Oildale area which is mainly older single-story businesses and residences, when I happened to notice this building that was quite elegant for the area. Turning around and coming back, not only was I amazed by the architecture, but also what seemed to be an odd name: “Standard School Auditorium.” It was very hard to find information on this, particularly since I’m in the city of Bakersfield and used that in searching. The auditorium was built in 1937 with Public Works Administration funds and is still in use. Oildale was once a separate unincorporated area just north of Bakersfield, and apparently the school district is named Standard School District because Standard Oil donated the land for the first school of the district. Sources: <a href="https://kern.org/wp-content/blogs.dir/4/files/sites/4/2018/07/District-Origins-in-Kern-County-A1.pdf" rel="noreferrer nofollow">kern.org/wp-content/blogs.dir/4/files/sites/4/2018/07/Dis...</a> <a href="https://www.standardschools.net/page/our-district" rel="noreferrer nofollow">www.standardschools.net/page/our-district</a>
Oildale (Bakersfield) Standard School Auditorium gargoyle? (# 2440) A little more detail of the figures on the top of the building (see adjacent picture). They’re not quite gargoyles, but I couldn’t think of a better word since they look rather frightening. If you zoom in, you can see that they seem to have their hands on globes.
KCM / honoring (belatedly) Native populations (# 2435) Oh, we forgot.... there were people living here before the European settlers. <u><a href="https://kernarts.org/event/kern-county-museum-dedicates-owtsan-house/" rel="noreferrer nofollow">Owtsan House</a></u> was dedicated this year (2023) to honor the history of the Native populations that lived in the area for thousands of years before the occupation by Mexicans and then Americans. <i>Use the Kern County Museum (KCM) tag to see all of the photographs from the museum.</i>
KCM / Chevron handmade redwood pump (# 2432) A handmade <u><a href="https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=26118" rel="noreferrer nofollow">redwood pumping unit</a></u> made in 1979 for the museum by Chevron to commemorate the 100th anniversary of Standard Oil of California. Per the webpage it was salvaged from a pump that was still in use in the 1920’s. <i>Use the Kern County Museum (KCM) tag to see all of the photographs from the museum.</i>
KCM / historic clock tower (# 2436) At the entrance to the museum, a reconstruction of an historic <u><a href="https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=170346" rel="noreferrer nofollow">clock tower</a></u> that stood in downtown Bakersfield. The original clock tower, dedicated in 1904, was extensively damaged by the 1952 Kern County earthquake and aftershocks. This replica includes the original clock work, bell, iron stairway, railings and grill work. The 1952 <u><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1952_Kern_County_earthquake" rel="noreferrer nofollow">Kern County earthquake</a></u> which destroyed the tower, measured 7.3 and had many large (5+ on the scale) aftershocks that severely damaged Tehachapi, downtown Bakersfield, and multiple other small towns. <i>Use the Kern County Museum (KCM) tag to see all of the photographs from the museum.</i>
KCM / neon and oil hodgepodge (# 2427) Just an interesting mix of displays... <i>Use the Kern County Museum (KCM) tag to see all of the photographs from the museum.</i>

Contact SHAFTER HISTORICAL SOCIETY

SHAFTER HISTORICAL SOCIETY
PO BOX 1088
SHAFTER
CA
93263-1088

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SHAFTER HISTORICAL SOCIETY Information

MID # 8400602695
Name SHAFTER HISTORICAL SOCIETY
Alternate Name
Classification Historical Societies, Historic Preservation, , Western
Federal Employer Identification Number (EIN) 953445097
NTEECC A82
Tax period of the latest return filed (YYYYMM) 201209
INCOME 45,752
REVENUE 45,752
LAT/LONG 35.496209, -119.279578
CODES FIPS State Code: 06
FIPS County Code: 029
US Census Tract: 004102
US Census Block: 2007