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Kern County
is a county located in the southern Central Valley of the
U.S. state of California. Established in 1866, it extends
east beyond the southern slope of the Eastern Sierra Nevada
range into the Mojave Desert, and includes parts of the
Indian Wells Valley, and the Antelope Valley, and has an
area larger than the state of Connecticut. From the Sierras
the county extends across the floor of the San Joaquin Valley
to the eastern edge of the Temblor Range, part of the Coastal
Ranges. To the south the county extends over the ridge of
the Tehachapi Mountains. As of the 2000 census, its population
is 661,645, but recent California Department of Finance
estimates place the county population at 779,869. The county
seat is Bakersfield (since 1874) with the original county
seat being the former mining town of Havilah in the mountains
between Bakersfield and Tehachapi.
The county has a large agricultural
base and is a significant producer of oil, natural gas,
hydro-electric power, wind-turbine power, and geothermal
power. As of 2004, Kern remains California's top oil-producing
county, with over 85% of the state's 43,000 oil wells. The
county accounts for one-tenth of overall U.S. oil production,
and three of the five largest U.S. oil fields are in Kern
County. Kern is also noted for its mineral wealth, including
gold, borite, and kernite.
Edwards Air Force Base, China Lake
Naval Air Weapons Station, and Mojave Spaceport are located
in Kern County (the latter owned and operated by the county
government)
Kern
County is home to California's largest open pit
mine at Boron, which mines borax.
The American Lung Association ranked
Kern County as the most ozone-polluted county in the nation
in 2006.
Kern County's geography offers a wide variety of outdoor
geography. Among the outdoor recreational activities are:
Horseback riding, water skiing (Lake Buena Vista, Lake Ming,
and private ski ranches), offroad biking and dune buggys
(Jawbone Canyon, California City, and Randsburg), auto racing
(Willow Springs, Buttonwillow, Bakersfield Speedway, Famoso,
& and an unnamed half-mile speedway under construction),
hunting, paint ball courses, white water rafting, Olympic
quality kayaking, snow skiing (Shirley Meadows), shooting
ranges (5 Dogs Creek Range), hiking, biking (trails, paths,
and roads), camping, fishing, and other activities. |
