Horse-drawn Fire Engine – East Bakersfield Tailor Shop

Baker Street

Photo looking south on Baker Street from Kentucky

Name in honor of Colonel Thomas Baker, first county surveyor and original owner of the present city of Bakersfield’s business section. [Bakersfield Californian, Richard Bailey, July 1957]. See more photos and details about Baker Street.

Bernard Street

Named for the early merchant, James Bernard. [Bakersfield Californian, Richard Bailey, July 1957]

Edison Highway

Was named for the settlement Edison, approximately 10 miles east of town. Edison itself was named for the off-loading railroad siding to ship Edison Power Plant equipment up the Kern River for power development. [Source: Curtis Darling’s father’s friend, Frank Leeper, as told to him in 1927. Leeper was a working practical engineer on the project in 1907-1908.]

Niles Street

Streets east of Union Avenue going east and west named alphabetically: Monterey, Niles, Oregon, Pacific, Quincy etc. Thus Niles was just a name beginning with an N.

Sumner Street

Named in honor of Judge Joseph Warren Sumner. [Bakersfield Californian, Richard Bailey, July 1957]

Truxtun Avenue

Truxtun was named after Truxtun Beale, the son of General Beale, owner of Tejon Ranch and donor of the Truxtun children’s library on the corner of 17th and Chester Avenue. Truxtun Beale also donated the Clock Tower. Originally Truxtun Avenue was labeled Citizen’s Avenue by Colonel Thomas Baker, then Railroad Avenue since it ran parallel to the Santa Fe tracks before it finally settled with the Truxtun name.

Union Avenue

Named for Union Cemetery. The old cemetery parades used to go down Union Avenue to California even though Union Avenue was part of Golden State Highway.

Williams Street

Named for H. F. Williams, former land manx for the Southern Pacific Railroad whose home still stands near the roundhouse in east Bakersfield. [Bakersfield Californian, Richard Bailey, July 1957]