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71-771: The Smithsonian Institution Shelter , also known as the Mount Whitney Summit Shelter and the Mount Whitney Hut , was built in 1909 on the summit plateau of Mount Whitney , in the Sierra Nevada within Sequoia National Park , in California . It is the highest permanent building in the Contiguous United States . The shelter at the summit was proposed after Byrd Surby, a U.S. Fisheries employee,

142-573: A cushion plant that grows low to the ground. The only animals are transient, such as the butterfly Parnassius phoebus and the gray-crowned rosy finch . The mountain is the highest point on the Great Basin Divide . Waterways on the peak's west side flow into Whitney Creek, which flows into the Kern River . The Kern River terminates at Bakersfield in the Tulare Basin , the southern part of

213-399: A 4-hour drive on State Route 99). Hart Memorial Park is located in northeast Bakersfield along Alfred Harrell Highway. Bakersfield has historically referred to its regions by directional names. They include North Bakersfield, Northeast, Southeast, South Bakersfield, Southwest, and Northwest. East Bakersfield generally refers to the former town of Sumner (later renamed East Bakersfield). As

284-632: A bachelor's degree was the lowest (14.7%) of the 100 largest metropolitan areas in the United States; that 100th-place finish was down from being ranked 95th in 1990. According to a Gallup -Healthways Well-Being Index, Bakersfield ranks as one of the ten most obese metro areas in America. Of its residents, 33.6% were obese, compared to the national average of 26.5%. The same study found that 21.2% were smokers, 12.7% had diabetes , 27.9% had high blood pressure , 22.8% had high cholesterol , 3.3% have suffered

355-408: A different approach, he actually summited nearby Mount Langley . Upon learning of his mistake in 1873, King finally completed his own first ascent of Whitney, but did so a month too late to be first. On August 18, 1873, Charles Begole, A. H. Johnson, and John Lucas, all of nearby Lone Pine , had become the first to reach the contiguous United States' highest summit. As they climbed the mountain during

426-459: A female householder with no husband present, and 7,829 (7.0%) had a male householder with no wife present. There were 8,159 (7.3%) unmarried opposite-sex partnerships , and 845 (0.8%) same-sex married couples or partnerships . About 21,800 households (19.6%) were made up of individuals, and 7,354 (6.6%) had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.10. There were 83,154 families (74.8% of all households);

497-599: A fishing trip to nearby Kern Canyon, they called the mountain Fisherman's Peak. In 1881, Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory founder Samuel Pierpont Langley remained on the summit for some time, making daily observations of the solar heat. Accompanying Langley in 1881 was another party consisting of Judge William B. Wallace of Visalia, W. A. Wright and Reverend Frederick Wales. In his memoirs, Wallace wrote, "The Pi Ute [Paiute] Indians called Mount Whitney Too-man-i-goo-yah , which means 'the very old man.' They believe that

568-404: A gully on the north side of the east face first climbed by John Muir , is considered a scramble , class 3 ( PD+ ). The fastest recorded time up this route to the summit and back to the portal is 3 hours 10 minutes, by Jason Lakey of Bishop, California . The steep eastern side of the mountain offers a variety of climbing challenges. The East Face route, first climbed in 1931, is one of

639-452: A heart attack, 75.2% felt they had enough money to buy food and 75.5% had health insurance. Bakersfield saw its population grow from about 105,000 in 1980 to over 400,000 in 2020. Although the city is still growing, its growth rate has slowed in recent years due to the economic recession and high home foreclosure rates. However, in October 2013, Bakersfield was found to be the number two city in

710-468: A historic industry in the area, contributes to the poor air quality. Returning flowing water to the Kern River and along with trees is promoted as a way to improve air quality and enhance recreation in the city. The 2010 United States Census reported that Bakersfield had a population of 347,483. The population density was 2,419.6 inhabitants per square mile (934.2/km ). The ethnic makeup of Bakersfield

781-714: A log book hikers may sign. The site has been considered for National Historic Landmark status, but has not been recommended for submission yet. However, in 1977 the Smithsonian Institution Shelter was placed on the National Register of Historic Places . This article about a property in Inyo County, California on the National Register of Historic Places is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . This Smithsonian Institution article

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852-459: A result, the Northeast wraps around East Bakersfield. Bakersfield has a hot desert climate ( Köppen BWh ), with sweltering, dry summers and winters that consist of mild days with chilly/cold nights. Rainfall is low in the city, averaging only 6.36 inches (161.5 mm) annually, with most of it falling in the winter. Bakersfield averages about 191 clear days a year. Bakersfield's climate makes

923-621: A result, the city of Bakersfield threatened to annex the city of Shafter. The large bluff and plateau east of Bakersfield—toward the Rio Bravo and Kern Canyon area—has been under development for the last 60 years. Because the steep, north-facing edge of the bluff provides a view of the foothills, mountains, oil fields, and Kern River, the city government has attempted to balance development and preservation in this area. Bakersfield's historic and primary industries are related to Kern County's two main industries: oil and agriculture. Kern County in 2013

994-543: A scheme to disincorporate, effectively leaving him without an employer. According to local historian Gilbert Gia the city was also failing to collect the taxes it needed for services. In 1876, The city voted to disincorporate. For the next 22 years, a citizen's council managed the community. By 1880, Bakersfield had a population of 801, with 250 of Chinese descent. By 1890, it had a population of 2,626. Migration from Texas , Louisiana , Oklahoma , and Southern California brought new residents, who were mostly employed by

1065-413: A total area of 114.4 sq mi (296 km ), of which 113.1 sq mi (293 km ) were land (98.86%) and 1.3 sq mi (3.4 km ) were water-covered (1.14%). Bakersfield is located about 100 mi (160 km) north of Los Angeles (about a 1-hour, 45-minute drive on I-5 and State Route 99) and about 280 mi (450 km) southeast of the state capital, Sacramento (about

1136-445: A very dense layer of fog occasionally. Due to years of prolonged drought and the rapid development of many new neighborhoods around Bakersfield, the density of the fog and the number of "fog days" has steadily decreased. At the same time, areas outside the city still experience thick fog. The official time frame for tule fog to form is about five months long – various days from November 1 to March 31. Most noticeable in summer and winter,

1207-507: Is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Mount Whitney Mount Whitney's summit is on the Sierra Crest and the Great Basin Divide . It lies near many of the Sierra Nevada 's highest peaks. The peak rises dramatically above the Owens Valley , sitting 10,778 feet (3,285 m) or just over 2 mi (3.2 km) above the town of Lone Pine 15 mi (24 km) to

1278-548: Is common for an inversion layer to form in the valley in the winter, in which temperatures can be warmer in the foothills above the valley with the valley itself being cooler. This can trap air pollution in Bakersfield and the surrounding valley areas for days or even weeks. This can typically be mediated by rain or strong winds. Emissions from agriculture, industry, rail freight and road traffic together create significant concentrations of air pollution. The extraction of oil and gas,

1349-566: Is no weather station at the summit, but this climate table contains interpolated data for an area below the summit. In July 1864, the members of the California Geological Survey named the peak after Josiah Whitney , the state geologist of California and benefactor of the survey. During the same expedition, geologist Clarence King attempted to climb Whitney from its west side, but stopped just short. In 1871, King returned to climb what he believed to be Whitney, but having taken

1420-630: Is now Whitney and solidified underground to form large expanses of granite. In the last 2 to 10 million years, the Sierra was pushed up, enabling glacial and river erosion to strip the upper layers of rock to reveal the resistant granite that makes up Mount Whitney today. Mount Whitney has an alpine tundra climate ( ET ) under the Köppen climate classification . Summer temperatures are highly variable, ranging from below freezing (32 °F (0 °C)) to highs near 80 °F (27 °C) during extreme heat waves in

1491-512: Is the birthplace of the country music genre known as the Bakersfield sound . Archaeological evidence indicates the presence of Native American settlements dating back thousands of years. Upon Spanish arrival, present-day Bakersfield was inhabited by the Yowlumne , a Yokuts people. Yowlumne accounts indicate that the village of Woilu was situated in the bounds of the present city. The Yokuts of

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1562-507: Is the elevation stamped on the USGS brass benchmark disk on the summit. An older plaque on the summit (sheet metal with black lettering on white enamel) reads "elevation 14,496.811 feet", but this was estimated using the older vertical datum ( NGVD29 ) from 1929. Since then the shape of the Earth (the geoid ) has been estimated more accurately. Using a new vertical datum established in 1988 ( NAVD88 )

1633-483: The Fifty Classic Climbs of North America routes , and involves technical free climbing ( class 5.7 ) but is mostly class 4. Other routes range up to grade 5.10d. South of the main summit is a series of minor summits that are completely inconspicuous from the west but appear as a series of "needles" from the east. The routes on these include some of the finest big-wall climbing in the high Sierra. Two of

1704-480: The 62nd largest metropolitan area in the United States. Bakersfield is a significant hub for both agriculture and energy production . Kern County is California's most productive oil-producing county and the fourth most productive agricultural county (by value) in the United States. Industries in and around Bakersfield include natural gas and other energy extraction, mining, petroleum refining, distribution, food processing, and corporate regional offices. The city

1775-568: The Bakersfield Register of Historic Places , including the Fox Theater (designated 8/24/94) and Kern County Chamber of Commerce Building (designated 3/12/08). With only 16 sites on its local register (compared to more than 300 sites designated by the City of Fresno ), Bakersfield has been criticized for its lack of focus on historic preservation. Bakersfield is located near the southern end of

1846-490: The Forest Service issues a limited number of permits between May 1 and November 1. It holds an annual lottery for hiking and backpacking permits on the trail. Applications are accepted from February 1 through March 15. Any permits left over after the lottery is completed typically go on sale April 1. Most hikers plan to stay one or two nights camping along the route. Those in good physical condition sometimes attempt to reach

1917-787: The Greater Los Angeles Area and the San Joaquin Valley, has made the city a regional transportation hub. In 1990, Bakersfield was one of 10 U.S. communities to receive the All-America City Award from the National Civic League . In 2010, the Bakersfield MSA had a gross metropolitan product of $ 29.466 billion, making it the 73rd-largest metropolitan economy in the United States. Bakersfield has several buildings and locations designated as historic sites at

1988-531: The San Andreas Fault . The Temblor Range is about 35 mi (56 km) from Bakersfield across the valley floor. According to the United States Census Bureau , the city has a total area of 143.6 sq mi (372 km ), of which 142.2 sq mi (368 km ) are land (98.99%) and 1.4 sq mi (3.6 km ) are covered by water (1.01%). At the 2000 census, the city had

2059-867: The San Joaquin Valley , with the southern tip of the Sierra Nevada just to the east. The city limits extend to the Sequoia National Forest , at the foot of the Greenhorn Mountain Range and the entrance to the Kern Canyon. To the south, the Tehachapi Mountains , rising more than a vertical mile, feature the historic Tejon Ranch . To the west is the Temblor Range , behind which is the Carrizo Plain National Monument and

2130-637: The San Joaquin Valley . Today, the water in the Tulare Basin is largely diverted for agriculture. Historically, during very wet years, water overflowed from the Tulare Basin into the San Joaquin River , which flows to the Pacific Ocean. From the east, water from Mount Whitney flows to Lone Pine Creek, where most of the water is diverted into the Los Angeles Aqueduct via a sluice . Some water in

2201-732: The granite that forms Whitney is the same as that which forms the Alabama Hills , thousands of feet lower down. The raising of Whitney (and the downdrop of the Owens Valley) is due to the same geological forces that cause the Basin and Range Province : the crust of much of the intermontane west is slowly being stretched. The granite that forms Mount Whitney is part of the Sierra Nevada Batholith . In Cretaceous time, masses of molten rock that originated from subduction rose underneath what

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2272-528: The moment magnitude scale and was felt from San Francisco to the Mexican border , destroyed the nearby communities of Tehachapi and Arvin . The earthquake's destructive force bent cotton fields into U shapes, slid a shoulder of the Tehachapi Mountains across all four lanes of the Ridge Route , collapsed a water tower, creating a flash flood, and destroyed the railroad tunnels in the mountain chain. Bakersfield

2343-484: The urban heat island phenomenon can be observed throughout various neighborhoods in Bakersfield. Areas closer to downtown and along the 99 freeway corridor can experience warmer temperatures at night than neighborhoods on the edge of the city limits and rural Kern County areas, with temperature differences up to 7 °F (4 °C) between these areas at any given time. On average, ten mornings have freezing lows (on average between December 14 and January 24) annually, and

2414-559: The Bay Area, with local residents being priced out. The city of Shafter , a small farming town north of Bakersfield, previously filed a suit to attempt to limit the northern expansion of Bakersfield's city limits. Shafter has also annexed large pieces of farmland to its east and south to ensure that Bakersfield does not annex this area. Bakersfield, in addition, filed a lawsuit against Shafter in 2007 regarding water rights Shafter planned to use but Bakersfield stated it had purchased in 1976. As

2485-560: The Great Spirit who presides over the destiny of their people once had his home in that mountain." The spelling Too-man-i-goo-yah is a transliteration from the indigenous Paiute Mono language . Another variation is Too-man-go-yah. In 1891, the United States Geological Survey 's Board on Geographic Names decided to recognize the name Mount Whitney. Despite losing out on their preferred name, Lone Pine residents financed

2556-454: The Owens Valley. Based on the range from the highest average high of 25.7 °F (−3.5 °C) to the lowest average low of 4.2 °F (−15.4 °C) for winter temperatures in the table (December to March), every 1 inch (25 mm) of liquid precipitation equates to approximately 15–40 inches (380–1,020 mm) of snow, with lower temperatures producing the greater snow depths. There

2627-551: The San Francisco and San Joaquin Valley Railroad being purchased by Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fe . The new station was located at the intersection of 15th Street and F Street and was demolished in 1972. It was replaced with the present day Bakersfield Station built in 2000, near Truxtun Avenue and S Street. On July 21, 1952, an earthquake struck at 4:52 am Pacific Daylight Time. The earthquake, which measured 7.5 on

2698-584: The average family size was 3.56. The population was distributed as 109,479 people (31.5%) under the age of 18, 37,368 (10.8%) aged 18 to 24, 97,024 (27.9%) aged 25 to 44, 74,276 (21.4%) aged 45 to 64, and 29,336 (8.4%) who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 30.0 years. For every 100 females, there were 96.0 males; for every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.5 males. The 120,725 housing units averaged 840.6 per square mile (324.6/km ), of which 66,323 (59.7%) were owner-occupied, and 44,809 (40.3%) were occupied by renters. The homeowner vacancy rate

2769-460: The banks of the Kern River in 1863, at what became known as Baker's Field, which became a stopover for travelers. By 1870, with a population of 600, what is now known as Bakersfield was becoming the principal town in Kern County. In 1873, Bakersfield was officially incorporated as a city, and by 1874, it officially replaced the town of Havilah as the county seat. Alexander Mills was hired as

2840-461: The benchmark is now estimated to be 14,504 ft (4,421 m). Whitney's eastern slope is far steeper than its western slope because the Sierra Nevada is the result of a fault block that is analogous to a cellar door: the door is hinged on the west and is slowly rising on the east. The rise is caused by a fault system that runs along the Sierra's eastern base, below Mount Whitney. Thus,

2911-534: The builder of the summit trail, built the shelter with funding from the Smithsonian Institution , with assistance from the Lick Observatory . The mortared granite shelter comprises three rooms in a line with windows in each and doors in the north and south rooms. The roof is corrugated metal on a steel truss frame. The materials to build the shelter were carried to the summit by donkeys. The shelter has

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2982-433: The city marshal, a man one historian would describe as "... an old man by the time he became Marshal of Bakersfield, and he walked with a cane. But he was a Kentuckian, a handy man with a gun, and not lacking in initiative and resource when the mood moved him." Businessmen and others began to resent Mills, who was cantankerous and high-handed in his treatment of them. Wanting to fire him but fearing reprisals, they devised

3053-585: The city's center in the most densely populated area of the southern San Joaquin Valley . Four people died in the aftershock, and many of the town's historic structures sustained heavy damage. Between 1970 and 2010, Bakersfield grew 400% (from 70,000 to 347,483), making it one of the fastest-growing cities in California. Bakersfield's close proximity to mountain passes , primarily the Tejon Pass on Interstate 5 between

3124-485: The coldest night of the year typically bottoms out below 30 °F or −1.1 °C. On January 2, 2012, Bakersfield reached a record high of 82 °F (27.8 °C) for that year's winter. Spring and fall typically feature mild to warm daytime high temperatures with cool nighttime low temperatures, but temperatures and precipitation can vary significantly depending on the year. More than 50 percent of Bakersfield's annual precipitation falls between January and March, with

3195-550: The creek is allowed to continue on its natural course, joining the Owens River , which terminates at Owens Lake , an endorheic lake of the Great Basin . The estimated elevation of Mount Whitney's summit has changed over the years. The technology of elevation measurement has become more refined and, more importantly, the vertical coordinate system has changed. The peak was commonly said to be at 14,494 ft (4,418 m) and this

3266-468: The east, in the Owens Valley . It rises more gradually on the west side, lying only about 3,000 feet (914 m) above the John Muir Trail at Guitar Lake. The mountain is partially dome-shaped, with its famously jagged ridges extending to the sides. Mount Whitney is above the tree line and has an alpine climate and ecology . Very few plants grow near the summit: one example is the sky pilot ,

3337-474: The fifth-largest majority-Hispanic city in the United States, with 53% of its population being Hispanic in 2020. In 1861, disastrous floods swept away the original settlement founded in 1860 by the German-born Christian Bohna. Among those attracted to the area by the California gold rush was Thomas Baker, a lawyer and former colonel in the militia of Ohio , his home state. Baker moved to

3408-557: The first trail to the summit, engineered by Gustave Marsh, and completed on July 22, 1904. Four days later, the new trail enabled the first recorded death on Whitney. Having hiked the trail, U.S. Bureau of Fisheries employee Byrd Surby was struck and killed by lightning while eating lunch on the summit. In response, Marsh began work on the stone hut that became the Smithsonian Institution Shelter , completing it in 1909. A movement began after World War II to rename

3479-527: The mountain for Winston Churchill , but the name Mount Whitney persisted. The most popular route to the summit is by way of the Mount Whitney Trail , which starts at Whitney Portal , at an elevation of 8,360 ft (2,548 m), 13 mi (21 km) west of the town of Lone Pine . The hike is about 22 mi (35 km) round trip with an elevation gain of over 6,100 ft (1,859 m). Permits are required year-round, and to prevent overuse

3550-423: The nation for the rental market. Apartment vacancies have become a large issue, with only one percent of potential apartments being open to new renters as of April 2021. The average cost of rent and housing has dramatically increased in the last few years, with some apartments having their monthly rent nearly double in cost. Most new apartments being built are catering to commuting workers from Southern California and

3621-642: The national, state, and city levels. Five buildings have been listed on the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP), including the First Baptist Church (NRHP 1/2/79); Baker Street Library (NRHP 4/1/81) and Bakersfield Californian Building (NRHP 3/10/83). Four sites have been designated as California Historical Landmarks , including Garces Memorial Circle (designated in 1937) and the Colonel Thomas Baker Memorial (designated in 1944). In addition, 16 sites have been locally designated on

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3692-489: The needles were named after participants in an 1880 scientific expedition to the mountain: Keeler Needle for James Keeler and Day Needle for William Cathcart Day. The latter has been renamed Crooks Peak after Hulda Crooks , who hiked up Mount Whitney every year until well into her nineties. Bakersfield, California Bakersfield is a city in and the county seat of Kern County, California , United States. The city covers about 151 sq mi (390 km ) near

3763-559: The new railroad caused Southern Pacific to lower its fares from $ 9.10 ($ 347.22 in 2023) to $ 6.90 ($ 263.27 in 2023) to match the new railroad's fare. Eventually, a streetcar line would connect the Santa Fe station to the Southern Pacific station in Sumner (now East Bakersfield ). However, while the track had reached Bakersfield in 1898, a station would not be constructed until 1899 due to

3834-466: The oil industry. The city reincorporated on January 11, 1898. In 1874, the Southern Pacific Railroad first arrived in Kern County. However, the train depot was placed nearly three miles east of Bakersfield due to a land dispute between the railroad and the town. Desperate to get their own station, Bakersfield residents, sugar magnate Clause Spreckels, and small investors from all over

3905-515: The people so affable and affectionate. Given the remoteness and inaccessibility of the region, the Yokuts remained largely isolated from further contact until after the Mexican War of Independence , when Mexican settlers began to migrate to the area. Following the discovery of gold in California in 1848, settlers flooded into the San Joaquin Valley . In 1851, gold was discovered along the Kern River in

3976-414: The population in 2010, compared to 71% in 1980. The census reported 344,088 people (99.0% of the population) lived in households, 2,094 (0.6%) lived in noninstitutionalized group quarters, and 1,301 (0.4%) were institutionalized. Of the 111,132 households, 51,995 (46.8%) had children under the age of 18 living in them, 57,276 (51.5%) were opposite-sex married couples living together, 18,049 (16.2%) had

4047-630: The record being 17 days in 1931. The most recent year to have more than five days of 110 °F (43.3 °C)+ temperature readings was 2017, with seven days reaching or exceeding 110 °F (43.3 °C). Temperatures can be highly variable throughout the spring, summer and fall months every year, with triple digit temperature readings in May, and on rare occasion April, and October in addition to occasional high temperatures below 80 °F (26.7 °C) in June and September not being uncommon. The warmest month on record

4118-545: The region lived in lodges along the branches of the Kern River delta and hunted antelope, tule elk, deer, bear, fish, and game birds. In 1776, Spanish missionary Francisco Garcés became the first European to explore the area. Recording his May 1 arrival to a Yokuts village along the Kern River, immediately northeast of present Bakersfield, Garcés wrote, The people of the rancheria had a great feast over my arrival, and having regaled me well I reciprocated to them all with tobacco and glass beads, congratulating myself on seeing

4189-545: The region suitable for growing crops ranging from carrots to citrus and almonds. Bakersfield summers are sweltering with extended stretches of hot weather and 112 days per year with high temperatures of 90 °F (32.2 °C)+ (on average between April 18 and October 13); in addition, there are 36 days with highs of 100 °F (37.8 °C)+ (on average between June 2 and September 19), and 0.9 days with highs of 110 °F (43.3 °C)+. The frequency of 110 °F (43.3 °C) readings can significantly vary each year, with

4260-456: The remainder falling during late fall and early winter. Snow is rare on the valley floor, although frost may occur. The last snow fell on January 25, 1999, when the city received up to 6 inches (15 cm), with 3 inches (7.6 cm) at the airport. The record maximum temperature was 118 °F (47.8 °C) on July 28, 1908, and the record minimum temperature was 12 °F (−11.1 °C) on January 3, 1908. The most rainfall in one month

4331-564: The site was utilized by Charles Greeley Abbot , the director of the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory, to conduct spectroscopic observations of Mars , aiming to investigate the presence of water on the planet. Other studies conducted at the site included observations of cosmic rays and nocturnal radiation . Although the structure was built in part as a shelter from storms, hikers are now warned against seeking shelter there during lightning storms. Gustave F. Marsh,

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4402-401: The southern Sierra Nevada , and in 1865, oil was discovered in the valley. The Bakersfield area, once a tule reed-covered marshland, was first known as Kern Island to the handful of pioneers , who built log cabins there in 1860. The area was subject to periodic flooding from the Kern River, which occupied what is now the downtown area, and experienced outbreaks of malaria . Bakersfield is

4473-462: The southern end of the San Joaquin Valley , which is located in the Central Valley region. Bakersfield's population as of the 2020 Census was 403,455, making it the 47th-most populous city in the United States and the 9th-most populous in California . The Bakersfield–Delano Metropolitan Statistical Area , which includes all of Kern County, had a 2020 census population of 909,235, making it

4544-567: The state ended up raising around $ 3,500,000 by January 17, 1895, to fund a second railroad to Bakersfield. By January 29, 1895, the San Francisco and San Joaquin Valley Railroad was born. Dubbed the "People's Railroad," the project was completed and warmly welcomed by the town with a parade attended by thousands on May 27, 1898, amidst the Spanish-American War and over 20 years after the completion of Southern Pacific's line. Competition from

4615-539: The summit and return to Whitney Portal in one day. A one-day hike requires a day-use permit that prohibits the use of overnight camping gear (sleeping bag and tent). Day hikers often leave Whitney Portal before sunrise and hike from 12 to 18 hours. Longer approaches to Whitney arrive at its west side, connecting to the Mount Whitney Trail near the summit by way of the John Muir Trail . The Mountaineer's Route,

4686-505: Was 197,389 (56.8%) White, 28,238 (8.1%) African American, 5,102 (1.5%) Native American, 21,432 (6.2%) Asian (2.1% Indian, 2.0% Filipino , 0.5% Chinese , 0.4% Korean , 0.2% Japanese , 478 (0.1%) Pacific Islander ), 77,686 (22.4%) from other races, and 17,068 (4.9%) from two or more races. Hispanics or Latinos of any race were 158,205 persons (45.5%). Among the general population, 39.5% are Mexican , 1.3% Salvadoran , 0.5% Guatemalan , and 0.10% Colombian . Non-Hispanic Whites were 37.8% of

4757-465: Was 3.2%; the rental vacancy rate was 9.0%. About 206,492 people (59.4%) lived in owner-occupied housing units, and 137,596 (39.6%) lived in rental housing units. Bakersfield has consistently ranked as one of the least educated metropolitan areas in the United States. A study by the Brookings Institution using 2008 data found that the proportion of Bakersfield metro adults age 25 and over with

4828-525: Was 5.82 inches (147.8 mm) in December 2010, and the maximum 24-hour rainfall was 2.29 inches (58.2 mm) on February 9, 1978. The wettest "rain year" has been from July 1997 to June 1998 with 14.73 inches (374.1 mm) and the driest from July 1933 to June 1934 with 2.26 inches (57.4 mm). Air quality is generally at its worst in fall and winter due to the California wildfire season and colder temperatures forming an inversion layer, respectively. It

4899-424: Was July 2024, with an average temperature of 90.8 °F (32.7 °C). Except for occasional monsoons, which may bring light rain, typically no rain or almost no rain will fall from May to September. Winters feature mild daytime temperatures and chilly/cold nights. Frost and/or dense fog usually occurs in winter with accompanying low visibility, causing many schools to have fog delays. Winters will usually produce

4970-427: Was killed by lightning on the summit in 1904. It was built to house scientists who utilized the 14,505-foot (4.421 km) summit to study high-altitude phenomena in the era before sustained high-altitude flight became feasible. Samuel Piepont recommended this location to the government as a prime spot for an observatory following an expedition in the area. Plans to establish a summit shelter were made in 1908. In 1909,

5041-499: Was somewhat spared, experiencing minor architectural damage without loss of life. A large aftershock occurred on July 29, causing minor architectural damage but raising fears that the flow of the Friant-Kern Canal could be dangerously altered, potentially flooding the city and surrounding areas. Aftershocks continued for the next month, and on August 22 at 3:42 pm, another earthquake, measured at 5.8, struck directly under

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