47 digitized audiovisual resources, including videos, audio, and interviews on library groundbreakings, the dustbowl, and Kern County history. Historical Videos • Historical Audio
Category: Subject-HistoricalPhotos
Local History Room
The Local History Room is located, on the second floor, within the Beale Memorial Library. The collection contains books, pamphlets, periodicals, newsletters, vault materials, and vertical files on over 900 subjects. The Local History room’s most popular items include Bakersfield City Directories dating back to 1899; Kern County Telephone directories dating back to 1940; and donated elementary, […]
National Archives Collections
The National Archives has collections spanning from general topics and through the 19th to 21st century. Among the notable collections include photos of WWII, Women’s Suffrage, and American Indians. Historical photos
William Harland Boyd Collection
Photos from the files of local historian, William Harland Boyd (1912-2002), collected while writing his books on Kern County history; these photos are of prominent community leaders and businessmen, and also include historic views of Kern County. Historical photos
Stony Brook Retreat Tuberculosis Sanatorium Collection
This collection includes Bakersfield city scenes from the 1990s. Historical photos
Kathleen Walker Collection
This collection includes Bakersfield city scenes from the 1990s. Historical photos
Curtis Darling Postcard Collection
This collection includes miscellaneous illustrated and photographic postcards of Kern County locations. Historical photos
Clyde Johnson Collection
This collection includes photographs of assorted Kern County scenes following the 1952 earthquake. Historical photos
Carleton E. Watkins Photography Collection
Carleton Watkins (1829-1916) was one of the most highly acclaimed early Western photographers. This collection includes photographs of various Kern County scenes from the 1880s, with an emphasis on Rancho El Tejon. Historical photos
KCL Local History Flickr Photostream
Since 2012, the Kern County Library has utilized Flickr to share both current programming photos and to also make the viewing of local history photos from the Local History Room available to the public. Historical photos