Mailing Address:
EDCD
City Hall North
1600 Truxtun Avenue Suite 300
Bakersfield, California 93301
[Locate City Hall North]


Office Hours:
8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Monday - Friday except Holidays
Telephone (661) 326-3765
FAX (661) 852-2138
TDD (661) 321-9472
Fair Housing (661) 634-9245

E-mail:
EDCD@bakersfieldcity.us

The Historic Preservation Commission is the body of citizens that administers the historic preservation ordinance. Appointed by the City Council, it is comprised of residents, professionals and others with special expertise and interest in historic preservation.

See Boards, Commissions, and Committees for current Board Members.

The object of the commission is to provide for the identification, protection, enhancement and perpetuation of buildings, sites, places and areas within Bakersfield that reflect special elements of the City's architectural, artistic, cultural, engineering, aesthetic, historical, political, social and other heritage.

Historic preservation does not mean the simple restoration of old buildings. In the broadest sense, historic preservation aims at linking a community's past to its present, and establishing a sense of permanence and continuity by defining the community's unique cultural inheritance.

By protecting and enhancing a city's heritage, historic preservation ensures that future generations will see and experience the legacy left behind by past generations. They will see around them the hand of many builders, artisans, and architects, and feel the connection to people and events of the past.

Bakersfield Register of Historic Places

Any improvement, building, structure, sign, feature, site, place or object may be approved by the Historic Preservation Commission and designated a cultural resource by the City Council for placement on the Bakersfield Register of Historic Places. An object or district may be designated by the property owner, if it meets one or more of the following criteria: embodies distinctive characteristics; identified with persons or events significant in local, state or national history; exemplifies special elements of the city or community/neighborhood; represents work of a notable builder or designer; or is an archaeological or paleontological site.

Choose from the list below to get more information about Bakersfield's Register of Historic Places

China Alley
Colonial Apartments
Curran House
Fox Theater
Frank Munzer House
Jastro House
The Guild House
The Hayden Building
Hugh Curran Home
Kern County Chamber of Commerce/Kern County Museum Building
The McGill Building
Spencer House
Standard Oil Building
Women's Club

Additional items of interest

• Application For Area of Historic Interest
• Cultural Resource Designation Forms
• Historic Preservation Minutes & Agendas
• Historic Preservation Calendar
• Walking tours of Downtown "Stepping Into The Past"