Down Through - Kern Valley Sun · In 1848, gold was discovered in Northern California, and the tide of . gold-seekers soon became a flood. Many people used the Kern Valley route as

Down

The Years

2019 A Walk down the business path of the Kern River

Valley

1919-2019

Through

Down Through the Years is a publication of the Kern Valley Sun ©2019 • www.KVSun.com

1964 ~ Store Opening1969 ~ McCollough Became Sole Owner1977 ~ Completed Present Building1983 ~ Major Addition1985 ~ Computer System Installed1986 ~ 2-Story Addition

1987 ~ Became Member of Ace Hardware1995 ~ Devastating Fire1996 ~ Drive-Through Warehouse Addition1997 ~ Store Front Remodel1998 ~ Ace 2000-Partnership Award

1999 ~ Receiving Room Addition2000 ~ Expanded Services Small Engine Repair Shop Rental2004 ~ Roofing and Glulam Warehouse Addition

2008 ~ Building Addition and Remodel New State-of-the-Art Computer System2012 ~ Ace Exclusive... Craftsman Tools2014 ~ New Product Valspar Paint

1964Originial Location

Chain Ave.

1977Moved To Current

Location

1997 StoreFront Remodel

L&M Lumber Celebrating 55 Years4700 Lake Isabella Blvd. • Mon. Fri. 7-6 ~ Sat. & Sun. 8-5

www.lmlumber.com ~ [email protected] ~ Toll Free 833-459-6237

Kern Valley Sun ©2019 Down Through the Years 3

Kern Valley Sun

Down Through the YearsThe thriving merchants of the Kern River Valley have been here for us from the very beginning. Some have a long valley history, and others are fairly new in comparison. As you look through these next few pages and see the familiar names of your friends and neighbors, take a moment to reflect on their many generous contributions to our community. New and old, the ones that have endured have discovered a winning formula: take care of those who take care of you. The successful enterprises of our valley may well see the next century and beyond.“Down Through the Years” is a chronological snapshot of the valley’s expanding businesses.

Show your support by patronizing these hard-working local businesses who have solidified the foundations

of their establishments in the Kern River Valley.

Down Through the YearsKern Valley Sun Staff

Publisher ..................................................................Marsha SmithGeneral Manager .....................................................Natalie BrownManaging Editor ........................................................Ashley LozaEditor ......................................................................Grace HarrisonSports Editor ...............................................................Ray ConnerProduction .......................................................................Seth FikeProduction Assistant................................................Steve RinehartAdvertising Sales .....................................................Michele LynnAdvertising Sales ........................................................Tam BarbeeCirculation ...............................................................Steve RinehartClassifieds ............................................................ Christina Denys

4 Down Through the Years Kern Valley Sun ©2019

1956Paradise Cove Lodge

Steakhouse & MotelLake View Rooms

Steak • Seafood • CocktailsDinner Wednesday-Sunday 5 - 9

NOW HANDICAP ACCESSIBLE!

760-379-2719paradisecovelodge.com

10700 Hwy. 178 • 3 miles e of dam

1954

760-376-2411125 Buena Vista Dr.

Kernville

2014 Ewings Re-opened as part of the

Sierra Gateway family.

1929Sierra Gateway

Markets

760-376-242413432 Sierra Way, Kernville

760-378-220714606 Hwy 178, Southlake

760-376-1315Hwy 178, Southlake

90Years!

Paradise Cove Photo Courtesy of Pam Smith

Bert’s Store Photo Submitted

The Corral Kernburgers Courtesy Catherine Paradise


1959

760-379-3667www.KVSun.com • Fax: 760-379-43436416-A Lake Isabella Blvd. (Sun Plaza)P.O. Box 3074, Lake Isabella, CA 93240

60YearsStrong!

- Founded in 1959 -

- 1960 -Adjudicated by F.B. “Jim” and Margie Page

- 1961 -Purchased by Everett L. “Toby” Sears

- 1972 -Purchased by Wick Publications

and Clifford Urseth

- 1986 -Urseth shares purchasedby Wick Communications

- 2011 -Purchased by locals Ron and Marsha Smith

1964L&M Lumber

www.LMLumber.com

55 Years!

760-379-46314700 Lake Isabella Blvd.

Lake Isabella

1962Mt. MesaMarket

760-379-286712324 Mountain Mesa Rd.

Mt. Mesa

Bob’s Sportsman Post Card Courtesy of David Scott Lyman

Dick Weed Submitted by Chuck Barbee from the Bob Powers Collection


1966Kern ValleyVeterinary

Clinic

760-378-248614934 Hwy 178

Southlake

1968Kern Valley

Healthcare District

760-379-26816412 Laurel Ave

Mt. Mesa

“Where Healthcare and Community Connect”

Kern ValleyHealthcare District

By day, you are welcomed by a brilliant blue sky and at night you are greeted by a dazzling show of stars, constellations, and plan-ets. A star-studded sky is yours to revel in the peace and quiet of a night.

There is so much to take in with the myriad of world-class outdoor recreational opportunities.

Everywhere you look, you will behold the rugged natural beauty. You are surrounded by pristine scenes of the Sequoia National Forest, the rugged beauty of the Southern Sierra Nevada Moun-tains, the sparkling Kern River, and the inviting waters of Isabella Lake. You can do nothing, but re-lax or you can fill your days with adventure and excitement. The Kern River Valley offers it all.

The valley is unique in its peace and quiet. Even during the busy summer season, they roll up the streets at night and a chorus of crickets and frogs can be heard from just about everywhere. There are only two traffic lights, which is special in itself!

The seamless transition from eclectic small towns and the splendor of the wild flowers that adorn the nearby countryside will amaze you.

A special feature of the valley is the historic collections housed in the Kern Valley Museum in Kernville, and Nuui Cunni Na-tive American Cultural Center at French Gulch Recreation Area on Hwy. 155. The valley is filled with

history dating back to 100 AD when the Native Americans called it home. It has seen gold rushes, floods, new roads, a dam, and fires, but it has retained its unique-ness and calls to those who return for a journey only the Kern River Valley can give them.

Today the historic Keyesville town site is not much more than a ghost town, but a few generations ago, it played an important role in the settlement and early mining of the Kern River Valley.

In 1851, gold was discovered on Greenhorn Creek near the Kern River just a few miles Northwest of the community of Lake Isabel-la. The first gold rush on the Kern River happened in 1852 when Richard Keyes discovered lode gold. Keyesville is a California historical landmark. Even though the actual site is on private land, there are many historic resourc-es in the surrounding area that can be enjoyed, including Native American mortar rocks, placer and hardrock gold mines, the Walker cabin, Keyesville village, the old Keyesville Fort, and the cemetery.

Some of the valley’s most his-toric structures are featured in the Silver City Ghost Town village. The village that was created to preserves the essence and serenity of days gone by. The buildings date back to the 1800s when the valley was in its early stages of existence. The Apalatea/Burlan-do house is said to be the oldest standing structure in the valley as it originally stood on the Apalatea/Burlando Ranch, which is now the community of Kernville.

The beautiful historic Kern River Valley

Original Fairview Bridge 1926 Courtesy of Kern River Valley History)

Edited By Sarah Rooffener


1972Kelly Gonzales

Concrete

760-379-4284661-301-6409 (Cell)

Serving the Kern River Valley

Licensed ContractorLic.# 323227

Commercial & ResidentialWorkman’s Comp • Liability Insurance

1970Kern Valley

Asphalt Services

760-417-0411

Dick BlomgrenThe guy who

does things right!

a.k.a. Kern AsphaltPaving & Sealing

Lic.# 812686

1973

760-379-36846069 Lake Isabella Blvd.Downtown Lake Isabella

Century 21Real Estate

1972Kern Valley

Sweet Adelines

Do you Sing?Looking for new members!

Rehersals: Thursdays atSenior Center L.I. 6:30pmwww.KernValleyChorus.org

Celebrating 47 Years!

Walker Pass Super Service Station 1929 Courtesy of Kern River Valley History

Havilah Circa 1870 Courtesy of Kern River Valley History

Kernville Center of Town Courtesy of Kern River Valley History


1985R.J. Smith

Construction

[email protected]

Your Valley ContractorNew Homes • Room Additions

References • Free EstimatesInsured • Lic.# 333664

1985Cheryl’sDiner

760-376-613111030 Kernville Rd.

Kernville

Owner, Cheryl BorthickChosen 2010

Small BusinessPerson of the Year

1979

760-376-2216Circle ParkKernville

The DrugStore1976

Nelda’sDiner

Same Family OwnedProudly Serving The

Kern River ValleyFor 43 Years!


Lake IsabellaMovie Street Old Kernville Courtesy of Kern River Valley History

Split Mountain Courtesy of Kern River Valley History

New Kern River Bridge Old Kernville 1948 Courtesy of Kern River Valley History


1990Diana P. Wade

760-417-2390Lake Isabella

DisabilityAdvocateand

Representative

1990

Valley’s OnlyFull Service Agency

Judy BatesDebra Wiruth

760-376-6006P.O. Box 69 Kernville, CA 93238

SOT 2018020-40

The Kern River Valley is bordered by subranges of the Sierra Nevada: the Kern Plateau to the northeast, the Piute Mountains to the southeast, Scodie Mountains to the south and the Greenhorn Mountains to the west.

The Kern River flows through the valley. A dam was completed in 1953, creating the recreational Lake Isabel-la reservoir.

Towns in the valley include:

Kernville • Lake Isabella • Weldon • Wofford Heights • Bodfish • Moun-tain Mesa • South Lake • Riverkern • Onyx • Canebreak

Road to discovery of the Kern River Valley.

The first non-Native American traveler who entered the Kern Valley came from the east along the South Fork of the Kern River. Capt. Joseph Reddeford Walker entered the Kern Valley in May, 1834. Walker was looking for the northernmost pass through the Sierra that was relatively snow-free. The pass he came over,

which is now named Walker Pass in his honor, was exactly what he was looking for at only 5,200 feet eleva-tion.

Capt. Walker made another trip through the Kern Valley in 1843. He was working as a guide for a wagon train coming to California from Mis-souri. The emigrants passed through the Kern Valley on their way to the coast.

In the winter of 1845-1846, Capt. Walker led yet another party through the Kern Valley. This was an expe-dition of artist Edward M. Kern, for

whom Kern County, Kernville and the Kern River Valley are all named. The party camped where the north and south forks of the Kern River joined, a spot which is now deep un-der the waters of Isabella Lake.

In 1848, gold was discovered in Northern California, and the tide of gold-seekers soon became a flood. Many people used the Kern Valley route as a pass through the Sierra, and then continued to the gold fields up north. But gold fever caused ex-ploration of streams and rivers in the Kern Valley as well.

A Tid-Bit about the Kern River Valley

South Fork Valley 1927 Courtesy of Kern River Valley History

Courtesy of Southern Sierra Properties


1996Mountain View Health Center

760-379-17914300 Birch Ave., Mt. Mesa

Monday thru Friday 7am-7pm



1994The Burlington

New Owners 2004

760-376-647413 Sycamore

Wofford Heights

1992Skilled Nursing

Center

760-379-26816412 Laurel Ave

Mt. Mesa



1994Mesa Clinical

Pharmacy

760-379-610612608 Mt. Mesa Rd., Mt MesaMonday thru Friday 9am-6pm



The Bakersfield Californian, Tuesday, May 16, 1967

The Kern River Valley’s first general hospital is 23 per cent completed, according to Construction Inspector Glen Hall, of Bakersfield.

Top photo is interior looking toward storage, kitchen, administration and maintenance facilities.

Lower photo shows concrete work and cement block construction from exterior. Mrs. Beryl Neeley, hospital administration, and the hospital district’s directors are

preparing for the not too distant opening.

Dick Weed Submitted by Chuck Barbee

from the Bob Powers Collection

Freighters in Old Isabella 1921 Courtesy of Kern River Valley History


1999Harry P. Thal

Insurance Agency

760-376-210011006 Kernville Road #1

Kernville

Health Insurance SpecialistCA Lic.# 0621106

Serving California Since 1982

1997Kern Village

760-376-673332 Burlando Rd. Kernville

Celebrating22 Years!

2004Able PropertyManagement

Lic.# 00982861Serving the Kern River Valley


(Post Office Center)Lake Isabella

www.AblePM.com

2001Kernville

Animal Hospital

760-376-119232 Tobias Street

Kernville

Vicki L. Boyer, DVM

1997

760-379-80002202 Crestview Ave

Lake Isabella

The APPLIANCE Center

DamConstruction Submitted by Nancy Goss

Dick Weed Submitted by Chuck Barbee

from the Bob Powers Collection



Celebrating 51 Years of Service to Our Local Community

760-379-2681 Skilled Nursing Center6412 Laurel Ave., Mt. Mesa

760-379-6106Mesa Clinical Pharmacy12608 Mt. Mesa Rd., Mt MesaMonday thru Friday 9am-6pm

760-379-1791Mountain View Health Center

4300 Birch Ave., Mt. MesaMonday thru Friday 7am-7pm

6412 Laurel Ave. • Mt. Mesa • 760-379-2681

• 25-Bed Acute Care Unit• 74-Bed Unit Skilled Nursing Unit• 24-Hour Emergency Department• Rehabilitation Services• Surgical Services• Radiology• Laboratory• Cardio/Pulmonary• Retail Pharmacy• Rural Health Clinic

We have grown, Kern Valley Healthcare District’s Rural Health Clinic is now called Mountain View Health Center. We are open from 7:00 am to 7:00 pm, Monday

through Friday and walk-ins are accepted upon availability. We recently welcomed Dr. Sarah Lopez, D.O., along with long time Dr. Carlos Montes, M.D., Greg Davis,

PA-C, or Bryan Batdorf, PA-C. Our building renovation is completed, stop by and see our new lobby. In the not too far off future we will be adding a mobile health clinic.

The future is looking brighter than ever at KVHD.

2019March 1978

The hospital was constructed and commenced operation in May 1968. During the first year and a half of operation, 1,000 patients

were admitted and some 4,500 emergencies cared for.

Documents

Down Through - Kern Valley Sun · In 1848, gold was discovered in Northern California, and the tide of . gold-seekers soon became a flood. Many people used the Kern Valley route as