Myself, wearing a blue western wear shirt, cream cowboy hat with blue stars, leaning against a barrel bar.

A Return to the Kern County Museum: Home to Country Legends and More

January 21, 2026, Leave a Comment on A Return to the Kern County Museum: Home to Country Legends and More

Back in 2021 Patrick and I made our first visit to the Kern County Museum, an outstanding museum with over 50 buildings across 16 acres in Bakersfield. Our visit was amid COVID restrictions, and meant that few of the buildings were open, and between then and now, it has opened a Bakersfield Sound exhibit and…

A 74 foot long lunch counter stretches into the distance with mint and white barstools. A large colorful mural of Black people seated at a lunch counter hangs above.

Revisiting America’s Last Woolworth’s Luncheonette

January 14, 2026, 3 Comments

While many may blow by the small town of Bakersfield en route to Los Angeles, it is well worth the stop for a variety of reasons, but perhaps its star attraction is that it is home to the last operating Woolworth’s lunch counter. Woolworth’s first opened in Bakersfield in 1911, but by the 1930s they…

Overall view of the lunch counter. The counter runs along the left side, sweeping across the back. Black and white checkered floor allows for table seating with red formica topped tables and red and chrome chairs. A red stripe runs across the wall with red neon above. Framed Coca-Cola ads line the upper, cream portion of the wall, a large circular Coca-Cola sign sits on the back wall.

Inside the Last Operating Woolworth’s Lunch Counter

September 21, 2021, 1 Comment

November 2 2021 Update: According to an October 30 article from the Bakersfield newspaper, the Five & Dime Antique Mall shutters on November 6, but the lunch counter will try to stay open until the full remodel needs to take place, which could be as early as January 2022. “The lunch counter is staying open…

Andre's at an angle. Two over arching "dog legs" stretch across the small walk up restaurant, painted orange. A nearly all glass front has showcases the items available. A seating area is off to the left.

Andre’s Drive-In

May 21, 2021, 4 Comments

When out and about, Patrick and I often seek out the older restaurants, and it’s even better when they have a great old sign. However, I’m still a bit on the wary side of dining due to COVID, especially indoors, so I was thrilled to find Andre’s! A 1950s drive-in restaurant, complete with great architecture,…

Visiting Merle Haggard’s Home and More at Kern County Museum

May 17, 2021, 4 Comments

Being vaccinated means I feel a bit more comfortable going out and doing some things, and I’ve been itching to get on the road for a little day trip. I recently heard that Bakersfield had a wealth of great neon signs, which are a favorite subject of mine, including an entire courtyard display dedicated to…

Atomic Redhead

Bakersfield history

A Return to the Kern County Museum: Home to Country Legends and More

Revisiting America’s Last Woolworth’s Luncheonette

Inside the Last Operating Woolworth’s Lunch Counter

Andre’s Drive-In

Visiting Merle Haggard’s Home and More at Kern County Museum