Bakersfield Built: Architecture of the 1950s

September 26, 2024 – January 4, 2025 

This exhibition was created in collaboration with
the Society of Architectural Historians, Southern California Chapter.

Sponsored by BMW of Bakersfield, Bakersfield Built Foundation, Curtis & Peggy Darling Fund, Bakersfield College Foundation &Archives, Kelly Archer Interiors, Inc., and Kern Family Health Care.

The Exhibit

Whitney Biggar, Kenneth Frick Residence, 1954, Photograph by Julius Shulman, 1955.  

In the wake of the 7.5 magnitude earthquake that devastated downtown Bakersfield on July 21, 1952, and facing a growing post-World War II population boom, masters and students of architecture embraced the Mid-century Modern style in their vision of a city reborn, heralding a new era of architectural innovation.

Local architects, many educated under Clarence Cullimore's groundbreaking high school program, and renowned figures from Los Angeles such as Richard J. Neutra and Frank Lloyd Wright, contributed to this transformation. Their work, characterized by clean lines and modern materials, helped Bakersfield become a prominent center for Mid-century Modernism on the West Coast.

Bakersfield Built: Architecture of the 1950s highlights how the city’s post-disaster rebuilding and economic boom fostered a unique and cohesive architectural identity. 

Gallery Card

Images

Whitney Biggar, Cal Cotton Plant (Bakersfield, Calif.), 1959, Photograph by Julius Shulman, 1959, Digital print,10" x 8.” © J. Paul Getty Trust. Getty Research Institute, Los Angeles (2004.R.10). 2742-3

Whitney Biggar, Kern County Free Library (Bakersfield, Calif.), 1957, Photograph by Julius Shulman, 1957, Digital print, 8" x 10." © J. Paul Getty Trust. Getty Research Institute, Los Angeles (2004.R.10). 2485-19K

Eugene Choy, Rose House (Bakersfield, Calif.), 1954, Photograph by Julius Shulman, 1955, Digital print, 8" x 10." © J. Paul Getty Trust. Getty Research Institute, Los Angeles (2004.R.10). 2050-1

Eddy and Paynter, Panorama Gardens (Bakersfield, Calif.), 1959, Photograph by Julius Shulman, 1959, Digital print,10" x 8.” © J. Paul Getty Trust. Getty Research Institute, Los Angeles (2004.R.10). 2793-8 

Events

Symposium + Home Tour

Saturday, September 28
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM

The third in a series celebrating Modern architecture in Bakersfield, Bakersfield Built: Architecture of the 1950s, will explore the most exciting decade in the city’s history.

Join a panel of experts as they survey the history and highlights of Bakersfield’s transformation into “America’s Newest City.” 

The symposium + home tour is sold out.

Exhibition Tours  

Free with BMoA Membership
Docent-led except where noted. Reservations are recommended.  

October 26 | 11:00 AM
November 16 | 11:00 AM
November 22 | 6:30 PM (Curator Led)
December 13 | 6:30 PM (Artist Led)
December 21 | 11:00 AM
January 4, 2025 | 11:00 AM