Cal State Bakersfield and the Public History Institute at CSUB
present
Oildale and Beyond:
Interpreting the Region Through Words, Images, and Music
A conference at CSU Bakersfield
in conjunction with the Oildale Centennial
Saturday, November 7, 2009, 8:00am to 5:00pm
PRE-REGISTRATION REQUIRED: http://www.csub.edu/history/
The History Department and the Walter Stiern Library at California State University, Bakersfield, announce a conference on the history of Oildale, California, and the larger region (Bakersfield, Kern County, the Southern San Joaquin Valley).
2009 marks the centennial of this unincorporated area of metropolitan Bakersfield, a distinct working-class community that emerged rapidly after a major oil discovery in the area in 1899 and which has left a legacy in business, literature, and song.
Photo, book, and document exhibits will complement presentations exploring numerous aspects of the history of Oildale and the larger region, including
- the Bakersfield Sound
- the impact of national events on the region
- the experiences and contributions of ethnic groups in Kern County
- the roles of oil and water
Also featured are two Oildale native sons: Merle Haggard and Gerald Haslam