Visiting the Oil Town of Taft, California

Taft, CA is a oil town that is situated in the foothills of the San Joaquin Valley. Taft is located about 30 miles from Bakersfield, CA. The elevation of Taft is 955 feet above sea level.

The weather in Taft during the summer can get very hot. The temperatures during the day will range from the high 80's to the low 100's. July is the warmest month of the year. The weather during the fall and spring is very comfortable. The temperatures during the day will range from the low 60's to the mid 70's. The weather during the winter can get very cold. The temperatures during the day will range from the low 30's to the low 50's. With these types of temperatures always make sure to dress appropriately for the time of year it is.

The town of Taft was named to honor William Howard Taft. The town was built in and around oilfields and reserves. Oil was first discovered near a little town called Maricopa. This town is about 7 miles from Taft. A lot more oil was discovered in different places around Taft in the early 1900's. Taft has stayed a thriving community because of the oil industry.

Today, Taft is still considered a small oil town. There have been a lot of businesses that have came into Taft over the last several years and there are businesses that have continued to stay in Taft for many years. The Midway Driller has been in Taft from the early years and is considered to be the oldest newspaper in California. The Fox Theatre is another business that has stood the test of time and is operational today.

There has been some well known or famous people that came from Taft. Some of them are Tracy Rogers - NFL football player, Jeanne Cooper - actress, Dennis Fimple - actor and William Nelson the 2008 Olympian. There was also a movie that was made about Taft called "The Best of Times".

There are a lot of things to see and do in Taft and the surrounding area. Here are just a few that are worth checking out.

1. West Kern Oil Museum: This museum is located on Wood Street in Taft. The museum is full of local Taft history. There are a wide variety of exhibits which tell the story of the surrounding valley and the oil industry. The highlight of the museum is the 75 foot wooden derrick that was rebuilt and now sits on the grounds of the museum. The museum is open to the public and they do offer group tours. The museum is open Thursday - Sunday.

2. The Fox Theatre: is a wonderful old theatre that can be found in downtown Taft on Center Street. The Fox Theatre has had some very minor changes done to the interior of the theatre. The theatre has 3 screens and runs currently released movies.

3. The Fort: is located in Taft on North 10th Street. The Fort was built in 1940 and is made of adobe bricks. The Fort was made to look like Sutter's Fort in California. The Fort was made a historic landmark in 1980.

4. Tule Elk State Reserve: is located outside of Taft but in the surrounding area. The reserve is north of Gorman and South of Buttonwillow, or west of I-5 if you use Stockdale Highway in Bakersfield. This reserve is wonderful and helps protect the tule elk. The tule elk are protected on 950 acres that is run by the State of California. The best time to see the elk is in the late summer and into mid fall. Make sure to bring your binoculars with you to get a better closeup look.

In Taft you will get a wonderful mixture of the old and the new, as the town has old buildings and new. A lot of these buildings are mixed together which gives the town a unique look. Taft a very nice little town and would make a fun day trip or a nice weekend getaway.

www.taftchamber.com